Failed rains in Ethiopia? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/744475...

1. What relation could this have with global warming?

2. As one of the worst greenhouse gas emitters, do Americans have a responsibility to send economic aid?

This does not include our UN dues --- where we pay a large percentage of operating costs-- nor humanitarian food aid during global emergencies.

2. No, the current warming is caused by the cumulative effect of the past 300+ years of coal burning (still the largest emitter at 40% of the total in the U.S.), with some relatively minor recent contributions from oil. The negative influence of CO2 remains strong for hundreds of years. In other words, most of the problem was caused by people who are dead and long gone. Dig up my ancestors and ask them to pay for aid if you want.

Even looking at today%26#039;s causes, the Third World has CO2 emissions roughly equal to developed nations. The 400+ dirty coal-fired power plants being built there will cause the greatest increases in CO2 worldwide, wiping out the reduction efforts in developed nations. Developing nations are driving us closer to extinction while the rest of us conserve, redesign our lives and rebuild our infrastructure. This has been clear from the start, but developing nations have chosen not to decrease emissions, effectively choosing their destiny in exhange for funds sent to their governments.

Further complicating the issue, black carbon soot is 60% as much of a negative influence as CO2, and much of it comes from 3 billion cooking fires in developing nations. The 3 billion people added to the planet since 1960 (mostly in developing nations) have added greatly to the impact. Deforestation occurs mainly in developing nations, accelerating the climate change due to greenhouse gases.

If we look at the big picture, we%26#039;re all responsible, there are no easy scapegoats.

American absorbs 1 million immigrants per year (including Ethiopians) out of the 80 million added to the planet each year, and every American absorbs the cost of building them new roads, schools, and expanding our capacity to supply power, water, sewage treatment and landfills. What is anyone doing to help the other 79 million, or to promote family planning so another 80 million hungry mouths might not add to our environmental impact on the planet next year? We now know that population growth is equivalent to global genocide. Things are going to get a lot worse on this planet while we fail to face that issue.

Starving in Ethiopia??? Get out of here!!

Must be global warming because they%26#039;re never known to have a shortage of food....%26lt;rolls eyes%26gt;

I%26#039;d be more than willing to set up a factory there and have the locals manufacture goods in exchange for money...money they could then buy food with.

Ethiopia has a drought. What a shock. In all of history there were never droughts until that evil America showed up. American prosperity has nothing to do with the Ethiopian drought. Any suggestion that it does is vile. We owe them absolutely nothing. If anything, they owe us. That being said, I am sure we will help them anyway.

Note: looks like me an Evans had the same take on this one

Why does America have the world on its shoulders? Why doesn%26#039;t the rest of the world help out more? I find that ridiculous that the rest of the world hates us, yet expect us to help out so much.

%26quot;You suck! We hate you! Help?%26quot;

Especially when it%26#039;s countries like China that put out 10 times more pollution than we do.

I don%26#039;t suppose the Great African Rift would play a part in that do you? Human plight is never a pleasant thing, and they are receiving help, along with education. Just an add on, Africa is also, known as the Fire Hub of The Globe.

The average middle class American is more then willing to help anyone in need, not because of global warming or that we are evil greenhouse gas emitters. Its because they are decent people, the problem with Ethiopia runs much deeper then climate.

the bulk of Starbucks coffee come from there
expect them to raise their prices.

It is in Americas own interest to come to their aid
but will they
they will probably look for another coffee producing place ,to hijack

America has a greater responsibility to balance the the environment and Eco system anywhere in the world.no doubt.