International Law

According to the NOAA, though the US temperatures this winter were near average overall (with colder temperatures in certain regions and warmer ones elsewhere, such as here in New York, where winter never really “happened” with the exception of a few days here and there), worldwide the global average temperature for December 2006 – February 2007 was the warmest ever recorded for the December-Feb period.

Of course there are lots of factors, such as El Nino, as the article mentions, and one can slice the cake (any any stat, really) to make it look different.  But putting aside the causes/etc. debate (if one can), and even putting aside potential or actual disasters (again, if one can), duties/moral imperatives/environmental appreciation/free-market v. externalities, etc. and even putting aside rather frightening other risks (if such risks are even possible, it might behoove some caution), if temperatutes keep rising, ”simple” problems like crop growth and cycles (like the maple syrup problem here), losing certain animals to environmental conditions, even tourism issues in places where weather is a factor (from ski resorts to hotter climates that might become too hot for comfort) come into play.  In some ways the debate over the “meta”-narrative of global warming might miss some of the direct impact, which will have often un-touted but real implications, and legal implications from everything to insurance risks to security risks if there are food and water issues, especially in already conflict-ridden areas (doomsday-sounding scenarios aside, “simple” droughts can cause havoc in a number of places, particularly in Africa), international environmental law, etc.  For an even more pedestrian approach, just think of declining winter coat sales – a real impact to certain retailers.  A Scotsman article also notes the impact (positive and negative) of rising temperatures and of wildly varying temperatures on all sorts of businesses and products, from Guinness to garden-store products.  The commentary to the article is a mixed bag of those arguing there is/is not/someone-else-is-to-blame-for global warming, and it is true that from a commercial perspective, temperatures might not be the key factor.  But from a simple risk perspective, one might be wise to take a look at one’s field and consider if rising temperatutes might have an impact one way or another, perhaps in ways one might not initially think of.