Depressing Environmental News

The U.K.'s Guardian writes that Rutgers University researchers warn that,

Global warming is doubling the rate of sea level rise around the world, but attempts to stop it by cutting back on greenhouse gas emissions are likely to be futile, leading researchers will warn today...

"The main thing that has happened since the 19th century and the beginning of the modern observation has been the widespread increase in fossil fuel use and more greenhouse gases," said Professor Kenneth Miller, who led the study. "We can say the increase we're seeing is much higher than we've seen in the immediate past and it is due to humans."

... According to Prof Miller, there is little chance of slowing the rising tide caused by global warming. "There's not much one can do about sea level rise. It's clear that even if we strictly obeyed the Kyoto accord, it's still going to continue to warm. Personally, I don't think we're going to affect CO2 emissions enough to make a difference, no matter what we do. The Bush administration should stop asking whether temperatures are globally rising and admit the scientific fact that they are, but then turn the question around politically and say: 'We can't really do anything about this on any kind of cost basis at all'," he said.

I'm not sure that Professor Miller's conclusion is strictly logical. Just because reducing emissions won't stop the sea level rise doesn't mean we shouldn't try to reduce the emissions. More emissions will just accelerate the rise, as well as creating many other problems.

I might also ask how much it will cost not to solve the problem? Just because those costs are "external" to the market system and not priced out in day to day commerce doesn't mean they aren't real. And, it strikes me that in the end, rising sea levels are likely to be very costly indeed. Imagine New York City and London under water.