Is it too late?

[danny la rouge]

This is why I'm a Doomer. It's not the disasters or the challenge we face per se. We could still pull it together if we had leadership that was dedicated to fixing it, but we don't and we won't in time to make a real difference.

There’s a novel people should read by Kim Stanley Robinson called The Ministry for the Future. It’s very well researched. The writing isn’t a style I’m going to pretend I enjoy, but I think it’s a very worthwhile book. It addresses exactly the problem you raise: humanity has the ability to stop things getting much worse. Not to reverse the damage already done; at least not quickly. But to put the brakes on. If there is the political will. Except there isn’t. So what then?

I haven’t finished it yet, and I’m not sure he’s going to draw the moral that I’m so far picking up (given the celebrity recommenders), but it is at least something more people need to read.

The Ministry for the Future - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[bcuster]

Horrified reaction to climate change denial by candidates at Republican debate

Climate denial onstage comes amid unprecedented fires in Hawaii and tropical storms in Southern California

www.aol.com

 

[LDC]

This is why I'm a Doomer. It's not the disasters or the challenge we face per se. We could still pull it together if we had leadership that was dedicated to fixing it, but we don't and we won't in time to make a real difference.

Yeah, and so the question for me is despite this, what can we do? And I don't mean individual small changes, I mean the collective mass change that's needed.

 

[chilango]

There’s a novel people should read by Kim Stanley Robinson called The Ministry for the Future. It’s very well researched. The writing isn’t a style I’m going to pretend I enjoy, but I think it’s a very worthwhile book. It addresses exactly the problem you raise: humanity has the ability to stop things getting much worse. Not to reverse the damage already done; at least not quickly. But to put the brakes on. If there is the political will. Except there isn’t. So what then?

I haven’t finished it yet, and I’m not sure he’s going to draw the moral that I’m so far picking up (given the celebrity recommenders), but it is at least something more people need to read.

The Ministry for the Future - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

I think it's up to the reader to draw their own conclusions about the moral of KSR's story. There's stuff for the likes of you and me in there and stuff for the likes of Obama.

Ultimately, that's what we'll need in the short term anyway

 

[chilango]

Yeah, and so the question for me is despite this, what can we do? And I don't mean individual small changes, I mean the collective mass change that's needed.

I think all we've got right now is "forcing the issue" with whatever we can lay our hands on.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Yeah, and so the question for me is despite this, what can we do? And I don't mean individual small changes, I mean the collective mass change that's needed.

I'm still working on lobbying energy companies responsible for our natural gas and electricity. We've had good success by quietly promoting green energy with our publicly run power companies. One way we've done that is to have some of our people appointed to public boards that regulate energy companies in the state.

We've had less success with privately held utilities, but their governing structure is different and less accessible to the public.

Even if we don't think it will ultimately be successful, we do need to keep up the fight.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

I think all we've got right now is "forcing the issue" with whatever we can lay our hands on.

I think this is true, but I doubt if I'm the one to lead that.

 

[Artaxerxes]

I think all we've got right now is "forcing the issue" with whatever we can lay our hands on.

It’s past kneecap time

 

[chilango]

I think this is true, but I doubt if I'm the one to lead that.

Don't have to "lead" anything. Do what you can, with what you've got. The bigger and deeper the pool of people "forcing the issue" the better.

NB I'm not (just) talking about physical force. But also social force. Take SUVs for example. Decommissioning them is great, but so is ostracising those continuing to drive them until they stop.

 

[chilango]

It’s past kneecap time

It's never past kneecap time.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

It's never past kneecap time.

Eventually, the people in control are going to bring out the military to keep everyone in line as things go to shit. At that point, it's merely self-defense for yourself and your community. We are already getting there with things like the fires in Canada and Maui. Watch for events to really ramp up as food production drops. People will go ape-shit when there's no food.

 

[chilango]

Eventually, the people in control are going to bring out the military to keep everyone in line and things go to shit. At that point, it's merely self-defense to defend yourself and your community. We are already getting there with things like the fires in Canada and Maui. Watch for things to really ramp up as food production drops. People will go ape-shit when there's no food.

When it gets to that point the military have a habit of getting rid of the people in control (not always for the better).

Your side of the Atlantic has a different toolbox in some ways than ours, one that's already open and in use (for better or - overwhelmingly - worse).

 

[chilango]

...and I realise my ambiguous phrasing could be interpreted in different ways. Simply put, we are in unprecedented times and it's impossible to nail down specifics of what might or should be done.

 

[Joe Chi Min]

Holidays in other people's misery.

Tbf most holidays are.

 

[Joe Chi Min]

Absolutely depressing and enraging bit of info from the US Republican candidate debate.

After all eight candidates declined to raise their hands when asked if they believed human behavior was causing the climate crisis, Ramaswamy jumped in, stridently rapping out: “Unlock American energy, drill, frack, burn coal, embrace nuclear.”

It has been a month of wildfire disaster in Hawaii and heavy flooding in California. The Fox News hosts pointed out that the climate crisis is the number one concern for young American voters. Regardless, the youngest candidate on stage ploughed on: “The climate change agenda is a hoax … more people are dying of bad climate change policies than they are of actual climate.”

Combative Vivek Ramaswamy emerges as surprise focal point of GOP debate

Biotech entrepreneur takes on Trump mantle in former president’s absence, drawing heavy fire from other candidates

www.theguardian.com

It to me seems we’re at the point where if they wanna continue to plough on with policies that endanger most of us, then why shouldn’t we be rolling these ignorant cunts into ditches?

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

When it gets to that point the military have a habit of getting rid of the people in control (not always for the better).

Your side of the Atlantic has a different toolbox in some ways than ours, one that's already open and in use (for better or - overwhelmingly - worse).

And we have a better armed populace with all that entails.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

It to me seems we’re at the point where if they wanna continue to plough on with policies that endanger most of us, then why shouldn’t we be rolling these ignorant cunts into ditches?

I'd be inclined to "like" this, but I'm sure my FBI file is thick enough already. LOL!

 

[redcogs]

Just when you thought everything was as bleak as it is possible to be the Emperor penguins are perishing when still chicks, due to warming and premature ice melt. Then Fukushima start dumping carbon 14 etc in the Pacific by the tonne.

Climate change: Thousands of penguins die in Antarctic ice breakup

Fukushima: China retaliates as Japan releases treated nuclear water

The controversial discharge of treated nuclear water sparks an outcry and a seafood ban from China.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[redcogs]

i can't imagine enjoying my usual sardine sandwich in quite the same way in the future. We have lost the plot entirely aint we? Everything and anything gets dumped in the sea..

 

[Kevbad the Bad]

Tbf most holidays are.

Well I'm on holiday in Rosedale Abbey right now, and whilst misery may be present in the general community, it's not very obvious.

 

[LDC]

Posted in the awesome photos thread here, but this is an absolutely iconic and epic image.

 

[bcuster]

Big non-surprise:

Maui utility may have compromised evidence in probe of deadly fire, lawyers say

LAHAINA, Hawaii - The Hawaii power utility believed to have started the deadly Lahaina fire removed damaged power poles and other equipment from a key fire scene, potentially affecting evidence that is part of an official investigation into how the blaze ignited. Hawaiian Electric - which acted...

www.yahoo.com

 

[Pickman's model]

Eventually, the people in control are going to bring out the military to keep everyone in line as things go to shit. At that point, it's merely self-defense for yourself and your community. We are already getting there with things like the fires in Canada and Maui. Watch for events to really ramp up as food production drops. People will go ape-shit when there's no food.

If only they'd do that for the emperor penguins

 

[Pickman's model]

It to me seems we’re at the point where if they wanna continue to plough on with policies that endanger most of us, then why shouldn’t we be rolling these ignorant cunts into ditches?

Better to turn them into penguin feed for the emperor and adelie penguins

 

[bcuster]

The planet is dying faster than we thought

A triple-threat of climate change, biodiversity loss and overpopulation is bearing down on Earth.

www.livescience.com

 

[Aquamarine]

Sept 15th will see the largest-ever globally coordinated action to demand that governments end fossil fuels.

Global Fight to End Fossil Fuels – September 2023

This September, people on every continent will join the largest-ever globally coordinated action to demand that governments end fossil fuels. Join us.

fightfossilfuels.net

 

[bcuster]

Conditions on Earth may be moving outside the ‘safe operating space’ for humanity, according to dozens of scientists​

https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/13/world/planetary-boundaries-humanity-climate/index.html

Humans are dangerously pushing the limits of our planet in ways other than climate change

Only three planetary boundaries are within a safe operating space — and even they are under extreme pressure

www.yahoo.com

 

[Aquamarine]

It is official - planetary warming has passed 1.5C. A recent New Scientist online article discusses some of the implications...

 

[2hats]

That's for one month so not [yet] the IPCC 1.5C target level (sustained multi-dataset trend over months-years). The 1.5C level has been exceeded briefly (for a month) before, eg February 2016 (ERA5). Obviously El Niño is having a big input this year (and will next). It will take some time for the decadal trend to be more clearly resolved (eg complete the ENSO cycle).

​

 

[bcuster]

When will humans go extinct? These scientists have an answer

Just how long will humans be able to inhabit Earth? That is the question a group of researchers at the University of Bristol in England think they may have answered.

www.yahoo.com