In 1960, CO2 was at a very safe level according to Dr. Hansen – 317 ppm.
If only we could go back to those good old days, when the climate was safe. It was so safe that 30 million people died in China from famine and drought.
In 1960, at least some degree of drought and other bad weather affected 55 percent of cultivated land , while an estimated 60% of agricultural land received no rain at all. The Encyclopædia Britannica yearbooks from 1958 to 1962 also reported abnormal weather, followed by droughts and floods. This included 30 inches (760 mm) of rain in Hong Kong across five days in June 1959, part of a pattern that hit all of Southern China.
I think it is worth taxing our economy into oblivion to go back to Hansen’s safe side of 350. Like in 1917.
From National Geographic, July 1917
“The primary cause of famine almost invariably has been the failure of food crops. This failure has often resulted from a variety of natural causes – long-continued drought, blasting hot winds, insect armies, earthquakes, severe and untimely frosts, and destructive inundations.”
” long-continued drought, blasting hot winds, insect armies, earthquakes, severe and untimely frosts, and destructive inundations.””
That sounds familiar.
If only we could turn back the carbon clock, it would be like .. a brown utopia.
{Shudder}
Historical perspective on co2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z685n4RMx6Y
In 1960s. 30 million people died at that time was not climate related at all.
I and my family suffered the famine. I knew what happened that time and the exact cause of the famine. It was the government’s policy failure. The famine lasted for about 3 years. It was so sad time. I will never forget it.
Every time I visit China, my friends always bring up this topic.
In Africa, drought continues for the sixth consecutive year, adding terribly to the toll of famine victims. During 1972 record rains in parts of the U.S., Pakistan and Japan caused some of the worst flooding in centuries. In Canada’s wheat belt, a particularly chilly and rainy spring has delayed planting and may well bring a disappointingly small harvest. Rainy Britain, on the other hand, has suffered from uncharacteristic dry spells the past few springs. A series of unusually cold winters has gripped the American Far West, while New England and northern Europe have recently experienced the mildest winters within anyone’s recollection.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,944914,00.html
ummmmm how come in the 1970s it was getting cold it didn’t look safe, we want to go cold don’t we to be safe?
1950s in UK was a great place to be, with all that nice cold weather
http://booty.org.uk/booty.weather/climate/1950_1974.htm
OMG famines in India before CO2 even rose????!!!
How could that be?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_major_famines_in_India_during_British_rule
OMG El Nino changing without a change in CO2? How can that be, can a climatologist explain the exact mechanism of this occurrence.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/07/0723_elninoperu.html
That was because of Mao. Not the climate. Read a history book.
Right, so the fact that there was no rain didn’t affect the crops.
I lived there at that time. at least, In my province, the weather was normal. even I can say, it was very good for cops.
No rain? where you get this info? from satellite data? or from Chinese paper? The communist government says it was 3-year natural disaster. but it is a lie, a big lie. all people like my age know about it.
As I posted: every time I visit China, the famine is a topic my friends and I alway talk about.
Wenson,
The link is in the article.