Regardless of what you believe about Global Warming let's assume that its happening and its man-made for the sake of the question. Do you think humans would ever actually take the action needed to protect us or do you think vested interests would stop us?
by 
nucleotideboy
ANSWERS: 4
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It's not a matter of belief anymore, it's a fact. We can't take the necessary steps because vested interests stop us. Although, science shows its already too late anyway.
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I am pessimistic that human societies will take the necessary steps. Unfortunately, human standards of living are closely tied to the amounts of energy consumed. Because the externality costs of fossil fuel consumption have NEVER been fully (or scarcely at all) imposed on the consumers, using fossil fuels in much much much cheaper than using clean sustainable alternatives. As noted by one wag, it is very difficult to get someone to believe or understand something when his paycheck is dependent upon him NOT believing or understanding it. The technological solutions are within our grasp, but not enough people (be they businesspeople, politicians, or ordinary citizens) are willing to sacrifice their short-term interests for a sustainable future.
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Well, man-made global warming appears to be the result of modern industrialization, on which the entire world economy depends. People are not going to regress to an agrarian 17th Century lifestyle. It appears that fighting global warming, therefore, is bad for business. That's what makes it such an inconvenient truth. "Vested interests" are many powerful corporations at the center of this huge enterprise we call modern civilization, which will never willingly self-destruct for the greater good. Thus conservatives look upon solving global warming as some kind of attack against our way of living. Progressives look at it as an opportunity, a mandate to develop greener alternatives to the old way of doing things. The problem right now is that global warming isn't obvious to everyone. In another few decades it will be. At that point the problem will be even harder to solve than it is today, but at least there will be a universal consensus on what needs to be done.
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Even though it's been more or less proven that Global Warming is a hoax, humankind will eventually take the steps to stop it if we're pushed far enough. So far, we haven't been pushed far enough.
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