Planetary Collapse

[MindMover]

A few days ago, I posted an article on how the Brazilian government has sacrificed the lush Amazon Rainforest for short-term economic profits over the course of a few years. Today, I'd like to share more "good news" about the global environment that probably went unnoticed by many people (h/t Jaded Prole). About two months ago, Nature published a report by a group of 21 scientists who arrived at a very startling conclusion - Earth's ecosystems are heading for an "imminent, irreversible collapse" well before the century is out.

Sound a bit too extreme and alarming? Perhaps, but the authors feel that the logic and data to back up such a conclusion are all there. One key factor, for example, is the rapid loss of biodiversity in our ecosystems - something Brazilian federal de-regulators should know all too much about. That's just one factor among many others, though. And while these scientists don't focus much on human financial, economic, social or political systems, we must remember that they all play an integral part in preventing radical reversals of Earth-destroying policies at large scales.

At the same time, it is equally frightening to imagine what a desperate group of elite policymakers will do once they can no longer hide from reality, but can only think to act in extreme ways, perhaps at the behest of the masses. I'm confident that there are at least a few of them who are already thinking about what they can get away with in such a scenario. That's why I cringe when I read the scientists proposing this - "Society globally has to collectively decide that we need to drastically lower our population very quickly".

Anyhow, here is Carol Thorbes summarizing the terrifying report in an article for Simon Fraser University, where one of the 21 scientists works as a Professor of Biodiversity (Arne Mooers). The actual report can be found through Nature's website.

http://theautomaticearth.com/Earth/terrifying-study-of-planetary-collapse.html

[Speck Tater]

1. Just as many still deny global climate change...

even more people, including many progressives, deny that the human species is headed for extinction.

It's a tragedy on the most epic scale ever faced by humanity and nobody seems to notice. Or care. And that is why extinction is inevitable. By the time it gets bad enough to force people to care it will be too late.

[cstanleytech]

4. Well extinction is possible but by no means is it assured any time soon.

Our species could pull through like other species have it just depends on how it all plays out though I will grant you it doesnt look good for us in the long term especially if we fail to learn from our mistakes.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Extinction of the species would be very unlikely

We're a very adaptable species, with a huge range of environments that we know how to live in, and an omnivorous diet that, with pastoralism, allows us to use plants we can't even digest ourselves. You might think that the end of modern civilisation is 'inevitable', but it's a long way from that to the end of the species.

[longship]

2. Prepare the Red Matter!

Sorry! Horrible movie, fatally damaged the Star Trek universe. Actors were okay, even good in some cases. How Bruce Greenwood kept a straight face, I'll never know. Casting of Karl Urban as McCoy, Anton Yelchin as Chekov, and Simon Pegg as Scotty was brilliant. Unfortunately, the fucking script turned them into cartoon characters. The cartoon version of Star Trek on TV was better. What a waste of celluloid!? Filmed in a brewery! And it looked it! JJ Abrams and his production staff were probably drunk the whole time. (With the obligatory Budweiser product placement. And don't get me started about Keenser.)

Rant off.

But couldn't resist the allusion. Another excuse to rant.

[Fozzledick]

7. Star Trek Muppet Babies.

It's like bad fanfic!

[Fire Walk With Me]

3. Food prices will eventually rise from this year's record drought conditions.

Another season of this, or worse, will begin to create food shortages and high prices. It is Time to create community food gardens, and to grow at home that which you are able. To preserve and to learn about fertilizer and high-yield crops and their vulnerablility to temperature ranges.

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. And that does not even COUNT the manipulated commodity prices.

The traders have and will trade anything they can put a wager on, thus driving up prices.
So it is a double jeopardy problem.

[Fire Walk With Me]

14. Ugh, you're right. I was thinking in terms of solutions, not problems :)

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. It being all interconnected,

we need to find a workable solution for the illegal money games going on.

[Egalitarian Thug]

5. From what I've gathered talking to field researchers and other scientists in informal (private)

conversations, it is pretty clear that we've already waited too long to head off these ecological disasters. Even if we could magically cease all harmful activity today, things will continue to get worse for the next 20 - 30 years before the biosphere can begin to heal. The best we can do at this point is take the threat seriously and begin large scale preparations for handling the consequences.

Of course we won't be told the truth and we will not do anything to prepare because that would upset people and they might blame the guilty. The men and women that work for the federal government have it bad. Telling the truth, even in inside reports, is worth their careers.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

6. Doesn't matter anyway - Reagan's head of the Dept of the Interior told us...

...we could go ahead and cut down all the trees because Jesus was coming back and the earth would be renewed into Eden 2 with a wave of his magic wand.

[Fozzledick]

8. It's like we're living in a bad science-fiction disaster movie.

We're already past the stage where the scientists warn that there will be a catastrophe if action isn't taken and no one listens to them.

We've now entered the part where things start falling apart and the government is too tied up in denial to respond as the situation keeps getting worse.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

9. Lovely.

Kind of puts everything into perspective.

[TreasonousBastard]

10. Dunno about elite policy makers, but when it becomes too obvious...

to deny there will be panic and demagoguery.

[Junkdrawer]

12. Next big growth opportunity: Suicide Booths....

Get my secretary on the phone...