The faster warming happens … the faster the deserts, arid regions and icy-wastelands will vanish
Ok, icy wastelands I can see. But the deserts and arid regions? Our deserts here in Australia seem to have more than enough heat already. And the most fertile land is that which is right near the coast, ready to be covered in salty water as the ice melts. Then all we would have left is desert.
According to Jared Diamond’s book Collapse, Australia’s biggest agriculture problem is a lack of good topsoil; you really can’t farm it very well because if you don’t return the nutrients from the plants to the soil by not harvesting, you end up unable to grow much of anything at all a year later.
Deserts are mostly an ice-age phenomenon. The positive effects of increased evaporation and precipitation eventually dominate as temperatures rise. Check with the humidity rises in northern Australia to see the effect—or see:
Regardless of whether the ultimate effects of global warming are a net positive or negative, there are likely to be costly disruptions, as areas currently good for agriculture and/or habitation cease to be good for them, even if they’re replaced by other areas.
I’m sure we can both produce a long list of positive and negative effects of global warming. Picking out items from the “negative” list does not constitute much of an argument—you have to look at the big picture.
Ok, icy wastelands I can see. But the deserts and arid regions? Our deserts here in Australia seem to have more than enough heat already. And the most fertile land is that which is right near the coast, ready to be covered in salty water as the ice melts. Then all we would have left is desert.
According to Jared Diamond’s book Collapse, Australia’s biggest agriculture problem is a lack of good topsoil; you really can’t farm it very well because if you don’t return the nutrients from the plants to the soil by not harvesting, you end up unable to grow much of anything at all a year later.
Deserts are mostly an ice-age phenomenon. The positive effects of increased evaporation and precipitation eventually dominate as temperatures rise. Check with the humidity rises in northern Australia to see the effect—or see:
“Sahara desert goes green, thanks to warming”
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/environment/global-warming/Sahara-desert-goes-green-thanks-to-warming/articleshow/4849759.cms
Increased precipitation may also mean more hurricanes and other destructive storms. :(
Regardless of whether the ultimate effects of global warming are a net positive or negative, there are likely to be costly disruptions, as areas currently good for agriculture and/or habitation cease to be good for them, even if they’re replaced by other areas.
Exactly.
I’m sure we can both produce a long list of positive and negative effects of global warming. Picking out items from the “negative” list does not constitute much of an argument—you have to look at the big picture.