Does global warming really cause 150,000 species to go extinct every day?

Question

I heard that global warming causes 150,000 species to go extinct every day, many we don't even know about.

These species could cure AIDS or cancer. Why are we not doing enough to protect these species and do more to end global warming?

How selfish can people be?

Answer 1

Only 150,000 a day of our dollars disappear into the pockets of Al Gore and his buddies due to global warming.

Answer 2

Pretty dam selfish if you ask me.  That number sounds unreal doesn't it?  But, like you said, if we don't know they exist, how can we say that number is too high. That would be arrogant on our part.  But then again, arrogant is a perfect definition for the human race.

Watch the movie with Sean Connery in it called Medicine man.

Answer 3

i highly doubt thats true, think about it...150,000!!!!!!Ifv that were true, do no how many common animals we no would be extint, no speciy can be extinct ina day!!!thats BS!!!

Answer 4

No, but the number will be large if we keep emitting carbon dioxide.

In past warmings that invovled cardon dioxide, half of mor of all species went extinct:

"Prior major warmings in Earth’s history, the most recent occurring 55 million years ago . . . resulted in the extinction of half or more of the species then on the planet."

http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/2008/State...

Current estimates aren't quite that high, but since developing countries auch as China and India have not agreed to carbon-neutral development, there's no end to the warming in sight:

http://www.killerinourmidst.com/methane%...

A careful examination of a large number of species in numerous parts of the planet projects that a stunning portion of them will be "committed to extinction" in just 50 years, with only modest global warming (Thomas, 2004).

The findings are the result of a comprehensive examination of more than a thousand terrestrial species -- plants, insects, mammals, birds, frogs and reptiles -- in regions representing about 20% of the Earth's surface. The regions studied are located in all continents except Asia, and represent a wide variety of environments: boreal (northern), temperate, and tropical forests, tundra, grasslands, savannah, deserts. The amount of warming that was projected in the study was shockingly small. Three projections were used: 0.8 to 1.7 °C (1.4 to 3.0°F) in the minimal warming case, 1.8 to 2.0°C (3.2 to 3.6°F) with mid-range climate change, over 2.0°C (3.6°F) at maximum (Thomas, 2004; Pounds and Puschendorf, 2004).

But with only this rather minimal amount of warming, and even with an assumed ability to disperse to more favorable environments, 11, 19, and 33 percent of total species (in minimal, mid-range, and maximal cases, respectively) will disappear. Mortality among those species with little or no ability to disperse will be considerably higher (34, 45, and 58 % in the respective no dispersal cases).

Answer 5

This is simply hysterical propaganda. It is a well understood concept in ecology that a warmer climate favours species diversity. It is a colder climate that is most destructive to life.

It is the lesson of the  history of life on this planet that environments change, some species increase, some decrease, some die out, and new species evolve.  All species have to adapt or die out.

It was announced the other week that 2 species of butterfly have expanded their range to the north in UK. The comma and speckled wood have established breeding communities in the Isle of Man,( in the Irish sea) in the last few years, without any retreat from their southern boundary. This is reality, not computer model based speculation.

What is wiping out our wildlife is habitat destruction, and the main cause is the exponential increase in the human population. Wild habitats are being taken over for use by man, either improved for agriculture, used for domestic commercial or industrial building, or transport infrastructure.

Unless we learn to control our population, every thing else will be a waste of time

Answer 6

Maybe that's a bit extreme, but you're right, we are destroying species that could cure disease.

The reason we aren't protecting them is money. If someone made the capital outlay to convert the entire world to hydrogen fuel cells and fusion technology, global warming would stop, and they would be rich.

But no-one will.

Answer 7

that sounds so untrue i mean seriuosly... think about it

Answer 8

The only thing global warming causes is Al Gore's checking account to expand.

Answer 9

'137 species are estimated to go extinct each day'

http://www.grist.org/news/counter/2000/0...

'the rate of extinction occurring in today's world is exceptional -- as many as 100 to1,000 times greater than normal'

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...

so i think maybe your source heard 'about 150 a day' and '1000 times the normal rate' and added the two together. ;-)

'Scientists estimate there are 10 to 30 million plant and animal species on the planet, most of them unidentified. Each year as many as 50,000 species disappear. Most die off, Tilman says, because of human activity. "We take natural habitats convert them to agriculture, to suburbia, to roads, to monoculture forestry. We fish the oceans so heavily we literally have these trolling nets that scrape the bottom of the ocean clean," he says.'

http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/fe...

'"International scientists from eight countries have warned that, based even on the most conservative estimates, rising temperatures will trigger a global mass extinction of unprecedented proportions. They said global warming will set in train a far bigger threat to terrestrial species than previously realised, at least on a par with the already well-documented destruction of natural habitats around the world. It is the first time such a powerful assessment has been made and its conclusions will shock even those environmentalists accustomed to "worst-case" scenarios." '

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?t*t...

Answer 10

It's more like 75-100/day.  Yes, by most estimates >90% are unknown to science.

Answer 11

There is no way that, that is true because then every species would be gone.

By the way I cant believe that you think global warming is happening, my state is actually getting colder.  We are having a global climate change.

Dont think that you are selfish because you could be without knowing it

Answer 12

Global Warming has already ended . In fact it was never here as Gore falsified his movie ,it all was a lie.

Answer 13

That is a ridiculously large number. It is incorrect

We don't even know what a majority of these species are.

Even littlerobbergirl's number of 137/day is completely unscientific--it is unfalsifiable.

Answer 14

Not true.

A crazy assertion by a crazy liar.

Answer 15

OH please! Give me the names of those species.......then you get the BS, "we haven't found them yet."  Excuse me?

End global warming?  Wipe out China, they are the #1 polluters now.  How are we going to stop?  Are you no longer eating, driving a car, turning on electricty?  That's what it is going to take.........less people and more living without modern conveniences.  

Stop the world I want to get off??