Nobelist Paul Crutzen suggests that a slowdown in the economy could be good for the climate 5

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1. 

   undyau Posted 10:25 am
   16 Oct 2008

   Monkey buttCrutzen's comments seem reasonable to me, whilst the argument you present against him seems a bit contrived. By all means attack the politicians for their vacillation, but hammering Crutzen's comments like an odd way to lead into it.
   As Crutzen says, reduced economic activity will probably mean reduced fossil fuel burning, which is good climate-wise.
   I'm not sure that you are disagreeing with that, it seems to be the comment about the slower increase of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. Reducing the rate of increase of emissions is a necessary step to turning that rate negative. For the climate it doesn't matter how that rate change occurs, its just important that it does occur.
   You say "If carbon dioxide emissions stopped growing forever, concentrations would still keep rising forever".
   This isn't true if the rate of emissions growth goes negative. In that case concentrations would actually drop, rather than still keep rising forever.

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2. 

   Tasermons Partner Posted 11:42 am
   16 Oct 2008

   Hit 'em while they're hot......while I agree regulations are best, I doubt that we could get regulations passed that would have nearly as much of an impact as a world-wide economic recession would.
   And though it'll be even harder to pass regulations now (or maybe not, with change of guard possibly afoot), we haveta push for it now more than ever.
   With regs and the economic recession combined, we might actually make a sizable dent, much more so than if it was just one or the other.

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3. 

   GRLCowan Posted 12:00 pm
   16 Oct 2008

   Going negativeYou say "If carbon dioxide emissions stopped growing forever, concentrations would still keep rising forever".
   This isn't true if the rate of emissions growth goes negative...
   Indeed, the net rate of emissions -- the first, not the second, time derivative of the total amount of carbon emitted -- can be made negative.
   --- G.R.L. Cowan, author of How fire can be tamed

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4. 

   Delay And Deny Posted 3:28 pm
   16 Oct 2008

   Just Like That Last Slowdown...
   
   Yeah, it would really help, just like the Great Depression in the 1930s -- when we broke all temperature records!
   Seriously, the Nobels really went downhill starting a few years ago.   No, I don't just mean Al Gore -- like they gave the physics prize to a bunch of guys who invented technology that "helped us build the iPod" is what the Committee is quoted as saying.
   Sheesh...one day they give the prize to people who discover the structure of time, the next minute its portable audio gear.
   
   

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5. 

   Tasermons Partner Posted 11:23 am
   17 Oct 2008

   Shoe-in!Seriously, the Nobels really went downhill starting a few years ago
   Yes, 'cause we all know you're so much smarter than the nobel prize winners are. rolls eyes
   Don't worry, I'm sure they'll make one for auto mechanics soon, and then you'll be a shoe-in!

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