What happens if the Earth cools 2 degrees?

We all know what happens if the Earth warms 2 degrees, or do we? These guys have an interesting take on it.

But what happens if the Earth cools 2 degrees?

Source

But a couple degrees colder would bring serious adverse consequences for habitats, wildlife, agriculture and humanity. This does not mean another Pleistocene ice age — with glaciers obliterating forests and cities under mile-thick walls of ice across North America, Europe and Asia. It may not even mean a full-blown little ice age.

However, just a 2-degree drop in average global temperatures would shrink growing seasons, cropland and wildlife habitats. Agriculture would be curtailed across Canada, northern Europe and Russia, putting greater pressure on remaining land to feed hungry families without turning more habitats into cropland. Land now devoted to corn for ethanol would have to be returned to food crops.

Our ability to feed Earth’s growing population would be seriously impaired, especially if radical environmentalists continue opposing chemical fertilizers, insecticides, biotechnology and mechanized farming. Those technologies would ensure far more food per acre under colder conditions, even if anti-hydrocarbon policies mean crops are starved for carbon dioxide.

Please, before attacking the source how about addressing the issues?

a reply to: Cinrad

Rapid increase or decrease is a very bad situation. It can happen naturally or it can be because we're doing something to make it happen. If it follows the 'normal' cycle it's okay, there's time to plan and adapt. If it happens faster than that then we don't. It seems like a small amount 2C but our weather systems, our food, vegetation... are extremely reactive to even the most minute of variations.

a reply to: Cinrad

But what happens if the Earth cools 2 degrees?

That would be bad.
What's the point?

originally posted by: Cinrad


Please, before attacking the source how about addressing the issues?

And what issues would they be?

Ever seen "The Day After"?

a reply to: Cinrad

what would happen if water turned to ethanol?

Is this not the crazy question forum?

a reply to: Phage

Maybe it is that we need to keep doing what we are doing to keep the earth warm. We need to cause global warming to combat global cooling.

a reply to: Sremmos80
Then we're doing it too good.

Is that f or c?

2c is about 6f

If Celsius that is a problem, if not no big deal.

Well, perhaps vertical farms will finally get going in a big way, America and some Asian countries are leading the way, I like the New York roof top 'farms' they are doing great business.
On a different note, recent report from Woods Hole oceanography institute says that half of the CO 2 produced yearly is absorbed by the oceans and vegetation mass on the planet, I presume that is good news? for food crops anyway.
Don't forget, plants need CO 2 like we need Oxygen.

a reply to: pikestaff

I presume that is good news?

No.

Today, atmospheric CO2 levels are rising so quickly that the ocean is absorbing CO2 faster than the Earth can respond, making the world's oceans more acidic and affecting marine life.

www.whoi.edu...

a reply to: pikestaff

Does it say that is the normal amount it should be absorbing?

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: Phage

Maybe it is that we need to keep doing what we are doing to keep the earth warm. We need to cause global warming to combat global cooling.

Or maybe we should put the American population in FEMA camps and eliminate them for being the biggest consumers and wasters on this planet, before they destroy it.

You know, just a stupid solution to a stupid assumption.

The planet is an extremely fragile place, even more so is the ecosystem that exist on it. It really is astonishing (at least to me) when you look at the fact that plant and animal life has survived as well as it has for as long as it has. Through different periods of extinction it's still found away to come back, may be different, but some form of life has continued or experienced rebirth. It doesn't take much to change life as WE know it but in relation to the age of earth it's a blink of the eye. Antarctica warms at a rate of 1* a decade, doesn't sound like much, but 5* in 50 yrs is a significant amount of climate change to effect the ecological balance of the planet. Plus or minus a degree or two is going to get noticed in a big way.

This may be a little off OP but related. There's no doubt that we are experiencing global warming. I personally think it's a combination of natural progression and man made issues that are culprit. To think that the human produced over saturation of CO2 and other pollutants we emit does not accelerate the process to some degree would be ignorant IMO. If you really want to understand the impact of our footprint, do some research on the acidification of the ocean and the vanishing coral reefs which are disappearing at an alarming rate and closer to extinction than the general public realizes. The reefs are disappearing twice as fast as the rainforest which is disturbing in it's own right. When the corals go it will create a mass exstinction of marine life and un-comprehendible repercussions to our eco system. It's the elephant in the room that the masses literally can't see or feel. I know this topic always opens up a can of worms from the nay-sayers but it's very much a reality, just saying.

originally posted by: mtnshredder
I know this topic always opens up a can of worms from the nay-sayers but it's a very much a reality, just saying.

Almost the whole worlds acknowledges the warming real. Like almost the whole world knows the earth is older than 6000 years.

It's like there is this tradition in the US to support diverging theories no matter how nutty they are just to act differently.

Screw the energy lobbies who brainwashed so many US brains like the cigarette lobbies brainwashed them before too.

originally posted by: JUhrman

originally posted by: Sremmos80
a reply to: Phage

Maybe it is that we need to keep doing what we are doing to keep the earth warm. We need to cause global warming to combat global cooling.

Or maybe we should put the American population in FEMA camps and eliminate them for being the biggest consumers and wasters on this planet, before they destroy it.

You know, just a stupid solution to a stupid assumption.

I think a better solution to the problem would be the responsible existence of man kind. There's many energy alternatives that don't exist or are not explored because of the lack of corporate profits. That's just silly and irresponsible. Sustaining life for future generations? Who needs it right?

originally posted by: mtnshredder
There's many energy alternatives that don't exist or are not explored because of the lack of corporate profits.

That's not even true. They exist and are profitable. Just not to the oil industry.

Lobbyists, like marketers, are one of the greatest plagues the earth has ever known these last decades. The fact that they have taken over the US government scares me very much.

originally posted by: JUhrman

originally posted by: mtnshredder
There's many energy alternatives that don't exist or are not explored because of the lack of corporate profits.

That's not even true. They exist and are profitable. Just not to the oil industry.

Lobbyists, like marketers, are one of the greatest plagues the earth has ever known these last decades. The fact that they have taken over the US government scares me very much.

It's very true my friend. Let me clarify. I'm not saying they didn't ever exist but that there's many alternatives that have had the plug pulled, never to be seen from again. A little research on the subject will provide that info to you. Yes, of course the oil industry is a major player and agreed lobbyist are the root of many evils. Corporate lobbyist are largely to blame for the decline of all civilizations and then some. They should be completely abolished IMO. There was a time when they served a purpose, but they've become to corrupt with self serving agendas, with the exception of a small handful, they're no longer an asset to society as a whole.

originally posted by: Infinitis
a reply to: Cinrad

what would happen if water turned to ethanol?

Is this not the crazy question forum?

I don't understand the relevance of your question but here goes.
It would evaporate and mix in to the atmosphere, poisoning every living thing. Even microbes that are ethanol consumers would die. Water turning in to ethanol is not going to happen, the Earth cooling by 2 degrees is, sooner or later, ya rude bastard.

originally posted by: Cinrad
the Earth cooling by 2 degrees is, sooner