I have been described as the grandfather of climate change. In fact, I am just a grandfather and I do not want my grandchildren to say that grandpa understood what was happening but didn't make it clear. James Hansen More Quotes by James Hansen More Quotes From James Hansen The last time the world was three degrees warmer than today-which is what we expect later this century-sea levels were 25m higher. So that is what we can look forward to if we don't act soon. James Hansen levels sea world CEOs of fossil energy companies know what they are doing and are aware of long-term consequences of continued business as usual. In my opinion, these CEOs should be tried for high crimes against humanity and nature. James Hansen humanity science long Jail threats did not dissuade Martin Luther King - and intergenerational justice is a moral issue of comparable magnitude to civil rights. James Hansen issues jail kings The fact is fossil fuel carbon will stay in the surface climate system for millennia. James Hansen fossils climate facts I was lucky to grow up at a time when it was not difficult for the child of a tenant farmer to make his way to the state university. James Hansen growing-up lucky children Talking nice about sun and wind and green jobs is just greenwash. James Hansen nice talking jobs The greatest danger hanging over our children and grandchildren is initiation of changes that will be irreversible on any time scale that humans can imagine. James Hansen environment energy children The urgency derives from the nearness of climate tipping points. James Hansen urgency tipping climate A level of no more than 350 ppm is still feasible, with the help of reforestation and improved agricultural practices, but just barely - time is running out. James Hansen levels practice running If we drive our fellow species to extinction, we will leave a far more desolate planet for our descendants than the world we inherited from our elders. James Hansen climate nature world The United States did not sign Kyoto, yet its emissions are not that different from the countries that did sign it. James Hansen kyoto united-states country It's as certain that as long as fossil fuels are the cheapest energy, we will just keep burning them. James Hansen burning energy long As a government employee, you can't testify against the government. James Hansen government-employees employee government ...chief executives of large fossil fuel companies to [should] be put on trial for high crimes against humanity and nature; [Hansen] accusing them of actively spreading doubt about global warming in the same way that tobacco companies blurred the links between smoking and cancer. James Hansen cancer humanity smoking Because cap and trade is enforced through the selling and trading of permits, it actually perpetuates the pollution it is supposed to eliminate. James Hansen pollution selling permit The five-year mean global temperature has been flat for the last decade James Hansen lasts mean years We're handing them [young people & future generations] a climate system which is potentially out of their control. We're in an emergency: you can see what's on the horizon over the next few decades with the effects it will have on ecosystems, sea level and species extinction James Hansen future ecosystems sea Several times in Earth's history, rapid global warming occurred, apparently spurred by amplifying feedbacks. In each case, more than half of plant and animal species became extinct. New species came into being over tens and hundreds of thousands of years. But these are time scales and generations that we cannot imagine. James Hansen generations animal years I think we have a very brief window of opportunity to deal with climate change. No longer than a decade at most. James Hansen climate opportunity thinking The scientific excitement in comparing theory with data, and developing some understanding of global changes that are occurring, is what makes all the other stuff worth it. James Hansen data understanding stuff
