Some of you might have noted a recent lack of climate change posts on this blog. That’s because I’ve lost hope. Our civilization is pretty much screwed. As George Carlin said, we’re going to be just another failed mutation. We’re circling the drain now. I was really hoping for something good to come from Copenhagen in spite of the naysayers, and I’m disappointed to find that nothing happened. Nothing has changed. Everyone hawed and hemmed and basically stuck to their positions.
This simply shows that we humans are unable to change our short term habits and stave off long term disaster. For this shortcoming, we deserve to go extinct. Don’t mistake me though. Obviously the earth itself isn’t going anywhere – we are! Watch this video where George Carlin eloquently explains how we’re screwed. Initially it seems as if he’s against environment protection, but then 2 and a half minutes into the video, he reveals his real agenda. Kind of an odd way to look at it at first, but then it makes sense. Carlin argues that the planet is just fine – it’s the people that’re fucked!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw
To cap it all, climate change skeptics are pointing to the recent cold wave sweeping the US and Europe and are saying that this disproves global warming. This really makes me lose hope and question the concept of humans being an intelligent species. As if you can disprove decade long trends by a single data point. As if climate is the same as weather. And worst of all, as if they really think that global warming means that the whole earth is just going to get warmer and warmer each year – like switching on the thermostat!
So you think we have some hope left eh? Let me tell you why that’s an illusion.
The amount of CO2 the planet can handle without catastrophic climate change (catastrophic for us that is) is 350 ppm. Here is proof for that. And here is more proof. Our current level is 390 ppm and we’re predicted to touch 900 ppm by the end of the century! So basically:
Required CO2 concentration = 350 ppm
Current CO2 concentration = 390 ppm
Projected CO2 concentration = 900 ppm
Last time the earth had 400 ppm = 13 million years ago!
And in case you think we can cut emissions to reach 350 ppm, let me disabuse you now. Here is what we need to do to reach 350 ppm:
- No further oil and gas exploration
- No more dirty coal burning by 2030
If the US or China takes either of the above two steps, I’ll eat my iPod Touch. Nuff said. So pack your bag folks, we’re leaving. It’s been a nice 100,000 years on this earth of ours. There must be another one out in space somewhere but we’re so separated that they might as well not exist. It’s just as well we didn’t find any actually – fucking up one planet is enough! And I’m so glad I’m not having any children. What’s the use? We’re gonna all die anyway, and I don’t want my progeny to curse me.
What do you think? Are we screwed?
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It does look bleak but I feel good sense will prevail with coming generations… But I have always felt we humans have survived against nature’s wishes. That is we need heaters and sweaters in winters and coolers (at the least) in summer, we have allergies and flu and AIDS and Swine Flu… we survive with a lot of difficulty. Most of us can’t live naturally with nature. We actually need Nature Camps to feel close to nature!
@indianhomemaker
My big fear is that by the time we realize for sure we need to drastically change it'll be too late. There's a tipping point after which there's no going back.
I'm pretty sure we can't avert disaster now. I wonder where's we're going to be in 50 years (I'll still be there to see it probably)
In reply to bhagwad
This is probably not the exact post I’m looking for (which is one where you go into climate change at depth) but its close enough.
I’m posting a link from Yahoo!opinions “beware the false prophets” by Mohit Satyanand:
http://in.news.yahoo.com/blogs/opinions/beware-false-prophets-064226949.html#more-id
where the *climate change crowd* are compared to the *rapture doomsday crowd*. In particular…
“…millions respond enthusiastically to prophets with equally dismal track records. Think Paul Ehrlich, one of the leaders of the current global warming scare; in the 1970s, he was at the forefront of the global cooling scare. The first ‘global warmer’, Svante Arrhenius, was also a key figure in the eugenics movement, which was convinced that the human race was threatened by the uncontrolled breeding of the “wrong” people….”
As I’ve commented earlier I’m very ambivalent on the issue, I’d like carbon footprint to be reduced because its a good thing. I suspect the dangers are exaggerated though and in 50 years there may not be the cataclysm you so fear.
thanks,
Jai
In reply to Jai_C
Unlike the rapture crowd, I fervently hope nothing happens. There they’re waiting to be saved and for god to take them up (I even wrote about it).
But I really don’t make up my own mind about this – it’s too complex. I just listen to the scientists and when 98% of them agree on something I blindly agree with what they say. They could still be wrong of course, but the probability is low.
@Bhagwad, What to say? What to do? That's the question. You know I think there is a high probability you are right. And it's terrifying. But even for one who believes all is lost, there is always a choice in how we face impossible things. Agency is there, even on a sinking ship. I've got a guest post from a Canadian environmentalist tomorrow that addresses a lot of what you are writing about. He doesn't solve the problem you raise: how could he? But it is worth reading. You keep thinking; I'll keep thinking; and if a lot of other people keep thinking maybe we'll figure out some way of living that leads to something better than widespread social collapse.
@Hari Batti
Looking forward to the guest post. Let's see if he can bring some new insight into the problem, cause I've really hit a dead end.
I'm usually an optimist, but the facts are hitting me the in face and I can't seem to interpret them any differently…
Be of good cheer.
You should be happy that Copenhagen failed. You have been rescued from worldwide poverty the likes this world has never seen. The regulations that were to be voted on in Copenhagen were so onerous that it would have cause and even greater collapse of the major industrialized economies of the world. These very economies fee 95% of all humans on earth. That alone is change you can believe in.
As for the climate skeptics, their point would be a sham if they only based it on the recent cooling period. Actually it turns out that the very data that the AGW scientists relied on to create their theory was tainted data. They purposely deleted previous warming periods and omitted some of the cooler data points to make the model show what they wanted it so show. This is not science, it is deceit.
I agree with that if AGW is true, then some species may fail while others will thrive and the earth will keep on revolving around the sun. If we humans are a result of 4 billion years of evolution, then we have no more right to occupy this planet than the dinosaurs did. They are gone now but the biosystem adjusted. If all humans are wiped off the earth, what does it matter in a Godless world? When you are gone, lights out, lights out, the show is over. If all live were extinguished save for one amoeba, then in 4 billon years the earth will be repopulated with new creatures that will might be “better creatures” than humans.
If AGW is not true, then unfortunately you have spent a great deal of mental anguish on a lie. If you hope was to save the planet, then you should be ecstatic, that the earth is not going to melt after, all. If you think there is something more to us than being mere mutant apes, then you should consider, placing you hope in a God rather than men and governments. I assure you, men and governments will disappoint you every time.
Hi Bhagwad,
Just stumbled upon your blog via geekgardener's blog. Will come back for more in free time :) Wish you good luck on your gardening endeavors.
Regards
Raj
In reply to Raj
Hi Raj, thanks for dropping by!
I've taken a look at your blog as well – it's really impressive. Looks like gardening (ahem) "grows" on you :) after you've been at it for a while.
I'll keep checking up your site for tips for my own garden…
You’re right. Too many people and since we can’t / won’t do a thing about it, that will happen via natural causes. Pretty well just like what happens if a herd of animals overpopulates and overgrazes an area.
It starts with an erosion of living standards. That results in increased tensions as we fight over scarce resources – mostly land and energy. So there will be more wars and with the wars will come disease and famine.
Nobody with power sees any of this as a priority because politicians’ #1 priority is power and big biz’s #1 priority is telling politicians what to do so as to increase market share.
None of this is a matter of if, but when.