All true, Shalini. But, I have to say, it reminds me of Bjorn Lomborg's argument about global warming; namely, that if the world shifted the economic efforts of Kyoto to, say, AIDs, malaria and water treatment, it would exert a much greater net benefit for humanity. Say what you will about Mr. Lomborg, but he's not entirely wrong there. He is, however, ignoring the reality of how things work. That is, we are not so rational.

How about shifting the economic efforts of Kyoto to sustainable development and emerging technologies, which would a) save lives, b) lift folks out of poverty, and c) mitigate global warming.

I'm more and more thinking that they way to fight global warming is not to take it head on -- i.e., concentrate directly on CO2 emissions -- but to change the background circumstances that lead to it.

www.grist.org

We need to stop fighting about 'if' it's happening and do something about it.
People don't want to admit we caused it and they don't want to see any proof that it is happening.
So lets move on to figuring out ways to alter the causes. It all comes down to the way we live. The large portions of the CO2 emissions are commercial and out of our control, for the most part. However, I would like to see many more earth friendly practices becoming common place as recycling FINALLY has (at least in my area). Bring on the hybrid cars, real ones, not the fakes that shut down a valve or two while cruising. There is a difference between good mileage and a hybrid! sorry...kinda got off topic