4th March 2007
air travel due to climate change undesirable
As part of the debate about a very possible human-induced climate change, a dangerous warming of the earth through the greenhouse gas CO2 (carbon dioxide) bring with it should come now, air travel by Germans in the criticism. particular, the low cost flights for all, such as those of Ryan Air ( http://www.ryanair.com/site/DE/ be offered) are some air defenders because of their CO2 emissions, a thorn in the side. Sylt instead of Seychelles, Bayern instead Bahamas lauet then the Parole (Bild am Sonntag, edition of 04.03.2007). The deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group, Ulrich Kelber: ". To live without air travel, is a good private contribution to climate protection vacation in Germany or in neighboring countries is very nice and you come across well with the train to your destination.." Similarly, the Bavarian Environment Minister Werner Schnappauf (CSU):.. "We need a change in lifestyle of this is that we learn to appreciate quality again from close So ride along better times on Main, as a long-distance with the Aircraft make. This one brings you closer to home, saving many tonnes of CO2. "Said Manfred Stock from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research ( http://www.pik-potsdam.de/ ):" If you want to do something for the climate protection should travel by air . and avoid making holidays in Germany "The calls Greenpeace director Brigitte Behrens even a ban on cheap flights: cheap flights at dumping prices should be banned"
the island. Sylt instead of Seychelles, or maybe both?
As we hear it again, the word that has recently been so come into fashion: a ban to her. Following the ban of smoking in public, then the ban on cheap flights. Even if this time it should not come to an outright ban, such a requirement already high tax on aviation fuel would amount to almost the same. Air travel would be substantially more expensive and again become a privilege of the rich. So once again to the personal liberty of people will be restricted by the state. Why? To reduce the CO2 emissions of greenhouse gases are certain restrictions necessary, they say. Let's look at the matter again in more detail:
The growing amount of greenhouse gas CO2 in the atmosphere is made primarily responsible for the increasing global warming. It is man to his guilt. But there are also natural sources of CO2. In addition to volcanism include the exhaled air of humans and animals. The plants also breathe, but also operate in photosynthesis to produce carbohydrates in the greenhouse gas CO2 and O2 consumed, the vital oxygen is produced. Furthermore, it would be on Earth without CO2 far too cold. As you can see is that CO2 could therefore very useful for us, because without that gas plants do not grow, we would then no oxygen to breathe and accessible temperatures well below zero.
The importance of human- CO2 from manmade sources (industry, power plants, road and air transport, agriculture) will appear based on the global greenhouse effect, extremely low. It accounts for only 1.2%. And of those 1.2%, the proportion of Federal Republic of Germany at 0.04% (source: see below). But these figures may be misleading, because man is by the use of fossil fuels in a few decades of CO2, which was previously pulled in millions of years (!) By the nature of the traffic. But since only half of them by different natural processes, such as weathering of rocks is re-tied, accumulates the additional CO2 released by humans in Over time in the atmosphere. Many small excesses of CO2 could in time result in quite large quantities. This way, CO2 is not the only greenhouse gas. Water vapor (H2O) and methane (CH4) even hold back a lot more heat. Initially only a slight additional warming caused by CO2 always leads to increased evaporation of water. This could also be a beginning only a small greenhouse effect by little additional CO2 increased dramatically.
But there are fundamental criticisms of the warnings of climate change from greenhouse gases by humans. The sun will then play a much bigger role in climate variability as all greenhouse gases together, say the "climate skeptics"
( http://weltenwetter.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html ). This assertion is, however, by climate scientists, who warn of global warming, in turn, objected vehemently ( http://www.pik-potsdam.de/ ~ stefan / Publications / Other / flottekurven.pdf ).
right now who has, can not be answered exhaustively here. But even if in the end proves to be truly man, through his greenhouse climate unfavorable changes ( http://www.pik-potsdam.de/ ~ stefan/Publications/Other/rahmstorf_neu_2004.pdf and http: / / www.pik-potsdam.de/ ~ stefan / Publications / Other / klimawandel_fact_sheet.pdf ), I think it is necessarily the better way, the threat of the promotion of technical innovations such as solar energy, fuel cells, hydrogen economy to address, etc., rather than with new bans the personal freedoms of people, including just heard the real, existing freedom of travel, more and to cut more.
The political and economic consequences of the required reduction of long-distance travel would also be fatal. Tourism is for many countries, especially in the so-called Third World, a crucial source of income and ensures the existence of many people there and even some already one, albeit modest, but growing prosperity. Tourism is these countries to export items with which they in turn earn the money to them for key commodities such as by us (!) to buy, to import so. This then brings in jobs such as machinery and equipment or the auto industry. Through this trade will benefit both countries, which involve Daduchus better than without this trade. One limitation of tourism to foreign countries would like a trade boycott, would thus be a hostile act against these countries and would enable all stakeholders, including and especially hurt us, just. The remote tourism All is a great cultural achievement, because it has also brought new experiences, expand their horizons and has, as well as free trade, the nations of the world closer. The growth of air traffic at ever lower prices, made sure the invisible hand of the market-it was the decisive pacemaker.
Germany is a beautiful holiday destination, as well as many others, but the one does not come from the other. Hopefully we will resist all attempts by questionable arguments our country and other countries off against each other, because that would harm us and for others.
Jens Christian Heuer
Sources:
Bild am Sonntag, edition of 04.03.2007
Spiegel online (. http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0, 1518,469742,00 html )
The greenhouse effect from a chemical point of view
( http: / / www.chemie-im-alltag.de/articles/0024/index.html )
http://www.solarkritik.de/ ( http://www.solarresearch.org/ 1478062.htm )
Our climate is made in space - Acquittal of CO2?
Paper presented at: Astronomical Association Elbe-Weser, 6 February 2007
by Klaus-Eckart pulse, meteorologist
( http://loewen-apotheke-bederkesa.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html )
(as amended)
