Island nations on global warming: Stop talking and start doing

Countries and businesses alike are making contingency plans for the next 30 years.  Global warming is a serious problem -- whether it is natural, man-made or a little bit of both.  With the sea level expected to rise significantly over the next generation, island nations raised concerns this week at the United Nations:

"The international community has convened numerous conferences andsummits at which it has agreed on wide-ranging plans and programs ofaction," Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdalla Shahid, told the U.N.General Assembly. "However ... all too often the reality ofimplementation has failed to match the ambitious rhetoric."

Hewas speaking just days after the world body convened its first-everclimate summit which sought to put new urgency into global talks toreduce global-warming emissions.

We can talk and talk and talk until we are all blue in the face.  Though, the reality is that island countries and coastlines all across the world will not be prepared until we get prepared.  That means coming estimates on food rationing, disease control and methods to keep track and affect the flow of refugees away from the coastline.

On a personal note, next year I will likely start my graduate school career in the field of International Relations.  Until just a few months ago, I was dead-set on pinpointing my studies on the issue of conflict management in the Middle East.  But in all likelihood, the most urgent conflict management over the next 50 years will be needed in places such as Africa and Southeast Asia.  Global warming will affect habitat -- leading to crop shortages, and in the end, starvation.  Food shortages can often lead to wars.  Wars lead to refugees.  Refugee camps lead to the increased risk of disease.  I am for the most part convinced that the number one challenge this century will come from the continent of Africa.  To be quite blunt, the threat of global warming does not help.

Comments

[aravella]

Let's not forget the "wise-ass" group. Those are the ones like Sean Hannity that because it is a "liberal" view, he'll "keep driving his SUV". I wonder what it's like growing up under the hand of a "Sean Hannity"

All he is concerned about is finding people to say Gore is a hypocrite.

[bethanyc]

completely agreed. Why are people wasting their time exploiting the out-group when all we should really be focusing on are the problems at hand?

[Jimm57]

So you really think you can "do something" about it? Like what? Will you really make a difference? I beg to differ. Not until you can get China and India and Mexico to stop poluting (which you cant) then its all just hot air! Sure the Arctic is melting (they say) Of course its SUMMER! And the Antartic is freezing and getting all iced up! There are 2 sides to every story, this one is a political way to control your life and steal your money, while accomplishing nothing. The SUN warms this planet. Do you really think you are the cause? Get more real information and find the truth. Gore is a politician, with flakey facts that are refuted everyday by REAL scientists! Anything he's suggesting isn't going to stop the climate changing. Wise up!