GW proponents... what is the ideal temperature for the planet?

Question

74? 80? Play Goldilocks and let us "heathens" know what is "just right" for Gaia... :-)

Answer 1

there is none. but if we want to keep farming around the food belt we shouldn't be messing with the temperature controls.

there is no ideal temperature for the planet, but there is an ideal temperature for us.

edit

Mikira you are forgetting that nothing can be proven 100%. it can only be supported until it can be taken as a fact.

Answer 2

All I know is that I dont think global warming has had too much of an effect, I could use a little higher ambient temperature right now, it is 23 degrees outside. I think we do need to regulate the temperature of the earth. lets say 80 during the summer and 60-70 during the winter. That way all would be a peace and hippies could wear their shorts and flip flops all year long even in mountainous areas like Boulder Colorado.

Answer 3

The one that nature intended, before we messed things up.

"We humans have built a remarkable socioeconomic system during perhaps the only time when it could be built, when climate was sufficiently stable to allow us to develop the agricultural infrastructure required to maintain an advanced society.

If the Earth came with an operating manual, the chapter on climate might begin with a caveat that the system has been adjusted at the factory for optimum comfort, so don't touch the dials."

Answer 4

Charles - They can't tell you and like the first answerer told you dumb things like the temperature change should be slow. They don't even know for a 100% fact that, that's even true. They are just blowing smoke, since the truth is there is no ideal temperature for our planet, since it's changed it's temperature many times in the past and it will continue to do so.

Edit: Gengi - There are things in science that are 100% facts and I feel something as important as how this Planet's overall climate changes isn't something to be 50 or 60% certain of, which I doubt the percentage is even that high yet.

Answer 5

there is no ideal temperature - but there is an ideal temperature rate of change - SLOW

Answer 6

The ideal temperature is always lower then the present climate average.

Answer 7

There is no ideal temperature for the planet as such. Although I suppose an ideal temperature for *us humans living on the planet* would be a bit warmer than it is now.

But that isn't the issue here. Nobody's concerned that the climate is growing warmer. What's worrisome is **the rate at which it's doing so.** What we're seeing now is a rate of climate change unprecedented in at least the past half a million years.

We can adapt to living in a warmer climate well enough; we're built for warm climates, in fact. But how well can we adapt to a rapid global climatic destabilization? That's the question.

Answer 8

OMG my thermometer is above 0 now, I have not seen above o Deg F for over a week, Global Warming has kicked in again.

Answer 9

I'm going to spell this out for you in very simple terms against my better judgement, since I know it's a waste of time.

All species currently existing on the planet are adapted to the current climate.  We can adapt to some degree of change in that climate, but there's a limit to our adaptability.  Some species are more adaptable than others, and fortunately humans are more adaptable than most (though it's critical to realize we depend on other, less adaptable species).

The planet doesn't care what temperature it's at.  The species alive on the planet do.  A radically rapid climate change (which we are causing) is not beneficial for any species.  That's what has caused mass extinctions in the past.

By the way, since you brought up the MWP, you should know that during that time there were extensive droughts.  Some have called them "megadroughts".  A conclusion of one study:

"A repetition of such anomalies today, with more than 10 times as many people on Earth as in High Medieval time, could be catastrophic."