Global Warming is always a hot topic since the left often uses the phenomenon to try and leverage their obstructive agenda. They generally attempt to blame the industry of mankind in general, and the United States in particular, for the “horrible” consequences of global warming.
The left embraces the Kyoto Accord, an international treaty whereby countries agree to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases by imposing restrictive laws and higher taxes. The United States is not signatory to the treaty, largely because it is based on the faulty premise that greenhouse gasses emitted by industry is the major contributing factor to global warming; in fact, chaotic solar activity has more to do with the climate on our planet than any other factors. Why should we sign up for a useless effort and penalize our industry and economy?
Volcanoes, range and forest fires and infrequent caldera activity have had temporary effects, but are not comparable to the major contributor, the Sun. And these terrestrial occurrences are much more consequential than anything our emissions can contribute (short of global thermonuclear war).
Thinking that the minor contribution of industrial emissions can compare with the influence of solar magnetic flux, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), x-ray flares, solar wind and other solar phenomena is like thinking that a mouse can single-handedly whip a herd of pachyderms. Complete nonsense.
Now, it seems that Old Sol is busily fusing hydrogen into helium, recharging his batteries, and resting up for yet another period of intense activity that is certain to result in a major assault on our planet’s climate. From Science Blog
Scientists Gaze Inside Sun, Predict the Next Solar Cycle
The next solar activity cycle will be 30 to 50 percent stronger than the previous one, and up to a year late in arriving . . .
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The sun goes through a roughly 11-year cycle of activity, from stormy to quiet and back again. Predicting the sun’s cycles accurately years in advance will help societies plan for active bouts of solar storms, which can disrupt satellite orbits and electronics, interfere with radio communication, and damage power systems. The forecast is important for NASA’s long-term Vision for Space Exploration plans, since solar storms can be hazardous to unprotected astronauts as well.
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We are currently back in the quiet period for the current cycle (cycle 23). The next cycle will begin with a rise in solar activity in late 2007 or early 2008, according to the team, and there will be 30 to 50 percent more sunspots, flares, and CMEs in cycle 24. This is about one year later than the prediction using previous methods, which rely on statistics, like the strength of the large-scale solar magnetic field and the number of sunspots, to make estimates for the next cycle.
Images credit SOHO
Uh oh! The gulf coast and other hurricane-prone areas had better start building the Mother of All Levees.
For additional reading, see our entire collection of global warming articles.