Emirates Airline Executive rubbishes global warming theory

[kingoftheslipstream]

Well I reckon this guys' 'shelf life' has come and gone... :ouch:

http://green.yahoo.com/news/afp/20071101/sc_afp/environmentclimateaviationemiratesgorefilm.html

[QTRminator]

Yeah right... He probably knows the state of the planet much better than all the worlds reknown scientists:hmm:

[schismatic]

Haven't we had this debate on a previous thread? Actually I think MF has a point.

Sure we must be careful and take sensible steps where possible but the enviromental issue is overplayed, hysterical and distorted to particular areas depending on political issues, media attention, financial advantages etc.

Right now its getting a lot of attention because for govenments it means more money. Its always money behind anything. These governments can climb on the bandwagon, look like concerned, well intentioned politicians and then tax whoever they want in the environmental name to fill the coffers they emptied thru previous bungled policies.

Perhaps they should levy an international tax on any country with active volcanos. In a day, they spew far more noxious gas into the atmosphere than a year of aviation.

All reasonable efforts to make the world cleaner are justified but if the mechanism involves money then its unlikely to anything more than another clever scheme for someone to get rich conveniently supported by media hysteria.

[yada.yada.yada]

Amen, schismatic.

"Aviation is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas" is the common attack these days.

Hmmm....depending on whose figures you believe, the numbers are anywhere from 2% to 4%.

I saw on a documentary that the largest contributor to greenhouse gas comes the the generation of electricity (50% - 60%).

The people attacking aviation are those who want tax imposed on aviation fuel (in the UK).

It's all about the Benjamins ;)

[411A]

It's all about the Benjamins

Indeed it is, yet many otherwise intelligent folks fails to realise this...must be the modern education...repeat a (man caused GW) idea often enough, and it become reality.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

[harry the cod]

I'ts all about the Benjamins????

Sorry for my ignorance, but............? :confused:

Harry

[mensaboy]

I read somewhere that aviation carbon emissions are about 1% of the total emissions. This seems a bit low to me but that is what I recall.
But to suggest that climate change is not happening is beyond belief to me. The vast majority of scientists around the world have reached this conclusion. I have only ever heard one wack-job scientist on a documentary, who was clearly a lunatic (and not just about climate change), try to criticize these findings. He was the only scientist they could find to offer a contrary POV.
Every single place I have visited has experienced dramatic weather phenomena in the past 15 years or so and overall most places have experienced at least some alteration to what would be considered normal weather patterns.
The arctic is melting at an alarming rate, Greenland has for the first time thawed enough to allow exploration for mineral resources, gigantic slabs of ice have disappeared in Antarctica and every single notable glacier in the world has greatly diminished in size. Look at the USA, the west coast is burning up, parts of the east coast especially around Atlanta are in drought (so much so that without intervention or some favorable weather, drinking water supplies will be gone in 6 months), the south still has not recovered from the Hurricanes, the Everglades are shrinking, small coastal parts of Alaska are simply gone now and Canada has experienced some chaotic weather as well.
Bangladesh is sinking as we speak (well actually the tides and sea are infiltrating it), Australia seems to be in perma-drought. India's drinking water supply is under threat. Vast tracks of the rainforest in Brazil have already disappeared, so much so, that it is affected the rain patterns which is compounding the problem. China is basically a mess. Huge areas of permafrost in Siberia are now releasing methane gas which previously had been trapped. Borneo has been smouldering for years.
Alarmist? perhaps a little, but for ANYONE to suggest that we are not affecting the world's climate is disturbing to me. It was as short as 20 years ago that bottled water was uncommon.
Surely a few areas will benefit from a warmer climate but overall things will get worse. I fear that climate change affects will inevitably lead to strife and conflict and eventually wars which again, will exacerbate the problem.
If indeed MF is quoted correctly, then he has lost it. This won't come as much of a surprise to many people here at EK. I cannot comment on that because I have never met the man but I do know he has come out with more and more bizarre statements of late.

[PITA]

It is the US 100$ bill

Benjamin Franklin graces the face of the $100 bill

[harry the cod]

THANKS! :ok:

[jinglied]

Mensaboy...

MF's comment about AL Gore is spot on. Some of the statements he made in that so called "documentary" were outright false. The most recent years were NOT the hottest on record. The large wall size chart he used showing temperatures increasing with CO2 was extremely misleading, temperatures rose First, then came the rise in CO2.

To say that global temperatures are not changing is ridiculous, I agree. But to blame it on our CO2 emissions and then attempt to "prove" it by showing ice melting, hurricanes, etc.....BULL****!!!

By the way, global warming will not increase the number of hurricanes.

You mentioned Canada in your comments...check out what's happening right now in central Canada. One of the coldest, and best seasons for winter sports in years!

There's more CO2 exiting Al Gore's arse than there is coming out of the back end of any Boeing/Airbus.

Jinglie'd

[sioux115]

Truely the most ignorant post I've read. Very sad.

[maddog62]

The large wall size chart he used showing temperatures increasing with CO2 was extremely misleading, temperatures rose First, then came the rise in CO2.

Al Gore deliberately shifted the CO2 part of the graph to the left. And this is by the very Scientists (and not politicians) who created that chart.

To say that global temperatures are not changing is ridiculous,

They always did and always will. Greenland was green 800 yrs ago.

mad

[boiler]

Greenland was green 800 yrs ago.
Sorry mate. If you review your history, Greenland was always white. It was a Viking King who called it by that name to try to get his people to live there (but failed). The name however stuck.

[Blue-Footed Boobie]

Actualy that Viking King had the Green/White form of colour blindness.. get it myself sometimes, particularly after my 5th wee dram.

Blue Foot

[mensaboy]

Jinglied, (love the handle by the way), I don't wish to get in a slag match with you but I wholeheartedly disagree with you.
Fact... the average overall temperature of the earth is 0.6 degrees higher than on average since records were kept. It might not seem very much but it is, and the trend is for higher.
Global warming or rather climate change will indeed increase the occurence of hurricanes and more importantly will increase their severity. If the oceans increase 1 little degree celsius, that is HUGE!
What is happening right now in central Canada you say?? A rather intense NorEaster in the past few days......... and now today?.......... its raining. This never happened 20 years ago. But I will agree, that we can't simply look at a few years or isolated events because naturally there are variations.
That is the most worrying point of all of this, the trend has never been so pronounced and for such a long time as it has been recently.
From my experience listening to individuals who believe that global climate change is not happening, you always seems to attack Al Gore. Why would you attack the messenger and not simply dispute the facts? I think his Nobel Prize would at least make you feel a bit silly making those comments.
Now I realize I will receive 'hate' messages for saying this but it is true. GWB, most Repubs and all Neo Cons make up the vast majority of individuals who dispute science. This is a disturbing trend for the USA, especially considering that in the past the ability to separate religion and science was probably the most important reason for America's success. Now it has become clouded, much to your detriment. It is a typical response from Repubs to attack the messenger and not the message..... and that too is a fact.
I think this has come about in the past 10 years as a result of radical religious tendencies in other parts of the world leading to a perceived threat to western nations, which is a perception perhaps justified. But this should not lead to 'thinking' that is not based on fact and science.
Yes I will agree that 'maybe' this whole climate change idea is wrong or at least not as serious as 99% of the scientists tell us. Consider this if we do not take action. If you are wrong??? Then civilization as we know it will change or even disappear. What if you are correct? Then we have altered our habits and made it a cleaner and more sustainable world for our children and their children. I'm not willing to take that bet but apparently you are. Benjamins once again.
My god man, Kilamanjaro has melted, people in China are walking around with masks on their faces and vast parts of the US are under serious threat for various reasons. Even GWB has stopped his rhetoric on the subject which says a lot considering he lives in his own world of reality.
Flame away !!
Hey, if you won't help solve the problem at least get out of the way so the rest of us can....... directed at the good ole USA by the way !

[max AB]

I think his Nobel Prize would at least make you feel a bit silly making those comments...

They gave the Nobel Peace prize to Yasser Arafat remember....

[mensaboy]

Ok Max, are you suggesting that the Nobel Prize is unworthy of accolades? Fine, if that is your viewpoint. But I believe that in most instances it has been awarded based on merit and contributions that exceed the norm for the good of mankind. Perhaps a few instances can be viewed in retrospect as being unworthy. I'm not sure if Yassar was one of those cases, but you are probably correct in that assessment.
I just find it bizarre that every single nation on the planet (except ONE), and the vast majority of human beings who have at least read about both sides of the argument....... believe there is validity in the truth that climate change has been brought about by human activity. Science has only confirmed my observations over the past years. I think an awareness of what is going on around us on a worldwide scale would lead any rational person to come to the same conclusion.
If you or anyone else disagrees with me I will gladly discuss or argue with you till the cows come home. I find it an interesting and very important subject. I have watched Gore's movie twice and I have sincerely tried to find inaccuracies in it. There are a few minor points but in reality, I think he presented a fair and objective viewpoint. In fact, he even offered up solutions and concluded with optimism.
Every time I have had discussions with individuals regarding climate change, inevitably those who disagree with it are those who have not taken the time to research it. I don't know whether this comes from an inability to rationalize the fact that things might get ugly in the future or they simply are predisposed to believe the likes of GWB. I have found there is a direct connection between uninformed individuals and supporters of him, but that is just my belief.
I do not lump you into that category by the way.
I do have a fear that 'after my time' on earth, things might be less hospitable than during my time. I feel a responsibility in those regards yet realize my part in it is but a small one. The most I can do is TRY to change attitudes of those I believe to be misguided. I will not take it personally if you think I'm out to lunch on the subject and I will not hold it against anyone who is so uneducated, misinformed and downright stupid to believe the contrary. (a joke there)
On a lighter note........ Merry Christmas!

[TangoUniform]

Professor Mesa,
Hook line and sinker they have you. Is there "climate change"? Yes, and there always has been. Is man responsible, is the question? That's what is debatable. Does man have the ability to impact climate change to the extent that it would make a difference? Again debatable. But there are scientists everywhere who also debate man's ability to make a huge difference.

I too have watched Gore's movie and come away with a completly different impression.

So we do not differ on whether or not there is climate change, we differ on whether man has the ability to really make a huge difference.

And do us all a favor, mesna, your manifestos are fun to read, but please make some paragraph breaks.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Kwanzaa, etc.
TU

[jinglied]

Mensaboy..

Geeezz...very sane response. O.K. I'll post my best retort when I'm back home and have a cuppa good java nearby to support me. Happy to disagree.

Merry Christmas

Jinglie'd

[punkalouver]

Every time I have had discussions with individuals regarding climate change, inevitably those who disagree with it are those who have not taken the time to research it.

I don't know the background of the individual who wrote this but this is not the first time we have had global warming.

http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA194.html

What I will say is this. I agree there is global warming. I am willing to do my fair share. But as a citizen of one of the "bad" countries at the Bali meeting I am saying that we will never make a huge sacrifice that in the end will have little to no effect because all the so called environmentalists are willing to let China, India, etc continue to massively increase their carbon output. You can come up with whatever excuse you want on their behalf, the answer is still never.

[bravothree]

To take you back to the start of this thread; MF, when he said "Don't talk to me about global warming... I just do not buy it whatsoever,", he was just expressing his own PERSONAL views. Just like you have been doing on this thread.... and, judging by the contributions seen here, it is evident that most of you are on his side of the fence.
Where is it written that you cease having PERSONAL views just because you are a CEO of a company?