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[Fallout-NL]

Serious question:
If the fossil fuel industry "disappears" as they say... How does the world work?
Or are we spelling the death of our current lives?

No fossil fuels mean many of the conveniences we take for granted (like plastics for cell phones and computers) disappear too...

No easy way to get across town without gasoline in the car... I guess we're walking to work?

I'm not being a climate change denier, I'm simply asking how everyone expects the population at large to react with government enforced eradication of how they've lived their lives for the entirety of my lifetime...

Serious question: how are you going to get to work WHEN EVERYONE IS FUCKING DEAD?

 

[FreezeSSC]

As a Ph.D. student working on climate change, the OP is accurate even though there are discrepancies between different agencies' models and timelines. This has more to do about the nature and difficulty of modeling climate change but the end result is the same, humanity will self-destruct.

Humanity needed carbon tax 20-25 years ago, not now. But the situation is complicated due to politicians being corrupted but are also the only ones who can enact change. The Paris talks are nothing more than platitudes and feel-goodism.

There are some in the scientific community (which LiveFromKyoto pointed out) who share the opinion that society should work on contingency plans on the effects and impact of climate change because prevention is out the door, since they have concluded that we've already passed the point of no return.

I used to be a futurist and wondered about future technology in 2030 and beyond but this has gone by the wayside.

Can you comment on the timeline bullet that called for a 2 degree c increase by 2017?

 

[efyu_lemonardo]

My faith in humanity is at an all time low, to the extent I'm considering joining some shadow organization that's forward thinking enough to take extreme measures in order to save a couple million humans and start anew after the rest of us inevitably starve to death.

 

[sammyCYBORG]

So basically, don't have kids, eat, drink and enjoy the next 30 years, then probably melt or freeze to death.

I'm okay with that, kids weren't on the plan anyway. Hopefully we get at least 4 more GTA games before it all goes totally tits up.

 

[Lime]

Since you're far more in tune with climate science, do you feel we will survive the ordeal? More than that, can we avoid catastrophic climate change?

Not a climate scientist myself (my now retired father is though), but most research I've read points out that the poor and exposed countries and lower classes will be the ones suffering the most from climate change.

The well-off countries (the ones already responsible for most of the pollution) will be more capable and flexible to meet the challenge of a new world, but they will also suffer, albeit not as bad as poorer countries and their own lower classes.

The rise in conflicts and political instability will also be extremely catastrophic. War over resources and water are likely to happen once shit hits the "every country out for itself".

 

[Wilsongt]

Thanks, GOP!

 

[Sarek]

its going to be too late before they do anything.

Start build an underground house and get a tunnel system going!

We are fucked

This is the sad truth. Climate change is going to be by far the biggest crisis humanity has ever seen. At this point it is safe to say that it is too late to limit the temperature rise under 2 celsius, which is the consensus relatively safe temperature rise limit. Even the new year 2030 CO2 emissions reduction targets set by the EU last week probably aren't strict enough for that, and EU has been the global leader in fighting climate change. It is incredibly selfish, but in this regard I'm kinda glad that I'm already over 30 and we ain't planning on having kids.

 

[Nephtes]

Serious question: how are you going to get to work WHEN EVERYONE IS FUCKING DEAD?

Bicycle I guess? Horse?
I don't live that far from work I suppose.

Other people though... Woof. Sucks for their commute.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

As a Climate Scientist there is a strange feeling of 'ha I knew I was right' as it all goes to shit

Also its unlikely we will see total extinction of the human race, it is estimated that would require a 6C rise in temperatures which is unlikely (by 2100) as renewables are increasingly popular (not fast enough).

We are more likely to hit about 3/4C which would put us on a path which will probly seriously damage conventional civilisation, we would be the first generation leaving the world in a notably worse off place than when we were born

EDIT: But don't stop fighting, that is what selfish fossil fuels companies want and gives confidence to 'skeptics', You can keep trying or you can give up and die (but we all know you really just hoping someone else will save you)

I disagree. Knowing we were right all along means fuckall in the grand scheme of things. Shit is depressing to say the least.

 

[sasliquid]

Since you're far more in tune with climate science, do you feel we will survive the ordeal? More than that, can we avoid catastrophic climate change?

To answer the second question:

Yes to the possibility of avoiding catastrophic climate change to us (presuming we are not small island states) presuming a more rapid uptake of renewables and preventing untapped oil and shale gas reserves being opened.

No to avoiding damaging Climate Change. Things are going to get better before they get worse.


Us surviving the ordeal depends on the us. I live in a currently temperate climate outside of a flood plain in a country that doesnt suffer from tropical storms, forest fires or landslides. I will probably survive till 'old' age when I will die prematurely due to excess heat being too much for my old body (barring a war caused by socio-economic collapse). Others living on coasts or drought prone regions probly will suffer worse.

Us as in humanity? Yes, but it will put us pretty far back, no super scarcity-space-socialism anytime this millenium.

 

[daemonic]

Manufacturing plants in China and to some extent India are a major factor behind the acceleration of emissions in the recent decade. Of course that's mostly due to consumerism in the west, which starts with us. So if there's anything we can do as individuals is to reduce our own use of material goods and waste.

 

[Tuck]

Serious question:
No easy way to get across town without gasoline in the car... I guess we're walking to work?

Transit. In particular, electrified trains. Also bikes.

Which would work better had we not stupidly designed our cities around the car.

 

[God Dayumm]

My faith in humanity is at an all time low, to the extent I'm considering joining some shadow organization that's forward thinking enough to take extreme measures in order to save a couple million humans and start anew after the rest of us inevitably starve to death.

Sounds like ISIS. That's exactly how those youths start sympathizing with them.

 

[Disxo]

Just finished the article, damn this is depressing

 

[efyu_lemonardo]

Sounds like ISIS. That's exactly how those youths start sympathizing with them.

I fail to see the connection, frankly.

To clarify, I have no particular organization in mind, and am not actively looking. But the sentiment is that perhaps I should be investing in a future bunker, or find a community that is lead by rational thinking empiricists that make decisions based on the opinions of experts, and join it.

 

[Fine Ham Abounds]

Individual action is the preferable course, but to make a realistic difference we need swift systemic change that can only happen top-down.

Basicslly, we collectively are justspoiled children that need someone to discipline us because we can't help ourselves.

I'm beginning to think the only thing that can save us is some kind of technocratic panel to make decisions on issues like these. Democracy is proving too easy to exploit in a free market system.

Well, if the timeline offered here is correct with the majority of CO2 being dumped in the last 25 years and a 40 year delay before the impact is felt, that's far too long for any government reliant on human nature to maintain a global perspective, responsible agenda, or general control in the face of catastrophically shrinking resources.

Obviously I'm not serious, but I suspect a constantly adjusting machine automated form of communism forced upon everyone on the planet might be able to get the job done. Or you know, kill everyone and turn them into Soylent Green when they hit 30.

I also think the possibility of us actually going extinct even in the worst case is probably pretty low, things will find a way to continue in higher latitudes and elevations, the bottom 4-6 billion will starve to death and perhaps render parts of the planet uninhabitable with nuclear exchanges, but there will remain populations of isolationists who will continue as long as there is anything capable of being processed and consumed, and I would expect a decent possibility of a fairly rapid rebound and adjustment of the food chain based on opportunity. The point is this is going to be little solace for any fans of democracy, conservation, or humanity.

 

[KrellRell]

Manufacturing plants in China and to some extent India are a major factor behind the acceleration of emissions in the recent decade. Of course that's mostly due to consumerism in the west, which starts with us. So if there's anything we can do as individuals is to reduce our own use of material goods and waste.

Yes, someone gets it. Until we realize we can take action and stop relying on other people to fix things for us, we're fucked.

 

[Interframe]

Serious question:
If the fossil fuel industry "disappears" as they say... How does the world work?
Or are we spelling the death of our current lives?

No fossil fuels mean many of the conveniences we take for granted (like plastics for cell phones and computers) disappear too...

No easy way to get across town without gasoline in the car... I guess we're walking to work?

I'm not being a climate change denier, I'm simply asking how everyone expects the population at large to react with government enforced eradication of how they've lived their lives for the entirety of my lifetime...

You do realize there are much better alternatives to literally everything you pointed out in this paragraph that also doesn't help destroy this planet slowly, right? I mean, sure there will still be products and things that will require fossil fuels, but thats not the point. The point is to reduce the amount of fossil fuels being by humans to as little as possible versus right now, where everyone uses it for transportation, which is probably the biggest cause of climate change. We have companies like Tesla to thank for pushing forward sustainable transportation to help drastically reduce and reserve climate change and force other companies to follow their success, even if its a little niche for now.

 

[Disxo]

We need another planet asap.

 

[zethren]

What pisses me off is the phrase "believe" in climate change. There is no believing in climate change.

You either accept that it is factually a thing, or you are an idiot that doesn't. The end.

 

[ColdPizza]

I thought the ozone layer has been shrinking though?

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...yer-hole-appears-to-be-healing-scientists-say

 

[Wowfunhappy]

I don't understand why Climate Change seems like it's never brought up as a major point in politics. (By the democrats, I mean, obviously the Republicans are idiots on this issue.)

Like, we're in a freaking election year. How often have you heard HIllary or Bernie mention climate change on the trail? Don't get me wrong, they talk about it. But it always seems to be secondary to jobs, the economy, the middle east, etc. And I"m not saying those aren't important issues, but honestly, they pale in comparison to Climate Change.

There was a thread a while back titled something like "You're now a single issue voter, what is the issue?" I didn't see anyone else mentioning Climate Change. This is the single biggest issue facing humanity today, and it's time everyone treat it as such.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

Can you comment on the timeline bullet that called for a 2 degree c increase by 2017?

That bullet did stick out like a sore thumb but I personally don't see a 2 degree increase by 2017 unless they are privy to some data that I don't have.

It is possible this can be the case.

 

[ahoyhoy]

We've really fucked up when it comes to technology. Rather than use it to try to make thing more efficient and allow us to conserve more, we've almost exclusively used it as a means to consume more.

Unless someone can figure out how to market technological growth as a way of truly improving humanity we're likely fucked.

 

[TheSecondSpitter]

I'm certain that the 2035 will be brought forward again soon.

The population of Phytoplankton fell by 40% between 1950-2010. However, the progression rate is geometric (non-linear). If phytoplankton goes, we go.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/phytoplankton-population/
http://phys.org/news/2016-01-plankton-extinctions-implications-species-vulnerability.html

 

[Ac30]

I thought the ozone layer has been shrinking though?

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...yer-hole-appears-to-be-healing-scientists-say

That has nothing to do with climate change.

 

[Keri]

I can't tell. Are we so far gone, it's not worth trying anymore and we should all just enjoy the time we have left, before planning mass suicide (to avoid the worst of our societal collapse) or is there still time to do something? Also, am I right in assuming the most productive thing to do on an individual basis is to attempt to elect politicians that care about this issue?

 

[FreezeSSC]

That bullet did stick out like a sore thumb but I personally don't see a 2 degree increase by 2017 unless they are privy to some data that I don't have.

It is possible this can be the case.

It just caught me off guard, I live and own a home in Florida, climate change is very serious to me and my long term plan has been to move someplace safer (say within 10 years) but if everything's going to shit next year it might be too late for me. I just know I dont want to be here when things go south. State government is doing nothing to help right now and by the time they do I feel it will be too little to late.

 

[Markoman]

My faith in humanity is at an all time low, to the extent I'm considering joining some shadow organization that's forward thinking enough to take extreme measures in order to save a couple million humans and start anew after the rest of us inevitably starve to death.

Good news, I have just started a little shadow organization on my own.
My plan is to combine all James Bond villains' plans into one single master plan.

No one will stop me...

Are you by any chance a good looking female pilot?

 

[sasliquid]

Can you comment on the timeline bullet that called for a 2 degree c increase by 2017?

That does seem like a worse-case scenario sort of prediction. We aren't at 1.5C rise yet and that would require an increase in global temperatures year-on-year more than double this past year (which is already historically high)

 

[GifGafIsTheBestGaf]

man i always thought if i had to die hopefully it would be in my 50s or 60s but in a peaceful way, never thought it was gonna be scorching the fuck away

 

[smisk]

No easy way to get across town without gasoline in the car... I guess we're walking to work?

I'm not being a climate change denier, I'm simply asking how everyone expects the population at large to react with government enforced eradication of how they've lived their lives for the entirety of my lifetime...

Electric cars, solar, wind energy etc. If we do it right our quality of living won't change at all, and will actually increase due to lack of air pollution.

 

[Epsilon-delta]

It just caught me off guard, I live and own a home in Florida, climate change is very serious to me and my long term plan has been to move someplace safer (say within 10 years) but if everything's going to shit next year it might be too late for me. I just know I dont want to be here when things go south. State government is doing nothing to help right now and by the time they do I feel it will be too little to late.

Being a Floridian myself, I know the feeling. The bullet point seems like an extreme worst-case scenario in all honesty.

 

[Famassu]

And if I had an electric vehicle it would pollute probably as much or as worse as my car considering the electricity that would power it comes from a nasty coal fired power plant...

And since we can't have nuclear power.... I guess we just have to go without power in Louisiana...

Centralized energy production is preferable to millions of singular smaller machines producing that energy, even if it came from a coal plant.

 

[the1npc]

Electric cars, solar, wind energy etc. If we do it right our quality of living won't change at all, and will actually increase due to lack of air pollution.

Maybe the first world will do this...but china? India? No way.

We also need to eat less meat, cattle specificly are a huge causw if grewnhouse gas

 

[Leatherface]

I just read this article last night and honestly, it's fucking terrifying.

https://weather.com/science/environment/news/great-barrier-reef-queensland-australia-coral-bleaching-complete-ecosystem

 

[Usobuko]

Yet much of the real climate action — and inaction — takes place at the state level. Some governors decide to defend renewable energy standards, like Montana Gov. Steve Bullock (D), or advocate for easy access to solar energy, like Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D). Others, like Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), roll back renewable energy standards or sign solar fee bills like Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R).

Some attorneys general are pursuing legal action against oil giant ExxonMobil for misleading the public and investors on what it knew about the dangers of climate change, like New York’s Eric Schneiderman (D). Others — over two dozen in fact, are suing the EPA over the president’s Clean Power Plan

Thanks, you garbage human beings.

 

[Nephtes]

Electric cars, solar, wind energy etc. If we do it right our quality of living won't change at all, and will actually increase due to lack of air pollution.

Maybe you can afford an electric car.
I might be able to scrape by and purchase one...

But what about all those people in China who drive?
They probably can't afford it, are we giving electric cars away now?
That's okay if we are... I just want to know how this happens realistically without some kind of hyper left wing totalitarian dictatorship...

 

[Already Torn]

I'm gonna keep doing my part, but I've already conceded that all the beaches I want to live on will be underwater by the time I can afford to do so. Hopefully life on earth will still exist I guess.

 

[Kthulhu]

I don't understand why Climate Change seems like it's never brought up as a major point in politics. (By the democrats, I mean, obviously the Republicans are idiots on this issue.)

Like, we're in a freaking election year. How often have you heard HIllary or Bernie mention climate change on the trail? Don't get me wrong, they talk about it. But it always seems to be secondary to jobs, the economy, the middle east, etc. And I"m not saying those aren't important issues, but honestly, they pale in comparison to Climate Change.

There was a thread a while back titled something like "You're now a single issue voter, what is the issue?" I didn't see anyone else mentioning Climate Change. This is the single biggest issue facing humanity today, and it's time everyone treat it as such.

I have heard both Hillary and Bernie mention climate change. It's just not a hot button issue for most people, so they don't talk about it as much. The policies that address climate change are typically shot down by Republicans as job killers, so they are probably trying to not hand the GOP ammo by talking about them.

My faith in humanity is at an all time low, to the extent I'm considering joining some shadow organization that's forward thinking enough to take extreme measures in order to save a couple million humans and start anew after the rest of us inevitably starve to death.

The Enclave only takes rich people.

 

[TyrantII]

The Greatest Generation saved civilization.

The Boomers, in their gluttony and materialism; will have destroyed it. Not through war, but fear and ignorance.

 

[Count Dookkake]

We're not gonna win this one.

 

[Shake Appeal]

I'm gonna keep doing my part, but I've already conceded that all the beaches I want to live on will be underwater by the time I can afford to do so. Hopefully life on earth will still exist I guess.

Climate change, even at its most drastic, won't wipe out life on earth. It won't wipe out human life, either. Those humans will be living a pre-Industrial existence in horrendous conditions, though.

 

[Kthulhu]

Maybe you can afford an electric car.
I might be able to scrape by and purchase one...

But what about all those people in China who drive?
They probably can't afford it, are we giving electric cars away now?
That's okay if we are... I just want to know how this happens realistically without some kind of hyper left wing totalitarian dictatorship...

Or we could subsidize technology that is clean and renewable? Do you not put any thought into your posts?

 

[Melon Husk]

Sure, if we linearly extrapolate from the current situation, we're fucked by halfway to 2100, but reality does not behave in such way. There's reason for optimism if we start to work hard on the problem. Cleaner energy and cleaner transportation for starters, and securing the vulnerable coastal areas in third and first world countries. The Maledives are nothing compared to Bangladesh..

My faith in humanity is at an all time low, to the extent I'm considering joining some shadow organization that's forward thinking enough to take extreme measures in order to save a couple million humans and start anew after the rest of us inevitably starve to death.

If you got that from a book, it was probably a rather dystopian one.

 

[Mesousa]

I don't think there is any stopping it.

The major hope is that if we keep pushing forward to where we can make this earth habitable, even when shit hits the fan...or we can leave.

 

[Ac30]

Maybe you can afford an electric car.
I might be able to scrape by and purchase one...

But what about all those people in China who drive?
They probably can't afford it, are we giving electric cars away now?
That's okay if we are... I just want to know how this happens realistically without some kind of hyper left wing totalitarian dictatorship...

The US is one of the world's largest emitters. The US just doing their part would go a long way. It's pointless to go go "well why don't the Chinese/Indians do it!"

 

[Epsilon-delta]

I don't understand why Climate Change seems like it's never brought up as a major point in politics. (By the democrats, I mean, obviously the Republicans are idiots on this issue.)

Like, we're in a freaking election year. How often have you heard HIllary or Bernie mention climate change on the trail? Don't get me wrong, they talk about it. But it always seems to be secondary to jobs, the economy, the middle east, etc. And I"m not saying those aren't important issues, but honestly, they pale in comparison to Climate Change.

There was a thread a while back titled something like "You're now a single issue voter, what is the issue?" I didn't see anyone else mentioning Climate Change. This is the single biggest issue facing humanity today, and it's time everyone treat it as such.

I agree but again, it depends on who you ask. It's hard to convince people about the effects of climate change decades from now when some are just barely making it today.

Hence why voters want to hear about economic policies and whatnot from politicians.

 

[TyrantII]

Climate change, even at its most drastic, won't wipe out life on earth. It won't wipe out human life, either. Those humans will be living a pre-Industrial existence in horrendous conditions, though.

It won't wipe out life on earth

But yes, it can and will cause our extinction.

Advanced life doesn't not deal with changes this severe very well. We are not adapted well to do so, and the die off of most of the population will remove all technological advances that would have helped.

We're talking about a Permian level extinction event. Some tiny mole eating roaches in the tundra might make it. We will not, because we will starve to death.

 

[Gunstarheroes]

I always want to stay informed, but fuck if i basically lock up and start wrestling with a lot of really rough shit when i read these articles. I can make small differences, but at the end of the day, it makes me feel hopeless and just like i have a time in which to look at as "my time"

I'm not good with dealing with my mortality, and i basically get panic attacks reading this. All i can do is vote for people that might change things, and hope people that can figure out something to at least lessen the blow can get the funding they need to do so.

Still, i'm gonna be freaking out for a couple hours now.