New Research Blames Global Warming on Economic Growth

By on May 5, 2012 in News 13
Burning Money

Photo: Vmenkov (CC)

Oh yeah, this is going to go over really well. Via ScienceDaily:

It’s a message no one wants to hear: To slow down global warming, we’ll either have to put the brakes on economic growth or transform the way the world’s economies work. That’s the implication of an innovative University of Michigan study examining the most likely causes of global warming.

The study, conducted by José Tapia Granados and Edward Ionides of U-M and Óscar Carpintero of the University of Valladolid in Spain, was published online in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Policy. It is the first analysis to use measurable levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide to assess fluctuations in the gas, rather than estimates of CO2 emissions, which are less accurate.

“If ‘business as usual’ conditions continue, economic contractions the size of the Great Recession or even bigger will be needed to reduce atmospheric levels of CO2,” said Tapia Granados, who is a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research…

Read More: ScienceDaily

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  • Jin The Ninja

    great article. although the picture is of people burning hell money for the ancestors:S

  • GoodDoktorBad

    Economic growth is simply another word for GREED.

    So the headline should read thus: “New Research Blames Global Warming on Greed”.

    Which, all things considered, is pretty obvious to any one paying attention. Of course, short attention spans and apathy obscure the presence of the big pachyderm in the room, but the giant turds are kinda hard to miss…..

  • YourLiability

    Global warming is bullshit.

    • TheObvious

      Whether global warming is bullshit or not really isn’t the point. Man has a lot of problems, and that isn’t bullshit. Everyday there are new problems that yesterday hasn’t solved. It just seems like a matter of time before it all catches up to us. The universe is always seeking balance, and will eventually balance itself, with no concern for the ideas of men.

    • justsaying

      Global warming/climate change is a real phenomenon- proven beyond doubt with a vast amount data and climate records to prove it. What your referring to is anthropogenic (man made) climate change/ global warming which is where the controversy is. 
      I find its generally a good idea to actually know what your talking about before trying (and failing) to make a point, as unfortunately your comment just demonstrates your ignorance on the subject.  

  • Roland

    Why does the “economy” have to grow? Let it stagnate, shrink, or fuck itself, all equally valid options.

  • Lost-In-Space

    I’m just wondering if any of us are happy. I mean real happy. The “system” doesn’t seem to support happiness. It’s like the system has taken on a life of its own and could care less about us as people. The system itself doesn’t even seem human, just a machine, rolling along, destroying everything in its path. I just don’t know what to do anymore and don’t think I’m alone in this. What are we trying to achieve? What is the goal? Where are we going? I say we, because we are all in this together. We just seem to be fucking each other over for jobs and a system we all ultimately don’t even want. It seems the basics of food and shelter could all be achieved a lot more easily, without all the nonsense. There is no sense in nonsense. We really are clearly insane. I’m not really interested in money or having a McJob. Is this all the world has to offer now? Why are we all forced to believe in such things? Is life not worth more than this? I’m so tired of this money game. We need to start another game, a game where there are no losers, no winners, just people being real. I don’t think humanity will be satisfied until it completely destroys itself, and the world. I have met a lot of busy people, a lot of distracted people, a lot of deluded people, but I don’t think I have ever met any real happy people. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve met people that pretend, but I’m talking really real happy people. Anyways, that’s my rant for the day. Peace, if you can find it.

    • John

      Do not make the mistake of equating the system for anything more then simply “business”. The system is not designed nor intended to do anything except making money. Personal happiness is not within it’s business parameters, but making money is.

      The reason we are not happy is because the system now controls it all, even life itself. The very things you need in order to survive are owned, controlled and trickled out to us in exchange for the sweat of our brow.  We are the slaves, the system is the plantation.

      You get to believe in what you want. Understanding what you think the system is, is part of that belief. It is up to you to get it right, to get it accurate.

      Happiness is within you. It can never be found within the artificial construct you are calling the system.  Your decision is in life is to deliberately choose happiness – despite the system.  You are not going to make it go away, but you can choose where, when and how much of the system you will allow to control your life. The rest of your life and how happy you are about it, is entirely up to you.  It is a choice, not an “event”.

      • Guest

        Any other cliches and pseudo wisdom you would like to share with the class Mr.Self Help Book?

    • Chapprg1

       Who is stopping you?

  • MKN9

     Growth is over, we don’t need any brakes :)

  • Rooti

    Enough of the global warming nonsense. Pollution is rampant, the oceans are fished out and Fukishima could be the downfall of us all. Just stop with the unproven global warming bullshit and concentrate on the real problems. And if you didn’t notice, the world is on the brink of economic collapse. 

    • John

      Hardly “unproven”. It’s now a very well established fact.  You may not like it, but that doesn’t make it untrue.