We Are Terrifyingly Close to the Climate's 'Point of No Return'

[xchrom]

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/09/we-are-terrifyingly-close-to-the-climates-point-of-no-return/280076/


Brace yourself for more of this. (AP)


In a landmark report, a global panel of leading scientists again called the evidence for climate change “unequivocal” and for the first time said humans are “extremely likely” to be the dominant cause.

Put simply: “Human influence on the climate is clear.” And as this map makes clear, the world has already experienced warming of up to 2.5°C over nearly its entire surface since the start of the 20th century:



The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is convened by the United Nations to give periodic updates on the state of climate science as well as future projections and likely impacts. The group was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their last update in 2007.

[Warren Stupidity]

1. We passed that point a while ago.

[truebrit71]

2. ^^^ This^^^

It is already too late to stop it, we now have to figure out how to deal with the consequences of our destructive behavior..

[NickB79]

5. +1000

Personally, I think we passed the point of no return a decade or more ago.

We think 2C is the "safe" amount of warming we can handle, but we're already getting our asses kicked at only 0.8-1C so far.

[Kaleva]

6. Agree. We ought to concentrate on adapting to the coming changes.

[life long demo]

3. It is terrifying. And still the know-nothings control the message.

I do think that more citizens are finally becoming aware that something is wrong, something has changed. I probably won't see the worst of it, but that doesn't stop me from speaking out, sending letters, signing petitions, etc. BTW I'm 70 and wonder what happened to the environmental movement of the 60's and 70's.

[lonestarnot]

4. 400 pts/mil

[GliderGuider]

7. The irreversibility of climate change began long ago

It began with the fundamental irreversibility of human nature. Humanity’s inability to recognize the debilitating effects of constant growth are directly related to our evolved tendencies to favour growth if possible and also to promote social cohesion through the herding instinct. In modern society, the herd mentality is reinforced through by the social entrainment fostered by telecommunications, television, and the internet. We learn the attitudes of our neighbours, and tend to feel more comfortable if we don’t violate those norms.

It’s in our nature to take as much of whatever we want for ourselves – whether that is territory, material goods or energy supplies. Our brains are good at seizing opportunities, but lousy at considering consequences – especially when the consequences are slow-moving and invisible, like CO2…

That seems to be why we can’t change direction until our toes are over the edge of the cliff. The climate change we face today may only have been recognized as a major threat fairly recently, but it has been brewing ever since about 1850. Even worse, the human behavioral tendencies towards growth and expansion that underpin the whole planetary experiment can be seen in the rear-view mirror as far back as the human diaspora out of Africa 50,000 years ago.

[Bill USA]

8. I think we are already there, given the level of commitment/investment needed to produce enough

change, quickly enough to rein in GW. It might still be possible to make a difference but the effort, at this point, would have to be enormous. It might be theoretically possible, but people aren't willing to do it. (let alone the fact that many people can't accept what needs to be done --- some of the things needed to be done fly in the face of their superstitions and conditioned beliefs).


... Nonetheless, we should never give up trying to do what people can be convinced to support (perhaps it will mitigate GW enough to save civilization).