Why our obsession with climate change may end up destroying biodiversity

Now, being green is all about greenhouse gases: Neighborhood moms are more apt to fret over food miles than felled forests; organic cattle farmers are more interested in offsetting the methane coming from cow burps than pondering squished tadpoles in hoof prints. Even scientists have grown bored with question of habitat loss, tweaking their grant proposals to emphasize the climate angle no matter how tenuous the connection. Saving the Amazon is so 1980s. Full Story »

Posted by Kaizar Campwala
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Posted by: Posted by Kaizar Campwala - Apr 23, 2009 - 7:11 AM PDT
Content Type: Article
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Edited by: Kaizar Campwala - Apr 23, 2009 - 7:11 AM PDT
Subramanya Sastry
3.4
by Subramanya Sastry - Apr. 23, 2009

Interesting story but unfortunately misleadingly titled. The author isn't arguing the that dealing with climate change is unimportant, but highlighting that in the hype and research money grab over climate change, conservation issues are being shortchanged. So, in a sense, the author is falling prey to attention-grabbing gimmicks in a similar way that he is complaining about. But, other than that, the argument and complaint seems very plausible and valid.

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Kenneth Sibbett
3.2
by Kenneth Sibbett - Apr. 23, 2009

After reading the article twice, I still do not know what side the author is on. While being well-written, it could have been a lot clearer.

While the author ( I guess) seems to want to do one certain thing t help the climate, It would seem that you should combine a little of every thing, because no one scientist seems to agree what the over-all method should be.

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Dwight Rousu
3.1
by Dwight Rousu - Apr. 23, 2009

Borrell expresses frustration and some anger that aspects of the ecosystem do not seem to be getting the degree of attention they deserve relative to global climate change. While he may have worthy points, they are not cogently posed. He seems to be shooting friends instead of expanding the circle.

Population control should get more attention than either species protection or climate change; it is causative. If Obama were advocating a carbon tax, it would be better than cap and trade, which displaces the problems as Borrell complains.

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Wendy Garofoli
3.9
by Wendy Garofoli - Apr. 23, 2009

This is a well-written story with an interesting, subversive theme: climate change is important, sure, but let's not forget the impact of the rain forest. One thing I would have liked to learn is exactly what is happening to these natural habitats. For example, how many acres were destroyed by man in 2008? Which areas are most in danger?

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Kaizar Campwala
4.0
by Kaizar Campwala - Apr. 23, 2009

Fighting global warming is more palatable environmental cause for our consumerist culture than "conservation" (e.g. stopping habitat destruction). The latter actually requires that we reduce our impact on the earth, rather than just switching up the Chevy Suburban for a Prius. Habitat destruction also carries with it all sort of moral dilemmas vis a vis poor people in the global south (see linked articles about the dieing giraffes and the Masai people who share their habitat).

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Jerome Stiller
5.0
by Jerome Stiller - Apr. 23, 2009

seems balanced and nuanced.

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