Independent UK: Climate change 'will cause civilisation to collapse'

[marmar]

The planet's future: Climate change 'will cause civilisation to collapse'
Authoritative new study sets out a grim vision of shortages and violence – but amid all the gloom, there is some hope too


By Jonathan Owen

Sunday, 12 July 2009


An effort on the scale of the Apollo mission that sent men to the Moon is needed if humanity is to have a fighting chance of surviving the ravages of climate change. The stakes are high, as, without sustainable growth, "billions of people will be condemned to poverty and much of civilisation will collapse".

This is the stark warning from the biggest single report to look at the future of the planet – obtained by The Independent on Sunday ahead of its official publication next month. Backed by a diverse range of leading organisations such as Unesco, the World Bank, the US army and the Rockefeller Foundation, the 2009 State of the Future report runs to 6,700 pages and draws on contributions from 2,700 experts around the globe. Its findings are described by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UN, as providing "invaluable insights into the future for the United Nations, its member states, and civil society".

The impact of the global recession is a key theme, with researchers warning that global clean energy, food availability, poverty and the growth of democracy around the world are at "risk of getting worse due to the recession". The report adds: "Too many greedy and deceitful decisions led to a world recession and demonstrated the international interdependence of economics and ethics."

Although the future has been looking better for most of the world over the past 20 years, the global recession has lowered the State of the Future Index for the next 10 years. Half the world could face violence and unrest due to severe unemployment combined with scarce water, food and energy supplies and the cumulative effects of climate change. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/the-planets-future-climate-change-will-cause-civilisation-to-collapse-1742759.html

[county worker]

1. The new battle of the Luddites is taking place.

Climate change denial and the desire to return to the policies of the last 8 years. That's the new mantra of the Luddites.

[villager]

2. Oddly, as an environmentalist, I'm always accused of being a "Luddite" for routinely mentioning

"downsides" to new gadgetry, machinery, and various other industrial era gee-gaws that gobble up resources, emit carbon, etc...

[county worker]

3. I know and I am probably one of accusers.

Sorry ahead of time for the next one I may do.

[villager]

5. so then - the environmental "Luddites" were essentially right,

in terms of their prognostications about what machines would ultimately do to us, and the planet?

Are the pro-industrialists/pro-carbon emissions folks really "Luddites," then, or just reactionaries?

[zonkers]

7. Yes, Luddite can't mean two things. Original Luddites will just might be proven correct but let's

not count out technology and the human spirit just yet. I just have to hope and do what I can on a local level. What are your interests regarding your environmental activities.

[troubledamerican]

4. Which will die first: The Oceans, or civilization?

[dionysus]

6. oh, the planet will be just fine in a millenia, we'll all be dust of course.

[Hugabear]

8. Anybody who denies climate change is abetting in the deaths of billions

And politicians and pseudo-scientists who continue to deny that climate change exists are no better than the likes of Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin, or Idi Amin.