CNN: The climate is ruined. So can civilization even survive?

[GliderGuider]

The climate is ruined. So can civilization even survive?

The idea that we will be safe from "dangerous climate change" if we do not exceed a temperature rise of 2C (3.6F) has been widely accepted. But many informed people have rejected this assumption. In the opinion of journalist-turned-activist Bill McKibben, "the one degree we've raised the temperature already has melted the Arctic, so we're fools to find out what two will do."

What would "a 4C world" be like? According to Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research (at the University of East Anglia), "during New York's summer heat waves the warmest days would be around 10-12C (18-21.6F) hotter [than today's]." Moreover, he has said, above an increase of 4C only about 10% of the human population will survive. Believe it or not, some scientists consider Anderson overly optimistic.

The resulting threat of runaway global warming may not be merely theoretical. Scientists have long been convinced that methane was central to the fastest period of global warming in geological history, which occurred 55 million years ago. Now a group of scientists have accumulated evidence that methane was also central to the greatest extinction of life thus far: the end-Permian extinction about 252 million years ago.

What can be done then? Given the failure of political leaders to deal with the CO2 problem, it is now too late to prevent terrible developments.

Pretty doomy, CNN!

[truebluegreen]

1. Pretty accurate, I'd say.

I remember a friend asking/telling me 15 years ago that surely the environmentalists were exaggerating, it wasn't as bad as all that (why he asked me is a mystery; I'm not a scientist, I just read). My thought at the time was that it wasn't "as bad as all that", it was worse. And it seems I was right. Every scientific model predicting the changes we can expect has had to be scrapped when the "worst case scenario" is found to be too optimistic.

We are fucked, and I am very grateful that I do not have children.

[truebrit71]

3. Well and truly fucked...

But hey, at least according to the article they're getting a little closer to telling us what they REALLY think the timeline is going to be..

[truebluegreen]

20. "Funny" thing is, the friend was preparing to move to Alaska at the time,

where the changes have been happening the fastest. We have lost touch, but I wonder if his eyes are open now?

[truebrit71]

2. Here's the part that struck me about that link...

"the world is on a trajectory that would lead to an increase of 4C (7F) in this century. In the opinion of many scientists and the World Bank, this could happen as early as the 2060s."

This is the first time I recall seeing a statement that says we could hit a 4C increase by 2060

That's only 45 years from now...

[GliderGuider]

5. The sheep are looking up... nt

[GliderGuider]

4. And it's not just the climate that has us boxed in

~ Too many people
~ Too much wild habitat and bioproductivity appropriation
~ Too much energy use
~ Too much CO2 being emitted
~ Too much raw material consumption
~ Too much waste being discharged
~ Too much biodiversity loss
~ A global socio-economic system dependent on constant growth

We're past the point of no return, and we're still accelerating.

[truebrit71]

7. Yup...pedal to the metal...

...in the latest episode of VICE on HBO last Friday there was a piece about pristine jungle being destroyed and burned to the ground in Indonesia to make way for Palm plantations for the palm oil trade...the visuals were stunning to say the least...broke my heart...

I used to get really pissed off about that sort of thing...now I just shake my head...

I hope that whatever follows human beings learns from our mistakes...

[Fred Sanders]

6. CNN, the Catholic News Network, is all in on the End Times...is that part of Catholicism?

Doom and gloom is for religious zealots and evangelicals, and GOP Presidential dreamers playing to the End Timers Primary in Iowa.

My take is: Man fucked it up, Man can fix it!

And...fuck CNN and the Gloomers.

[truebrit71]

8. I applaud your sense of optimism...

....unrealistic as it may be...

[Fred Sanders]

10. Reversing Clinton's logo....there is pessimism at work, some optimism at work is better.

Gloom and doom is fun....requires one to just sit back and complain.

[truebrit71]

13. So we should all smile as we go under, that's your solution?

As for the logo I'd prefer if Hillary moved to the left and not the right...but that, like reversing climate change, is highly unlikely...

[Fred Sanders]

16. "We are all gong to die, throw your hands in the air and say good-bye?" No thanks.

[truebrit71]

18. Nope. It's not an either/or scenario...

...what we have to do now is try and cut carbon emissions as much as possible RIGHT NOW, and start planning for the way the world is GOING to be after the shit hits the fan...

[GliderGuider]

9. And my take is

Man fucked it up in the past. Man can fuck it up more in the future.

What evidence have you seen that we're improving the situation?

Fewer people? Less energy use? Fewer extinctions? Less plastic in the oceans? More topsoil on the Great Plains? The Ogallala aquifer refilling? The Aral sea teeming with fish? The Amazon rain-forest growing back? Less palm oil production in Indonesia?

No?

Imagine that.

[Fred Sanders]

11. My take is that if scientists say it can be done it can be done...I am no scientist, you see.

But I know some.

Gloom and doom is for science-denying cons, isn't that obvious?

[GliderGuider]

14. De fides non est disputandum

In matters of faith there can be no dispute...

[orwell]

12. +1000... n/t

[Systematic Chaos]

15. Next time, could you please not drop the mic on my foot?

kthxbai

[GliderGuider]

17. Oops, I was groping around in the gloom and didn't see it there...

So sorry!

[Romeo.lima333]

19. the end will come like a thief in the night

[mackdaddy]

21. You know the worst thing about being right when saying "This is the end of the World"--

It is that there is no one left to say, or to say to: "See I told you so".

Kind of makes you hope there is something to all that religion and afterlife stuff.....