this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2023
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Climate - truthful information about climate, related activism and politics.

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Discussion of climate, how it is changing, activism around that, the politics, and the energy systems change we need in order to stabilize things.

As a starting point, the burning of fossil fuels, and to a lesser extent deforestation and release of methane are responsible for the warming in recent decades: Graph of temperature as observed with significant warming, and simulated without added greenhouse gases and other anthropogentic changes, which shows no significant warming

How much each change to the atmosphere has warmed the world: IPCC AR6 Figure 2 - Thee bar charts: first chart: how much each gas has warmed the world.  About 1C of total warming.  Second chart:  about 1.5C of total warming from well-mixed greenhouse gases, offset by 0.4C of cooling from aerosols and negligible influence from changes to solar output, volcanoes, and internal variability.  Third chart: about 1.25C of warming from CO2, 0.5C from methane, and a bunch more in small quantities from other gases.  About 0.5C of cooling with large error bars from SO2.

Recommended actions to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the near future:

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[–] [email protected] 66 points 1 year ago (4 children)

As much as this news disturbs me .... the thing that disturbs me most is that most of the world will ignore it.

Humanity won't do anything about any of this until millions die and mass migrations start happening due to extreme weather events.

[–] Nudding 32 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I'm less optimistic than you, I think we will continue to increase fossil fuel usage, even though millions are dying and being displaced.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As long as the income stream isnt threatened either by unrest, mass deaths, or hardware malfunctioning, expect business as usual.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago

That's the kind of logic I expect to see in the coming decades.

People will argue the details, debate the topics, defend finances and the economy .... all while the world falls apart and people die, are actively dying or will live shorter lives.

Humanity will fade into obscurity as we all fight with one another.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Hell yeah.

Thats for sure. Many finance analysts predict 3 digit oil prices.

Investments will ramp up once demand puts pressure on the price.

And fossil fuel industry will be the most profitable one again.

WE CANT EXPECT OUR SYSTEM TO CHANGE WITHOUT CHANGING THE SYSTEM.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

What will we need all those fossil fuels for? Surely, at some point in the early 2030's, as capex for PV/wind turbines/heat pumps/batteries decreases and opex remains low, most people will have realized that fossil fuels are personally costing them money. The only business remaining may be plastics rather than electricity and heat. Granted, it's entirely possible fossil fuel companies successfully double down on plastics (which is what many are planning already).

[–] Nudding 3 points 1 year ago

I mean, thanks to citizens united and "lobbying", oil companies control the US, and therefore the world. So no, I don't expect to see much change.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 year ago (1 children)

COVID was the perfect microcosm for climate change action. COVID killed a shit-pile of people really quickly. Humans are wired to acknowledge pressing matters (like a pandemic), while more abstract concepts, and things with delayed consequences get pushed to the wayside.

It make sense, why we are the way we are. Who cares about where your meal next week is going to come from, when you're a caveman running from a lion?

Does it make us any less dead? nope. Just the timing is in question.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Even covid was already too hypothetical and abstract and too far away in time and space for millions of people to act cautiously. Climate change is further away still... When it becomes very noticeable, it's far too late: hawaii fire level stuff before people actually realise it's fucked.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Hawaii fire level stuff is due to climate change.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

the number of chuds I've met that really, really think it was some kind of space laser and not a wildfire driven by hurricane winds and crippling heat is fucking depressing. people I volunteer with who I thought were rational humans... what in the fuck

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Yes. I meant many people only realise it when they are the one stuck there and can't get out.

[–] jandar_fett 4 points 1 year ago

It's already basically too late and once millions die it will be super mega too late no take backsies.

[–] Daft_ish 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Dude I'm way passed it. I'm hoping to collect on my new beach front property and live large.