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About The amplifier. (West Linn, Oregon) 1921-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2010)
2010 Forum 5 World will end by 2060 unless we take action J aimie L orenzini The world will end by 2060—unless critical preventive action is taken. The environment is destabilizing due to human activity and ecosystems are collapsing. Within the next four decades, the planet is predicted to be in turmoil from extreme weather conditions. The environment is nearing a catastrophic tipping point, according to the United Nations and the World Bank. It has been confirmed that the climate is changing so rapidly that unless immediate action is taken, people everywhere will be faced with gross food and water shortages. It has also been noted that even if humans • worldwide stopped all planet harming activity today, that the plant will still see 1/3 of its species go extinct from global warming. "Worst case scenario, the consensus among scientists is a 30 percent loss," Jim Hartmann, Environmental Science teacher, said. In a study done by the United Kingdom's Department of Energy, the Copenhagen Photo by Mark Poppert A scenic patch of forest in Camassia. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, lessening the impact of global wanning. Without the trees, the temperature will rise more rapidly, making deforestation a global crisis. The Copenhagen accord suggests nations reimburse, countries that don't cut down their trees. apocalyptic symptoms of global warming. The summit on climate change was resolved on Dec. 19 by e q u a to r w ill b e c o m e 4 °C w a rm e r b y th e y e a r 2 0 6 0 , an o ffe rin g a p ro p o sa l to cu t c a rb o n e m issio n s g re a tly by estimate placing the date 50 years earlier than all other past predictions. It has been reported that this shift at the equator will cause mass flooding, heat waves and other weather extremes to become the norm. Delegates representing 192 sovereign countries convened in Copenhagen, Denmark to discuss what action may be taken to prevent the predicted the year 2020. Early stages of the discussions were marked by proposals attempting to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050 and limiting rising temperatures to a 1.5°C fluctuation. These proposals were abandoned due to a nearly unanimous lack of support from developed countries. The prevailing proposal rested upon the United States granting developing countries $30 billion within the proceeding three years, limiting temperature fluxuation to 2°C averages. To protect trees that absorb C 02, governments are promising additional money to countries that reduce rates of deforestation in their respective countries. This proposal was primarily supported by the United States, China, India, South Africa and Brazil. Whether support of this accord is unanimous amongst the remaining 187 countries still remains to be decided. What is your opinion about students posting photos of illegal actions on Facebook? "I guess it's not too bad, but if other people don't . . IIP * v\ I Cameron Minson, ll ilill lilll The environmental anything incriminating," discussion itself had Hartmann said. drawn large support Regardless of legitimacy globally. The day before the of the e-mails, the conference ended, several conference still delivered a thousand activists arrived proposal. Several countries, in Denmark. They flooded many in the European the streets surrounding the Union, voiced concern over conference, attempting to this agreement. A primary urge delegate to pursue grievance was founded a more forceful proposal. on the proposal not being Local police were called legally binding. and detained roughly 1,000 According to Gordon activists after a street rally Brown, Prime Minister of went awry. Great Britain, the proposal However, the needs to become legally Copenhagen talks were binding quickly. Other brought under scrutiny after government figures, such a document labeled "Danish as the president of the Text" was leaked to local European Union, have newspapers. This document The fa c ts on shows favor to developed countries such as the United States •The equator w ill become 4°C and the United w arm er by the year 2 0 6 0 Kingdom, but •1/3 o f species wilt go extinct undermines because o f climate change, developing even if w e take precautions countries by •Proposal reached in Copenh demanding they agen w ould grant $ 3 0 billion meet strenuous to developing countries and requirements limit tem perature fluctua before receiving tions to 2°C averages any financial aid. •Five countries (US, China, In The dia, South A fric a Brazil! conference was support proposal further brought ♦187 countries still need to into scrutiny show whether they support after a series the proposal of e-mail were hacked from a British server. voiced similar beliefs. These e-mails suggested "The only way they'll that environmentalists were do it is if there's massive intentionally skewing data pressure from the people," to make global warming Hartmann said. "I'm not appear more pressing than sure if our governments it may actually be. are able to handle this. "I didn't see Congress is good at preparing for the next election... not the next generation." freshman "It's bad and they are just asking to get into trouble. There is no point to putting things like that on there." —Sarita Hemmady, sophomore STUDENTS speak out "I think it is just asking for trouble and nothing good comes out of it." —Christian Wilson, junior "Kids have the right to express themselves the way they like and if they want to post things like that let them deal with the consequences." —Jeff Bush, senior
