Why is it that Global warming under no circumstances is portrayed as having any positive effects?

Question

Why is it that Global warming under no circumstances is portrayed as having any positive effects?

Answer 1

First, that's totally false, many reports forecast some beneficial effects, at least at first.  For example in some cool temperate climates such as Canada there may a temporary beneficial effect from having a longer growing season, at least for those regions not hit by a shifting jet stream and resulting drought.  

That will be offset later by many species living there going extinct as the climate changes beyond what they can tolerate, sometimes taking interdependent species out of the system along with them.

Second, species on the planet are adapted to today's temperatures, as is human food production, so the effects will be overwhelmingly negative.  We know this from records of past warmings, which often were accompanied by extinction of more than 50% of the life on this planet.

"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...

It was the Earth's most severe extinction event, with up to 96 percent of all marine species and 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrate species becoming extinct. Because approximately 25 percent of species survived the event, the recovery of life on earth took significantly longer than after other extinction events. This event has been described as the "mother of all mass extinctions".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permian-Tri...

We don't know if we can prevent that scenario, since there are no discussions that will bring China, India, Russia and Brazil into carbon reduction talks:

"Global problems require global solutions," said EDF atmospheric physicist Dr. Michael Oppenheimer. "For the treaty to be an environmental success, all greenhouse gases must be reduced and a pathway must be created toward the participation of all nations."

http://www.edf.org/pressrelease.cfm?Cont...

Without that cooperation, the best we can do is prepare to adapt, then hang on for the ride.

Answer 2

because the affects of it are negative, there are no positive sides to gw

Answer 3

How could they restrict the things we do, tax us and tell us all we are bad people if they admit there are positive effects as well as the false negative things they portray every day. It would go against everything they believe in to do such a thing.

Answer 4

It's not, except by deniers trying to raise a phony argument.  Everyone agrees some places will benefit.

But, taken as a whole, the impacts are overwhelmingly negative.

It won't be a Hollywood movie style disaster. Gradually coastal areas will flood and agriculture will be damaged. But it will be very bad. Rich countries will cope, but it will take huge amounts of money. In poor countries many people will die of starvation, but not all of them.

More about the costs here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6096...

More about ALL the effects here:

http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNe...

http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/ar4-wg2.h...

Yes, a few places will luck out.  But even they will be affected by the worldwide economic troubles.

Answer 5

Because people who endorse it are trying to make money. If global warming is portrayed as a good thing, people won't spend money on carbon credits and green products, etc.

Answer 6

It's the nature of religion.

Answer 7

It would be harder to justify raising your taxes and gaining control over your freedoms if it were beneficial.

Answer 8

WHY is that such a problem for you to understand worry about the guys with the clubs ,that danger is much more imminent

The bubonic plague also does not have any positive aspects apart from depopulation.

Maybe at first it may improve the world of those who are now in the marginal areas ,the frontiers of what is a nice climate to live in .Like Canada or the Yukon especially in winter

But

A climatic change that may alter the living conditions as we know it that may end up as being unsuitable for human existence ,in the end must only be regarded as a disaster for all of those who are geared for the present earthly conditions

There have been many times before ,when human existence was impossible on this planet ,when all of it was a dessert or when the atmosphere was 60% carbon dioxide.

or when there where monsters that would have wiped us out like insects

But no one can be sure we will reach these  unsuitable levels

I know i wont ,not in my life time

Answer 9

That isn't the point! What are you thinking?

Money is not made from things being all well and good, death and destruction (doom and gloom) are the only way to catch the attention of the masses and get money.

Answer 10

While there are some positive effects of global warming, It is the precursor for a major ice age.

We can relish the idea of having the northern reaches of our land masses warm up, we do not have a way to describe the subsequent ice age in terms of advantages.

So, when we look at a tottaly negative point of view, we are talking about our whole climate change cycle. We see problems short term for warming, but because it brings on an ice age, how can we become enthusiastic?