[thunderhead]

Keep in mind there are some benefits to both higher CO2 levels and warmer temperatures, in many places. Globally averaged, the net result might be positive.

[drm]

The only places that would be expected to have a genuine benefit are places that are too cold most of the year now, and not many people live in such places. And some of them, like in many parts of Alaska, are not liking it even now. Other places might prefer a warmer winter but not a warmer summer, but you get both. In the short term agriculture will benefit in colder areas, but other factors could overwhelm that after a few decades. Tropical agriculture will struggle all the way as more heat will do that no good. And humans in places that are already hot will definitely do poorly. The underlying factor is that for both natural ecosystems and human civilizations and it's infrastructure, these things evolved and developed for roughly the climate we have now. If major changes come about, system theory shows that the great majority will not benefit and only a small minority do benefit. The beneficiaries are widely expected to be insects, who evolve very rapidly. The slower you evolve, the less likely you are to benefit. Guess where we humans fit in that spectrum. You might also guess that bacteria evolve even more rapidly than insects. I also read that poison oak absolutely loves more CO2. So there.

[thunderhead]

[drm]

[thunderhead]

I agree that at some point increasing temperatures outweighs the benefits of longer growing seasons/increased CO2 and that will hit the tropics and hot continental subtropics first. But that point does not seem to be in the immediate future, as recent global greening does not show latitude dependence global greening As for the marginal soils in some of the higher latitude locations, that's one of the easiest things for modern industry to take a bite out of: mass produced fertilizer is cheap and easy. I can see the cringes from the organic shopping crowd, but it works.

[MtnGoat]

Bingo.

[MtnGoat]

A climate report based not on models and comparisons with models and predictions, but on actual observations.

[Randito]

[MtnGoat]

It's not like Florida has ever had floods from hurricanes before.

[Randito]

[drm]

Florida now has floods when the sun is out, hurricanes not required. Cities with adequate funding are spending a lot to raise roads.

[drm]

[MtnGoat]

[joker]

I think you're actually missing *his* point... In any case, the size and frequency of tidal surge style flooding is predicted to increase, and observation appears to already be bearing out that prediction. Events like Sandy's flooding of NYC subways etc. are a good example of the sorts of costs that will be borne to greater degrees going forward.

[thunderhead]

DRM, true, there are going to be some places beyond the ability of modern industry to cheaply farm even with longer growing seasons in the north. But some land that was worse will become better.