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[Deleted member 80556]

From The Guardian.

This year has already seen scorching heat around the world, with the average global temperature peaking at 1.38C above levels experienced in the 19th century, perilously close to the 1.5C limit agreed in the landmark Paris climate accord. July was the warmest month since modern record keeping began in 1880, with each month since October 2015 setting a new high mark for heat.

“In the last 30 years we’ve really moved into exceptional territory,” Gavin Schmidt, director of Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said. “It’s unprecedented in 1,000 years. There’s no period that has the trend seen in the 20th century in terms of the inclination (of temperatures).”

“Maintaining temperatures below the 1.5C guardrail requires significant and very rapid cuts in carbon dioxide emissions or co-ordinated geo-engineering. That is very unlikely. We are not even yet making emissions cuts commensurate with keeping warming below 2C.”

Schmidt is the highest-profile scientist to effectively write-off the 1.5C target, which was adopted at December’s UN summit after heavy lobbying from island nations that risk being inundated by rising seas if temperatures exceed this level. Recent research found that just five more years of carbon dioxide emissions at current levels will virtually wipe out any chance of restraining temperatures to a 1.5C increase and avoid runaway climate change.

Temperature reconstructions by Nasa, using work from its sister agency the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, found that the global temperature typically rose by between 4-7C over a period of 5,000 years as the world moved out of ice ages. The temperature rise clocked up over the past century is around 10 times faster than this previous rate of warming.

The increasing pace of warming means that the world will heat up at a rate “at least” 20 times faster than the historical average over the coming 100 years, according to Nasa.

This reminded me of that GAF thread on climate change that was hopeless as hell. This is pretty bad. Send letters to your representatives, or senators, because this is going to get pretty bad.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

I live in a tropical weather all year long, and this year has been incredibly hot.

 

[ajfoucault]

We must do something about this. Hopefully legislation gets approved soon to stop this.

 

[LegendofJoe]

Those climate change religious fantics at NASA are at it again.

 

[DedValve]

So what can we the common folk do in the immediate future? Send letters to our representatives? Is that it?

 

[jet1911]

Sooooooooo. Is the other camp argument that global warming doesn't exist or that man had nothing to do with it?

 

[ClosingADoor]

Why the US, EU, Japan, China and India are not putting major investments into getting rid of coal and oil is beyond me at this point. The technology is pretty much there. Use nuclear and renewables, put money behind electric cars, roll out more electric rail for transporting stuff and get serious about this stuff.

 

[Saint Gregory]

We must do something about this. Hopefully legislation gets approved soon to stop this.

Nothing will happen because the rich fucks in charge know that they'll be dead before the repercussions from this really hit.

 

[Ashby]

As someone who vastly prefers cold weather over hot, can somebody tell me if winter is going to exist anymore?

 

[Bam Chowder]

Man this is depressing stuff. This could be the greatest threat that humanity has ever faced and a major political party still denies that it is happening. We are so fucked.

 

[Roubjon]

I can't wait to tell my children about how awesome Summer used to be.

 

[Forerunner]

 

[shem935]

Sooooooooo. Is the other camp argument that global warming doesn't exist or that man had nothing to do with it?

The latter I think is the broad consensus for them. The zealots(who now control the party) either say it doesn't exist or that China did it depending on when you ask.

 

[Ponn]

Why the US, EU, Japan, China and India are not putting major investments into getting rid of coal and oil is beyond me at this point. The technology is pretty much there. Use nuclear and renewables, put money behind electric cars, roll out more electric rail for transporting stuff and get serious about this stuff.

Give you one guess.

 

[ClosingADoor]

Give you one guess.

Money and politics. But damn if it isn't the most stupid thing ever.

 

[Dreez]

Sooooooooo. Is the other camp argument that global warming doesn't exist or that man had nothing to do with it?

Yeah. Also I've been told, if the world ends it's ok because they know they'll go to heaven.

 

[wild wild rice]

Can't wait for Republicans to say, "Democrats are the real climate change deniers!" 50 years from now.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

As someone who vastly prefers cold weather over hot, can somebody tell me if winter is going to exist anymore?

Only for a week and you have to move to the South Pole.

 

[Jarmel]

Nothing will happen because the rich fucks in charge know that they'll be dead before the repercussions from this really hit.

Turns out they're probably going to be wrong about that.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Nothing will happen because the rich fucks in charge know that they'll be dead before the repercussions from this really hit.

Pretty much. They'd rather doom everyone that lose that dosh.

 

[JordanN]

Earth was getting old anyway. We'll just colonize another planet.

Can anyone say Mars?

 

[BattleMonkey]

Even if the US were to do anything (which would be little things at a time), other countries like China are still gonna fuck it up for everyone else.

 

[Fenderputty]

Sooooooooo. Is the other camp argument that global warming doesn't exist or that man had nothing to do with it?

The latter of the two mostly

 

[Abstruse Moose]

Earth was getting old anyway. We'll just colonize another planet.

Can anyone say Mars?

I'm pretty sure the scientists would leave us behind, which probably wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[Bass260]

So what can we the common folk do in the immediate future? Send letters to our representatives? Is that it?

You can stop eating animal products. Animal agriculture is one of the main causes of climate change. The methane emissions and waste of resources in that industry are unbelievable.

 

[adj_noun]

.

 

[Oppo]

You can stop eating animal products. Animal agriculture is one of the main causes of climate change. The methane emissions and waste of resources in that industry are astounding.

individual responsibility is great, but this is an area where I feel the government would have to step in and tax the hell out of these products.

 

[LegendofJoe]

So what can we the common folk do in the immediate future? Send letters to our representatives? Is that it?

Drive less, eat less meat, buy eco-friendly products, and have fewer children.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

So what can we the common folk do in the immediate future?

You can stop eating animal products.

ok so we cant do anything, damn shame

 

[Jarmel]

.

When the human race is extinct, the aliens will look at this picture and say, "They deserved it".

 

[Gunstarheroes]

I know this will be doom and gloom, and history gives us a really good reason to be, but it says 5 years. We've done damage, and its never not gonna be bad, but we can do something. We do have some time. Hopeless as you may feel, make efforts to drive less, eat less animal products, use a bit less electricity, and speak up and vote for people who plan to fight for cleaner energy and attempts to reduce fossil fuels.

If nothing else, if things continue to go south, at least you tried to do better, and you cant wish that you could have been part of the change.

 

[G-Bus]

This shit scares the crap out of me.

Toss is all thus methane that's being released aND releasing at greater speeds as time goes on. We're fucked.

 

[Divvy]

Even if the US were to do anything (which would be little things at a time), other countries like China are still gonna fuck it up for everyone else.

Are you serious? China is far more invested in fighting this than the US is at the moment.

 

[pj]

I'm pretty sure the scientists would leave us behind, which probably wouldn't be a bad idea.

What?

We'd beat them up as they are getting ready to launch and take the rocket ourselves.

Probably give them wedgies for good measure

 

[CassidyIzABeast]

We had a good run. It was either die by Trump or global warming.

 

[BriGuy]

And I get grief every which way for not wanting kids. Our collective children and grandchildren have one hell of a sorry future in store if things don't improve soon.

 

[Saint Gregory]

ok so we cant do anything, damn shame

:lol, unfortunately this is the realistic view.

It most likely is too late now to stop this, the major industrial nations would have had to start making changes back in the 70s when scientists began raising the alarm. I can't even say that we had a good run, hopefully the lizard people that come next do better.

 

[The Lamonster]

It seems like all of our major problems are caused by Republicans/conservatives.

 

[Strimei]

Man, that gif really drives it home (not that I wasn't aware of it before). Scary.

 

[victreeb3l]

Guess I should make my way out to Glacier National Park this year. The glacier is pretty much gone already :/

 

[shira]

We must do something about this. Hopefully legislation gets approved soon to stop this.

US, China, India gotta figure shit out fast.

 

[Raiden1018]

yea this summer is one of the hottest for sure

 

[Pankratous]

So by the time I'm a pensioner Scotland might be warm all year round?

 

[Bass260]

individual responsibility is great, but this is an area where I feel the government would have to step in and tax the hell out of these products.

They absolutely do. As one of the main drivers of the biggest threat to our species we need the governments to begin taking this seriously. Instead these products are subsidized and their environmental concerns are kept in the dark.

For anyone interested you can look up the methane emissions; particularly from cattle.The UN (and by extension FAO) has a great article on animal ag's drastic effects on the environment. It offers a basic premise as to how and why this industry is one of the leading drivers to climate change.

http://www.fao.org/Newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM

The second link is "Livestock's Long Shadow" - still under FAO. It's a far more in depth look at the whole livestock industry and its effects on the environment.

I would kindly ask that anyone who is concerned about climate change, our own future and our children's future to take a look.

 

[Jarmel]

US, China, India gotta figure shit out fast.

Spoiler alert: We won't.

This is a long term problem and the US sucks shit at any sort of long term planning.

 

[MiamiWesker]

Wait why do I have to stop eating meat? I'm fine helping anyway I can but I draw the line at eating meat.

EDIT: I saw the post above, damn it.

 

[sphagnum]

Well, better hope the EM Drive turns out to be real so we can escape this place.

 

[Gunstarheroes]

Wait why do I have to stop eating meat? I'm fine helping anyway I can but I draw the line at eating meat.

See

They absolutely do. As one of the main drivers of the biggest threat to our species we need the governments to begin taking this seriously. Instead these products are subsidized and their environmental concerns are kept in the dark.

For anyone interested you can look up the methane emissions; particularly from cattle.The UN (and by extension FAO) has a great article on animal ag's drastic effects on the environment. It offers a basic premise as to how and why this industry is one of the leading drivers to climate change.

http://www.fao.org/Newsroom/en/news/2006/1000448/index.html

I'm certainly not perfect yet, but i've at least cut red meat (this is both for this issue, and just for myself as a health thing). It helps though.

 

[DragonSworne]

Why can't the executive branch of the United States do anything through executive orders?

 

[Otakumegane]

Lab grown meat people.

Also, Americans in particular need to have better policies for recycling and wasting food.