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“Climate change is not linear: why we need to update the Paris Agreement…
“…you might not have heard of a ‘cascade’, in which multiple tipping points are crossed at once and some of the resulting changes eventually cross another cluster of tipping points, and so on…. “‘Based on this analysis of tipping cascades and taking a risk-averse approach, we suggest that a potential planetary threshold could occur at a temperature rise as low as ∼2.0 °C above preindustrial’.”
“‘Researching climate change feels like standing in the path of an approaching train’…
“Studying the impacts of extreme weather events can exact a heavy mental toll… Daniel Gilford, a meteorologist who works at Climate Central [says], “I can see it coming with all of its weight and heaviness, and I’m screaming ‘Stop. Stop the train. Stop the train.’”
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00487-4
“Scientists have a new explanation for the last two years of record heat…
“Two new studies offer a potential explanation: fewer clouds. And the decline in cloud cover, researchers say, could signal the start of a feedback loop that leads to more warming.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/02/14/global-warming-acceleration-clouds/
“World’s sea-ice falls to record low…
“Over the 5 days to 13 February, the combined extent of Arctic and Antarctic sea-ice was 15.76 million sq km (6.08 million sq miles)… This breaks the previous 5-day record low of 15.93 million sq km (6.15 million sq miles) from January-February 2023.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgeydkz08go
“ARCTIC EXCEPTIONAL WARMTH:
“Records of February highest temperatures destroyed in Canada and Greenland: +8.4C [47.1F] Nuussuaq lat 70N and -0.7C Pond Inlet lat 72N, Canada.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1890059754355196357
“‘I don’t know whether it’s sustainable’: climate crisis and TikTok change face of mountain rescue work in Lake District [NW England]…
“…thanks to climate change, the Lake District is no longer a winter destination for experienced mountaineers, and instead their rescues often involve ill-prepared novices who are chasing the sunsets and vistas that they have seen on Instagram and TikTok.”
“Four wildfires break out across Wales on same day…
“Crews in north, mid and south Wales fought gorse fires on the Llyn Peninsula, Gwynedd coast, Ceredigion and on Gower. The largest of the fires near Llanddewi Brefi, Ceredigion, covered an area of approximately 1,000 hectares which was tackled on 12 fronts.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn57v3wyk99o
“Austria is facing one of its driest winters in decades, with snowfall levels well below average in many parts of the country.
“While some fresh snow arrived this week, conditions in the Alps remain worse than they have been for years, and in some areas, they are the lowest in decades. This creates challenges for ski resorts, water reserves, and agriculture.”
“As Israel Faces Driest Winter in a Century, Israel Portnoy Releases ‘Geshem’.
“With the Water Authority reporting that this winter is on course to be the driest in a century, singer-songwriter Israel Portnoy releases “Geshem,” a song deeply rooted in the symbolism of rain as a blessing in Judaism.”
https://jewishlink.news/as-israel-faces-driest-winter-in-a-century-israel-portnoy-releases-geshem/
“Severe weather batters Greek island of Kefalonia, families trapped in cars.
“Severe weather battered the Greek island of Kefalonia on Thursday, triggering floods and landslides that trapped families in their vehicles and prompted emergency rescue operations.”
“Severe Flash Flooding Hits Elba Island, Emergency Services Respond [Italy]…
“Flash flooding caused by unprecedented rainfall struck Elba Island on February 13, 2025, leaving the Municipality of Portoferraio grappling with severe emergencies. Over 65 mm of rain fell within just one hour [2.6 inches], prompting immediate evacuations and rescue operations.”
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/severe-flash-flooding-hits-elba-island-emergency-services-respond-198496
“A powerful tornado ripped through a Spanish city after a freak storm hit.
“Pozo del Camino in Huelva, Spain, suffered a freak storm this week, as heavy wind and rain pelted down on the town. The extreme weather also included the arrival of a huge tornado which crashed through the popular town in the south of the country.”
“As climate science and journalism are finally starting to widely cover the effects of IMO 2020 [introduction of shipping pollution regs], there’s still very little reporting on what will happen over the Mediterranean next year.
“Life in and around the Mediterranean can’t adapt to this rate of regional climate change!” [This will be an interesting test case for the aerosol termination shock theory now that its exponents have an idea of what they think will happen.]
https://x.com/LeonSimons8/status/1890006558010142884
“Morocco’s prolonged drought compromises 2025 crop, diminishes livestock.
“Morocco’s farming sector is facing dim prospects if there is no rainfall this winter, agriculture minister Ahmed El Bouari said. The current farming season has received insufficient rainfall, 53% less compared to the average of the last 30 years, El Bouari said.”
“Children in Southern Africa ‘on brink of disaster’ after worst drought in 100 years…
“In October 2024, a third successive seasonal planting window was disrupted by unusually high temperatures and lack of rain… It’s estimated 21 million children in the region are suffering from malnutrition and harvests in 2025 again look set to be poor.”
“Local farmers devastated by total failure of annual crops: ‘Threatens this economic foundation’ [Kenya]…
“Plum orchards have gone belly up in Nyandarua County… “The current decline threatens this economic foundation while simultaneously depriving communities of a crucial nutritional resource,” the outlet stated, noting plums’ vitamin A “is critical for young children and breastfeeding mothers.””
https://www.thecooldown.com/outdoors/plum-industry-farming-kenya-climate-change/
“Breathtaking rescue operation of pregnant mother trapped in Floods [Fars, Iran].
“The rescue operation by Fars Red Crescent rescuers to save an 18-year-old pregnant woman who was surrounded by floods in the village of Rudbal… in Fars province, and the roads leading to the place were blocked due to heavy rainfall, was successful after nine hours.”
https://vista.ir/n/fararu-p1ndf
“Black carbon from dust storms accelerates Himalayan glacier melt…
“Dwindling ice in the Himalayas has long troubled researchers and decision makers in southern Asia. Nearly two billion people rely on the water produced by Himalayan snowmelt, and glacier loss could lead to water shortages and an increase in extreme floods.”
https://phys.org/news/2025-02-black-carbon-storms-himalayan-glacier.html
“Kerala’s midlands and coastal areas witness sizzling heat [India]…
“India Meteorological Department Kerala region director Neetha K Gopal said that the day-time temperature has stayed above normal from the latter half of December 2024 with the winter not making much impact… Meteorologists say the soaring temperature is indicative of a harsh summer ahead.”
“Marine Heatwave Linked To Record Rainfall In Japan…
“With the likelihood of increased ocean temperatures and resulting marine heatwaves, the study’s findings also call for monitoring how such events may lead to more frequent and severe weather extremes not only across Japan but potentially across regions like the Northeastern United States.”
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/marine-heatwave-linked-to-record-rainfall-in-japan-199759
“Unseasonable weather conditions in Japan are impacting vegetable prices, leading to increased costs for staples like cabbage and Chinese cabbage.
“A record-breaking heat wave followed by heavy snowfalls has reduced crop yields, causing consumer prices for eight main types of vegetables to rise between 117% and 336% over the past five years.”
“HISTORIC HEAT WAVE IN THAILAND:
“Record heat continues with the hottest February days in history: 39.2 [102.6F] Chachoengsao, 38.2 Ratchaburi, 38.2 Krabi, 36.7 Bang Na, 36.5 Phuket AP.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1889660737532137950
“SE ASIA RECORD HEAT:
“More record heat with 2 capitals breaking their February records: Jakarta INDONESIA Max. 35.8 [96.4F] and Manila AP PHILIPPINES Tmin 26.7 February hottest night.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1890373637040918987
“Price hikes and shortages flagged after banana crops ‘cop a flogging’ in north Queensland floods.
“Australians can expect banana shortages and price hikes as the clean-up begins in flood-ravaged north Queensland, which grows almost 94% of Australia’s banana crop, growers say.”
“Pilbara community [WA] evacuated by helicopter over Cyclone Zelia flooding risk…
“A record 500mm [20 inches] of rain fell in just three days in parts of the Pilbara, with 278mm recorded at Upper North Pole in just 18 hours. The small town of Telfer, about 400km south of Broome, copped 93mm in one hour.”
“Another brutally hot day in AUSTRALIA with 47.1C [116.8F] at Ballera (Feb record) and an insane MINIMUM of 34.3C at Birdsville.
“Records of February highest Tmins in Queensland and Tasmania: 33.6 Bedourie, 31.8 Jervois, 21.4 Devonport, 21.3 Low Head, 20.2 Larapuna, 19.5 Bricheno.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1889980586544226348
“Tasmania fires destroy huge swath of wilderness and could ‘burn for weeks’…
“The fires follow similar outbreaks in the state’s wilderness area over the past decade as lightning strikes combined with heat and wind to create hazardous conditions. In 2018-2019 fires burned 2.9% of the state, killing nearly two-thirds of its tallest known trees.”
“Worst avian flu crisis ever recorded spreads across Antarctica…
“An expedition led by Spanish virologist Antonio Alcamí has confirmed the presence of the virus “in all animal species detected at each site” on six islands in the north of the Antarctic Peninsula, according to a report sent to the Spanish Polar Committee and international authorities.”
“How climate change is spreading dengue across the world.
“A new study has revealed insights into how weather influences spread of dengue fever across the world. The study published in Science Advances confirms the influence of temperature and rainfall as the critical factors that aid in the spread of the disease.”
“A new fierce heat wave is about to sweep through Northern Argentina, Eastern Bolivia, Paraguay and Eastern Brazil with temperatures locally >43C [109.4F].
“The heat will linger in the city of Rio de Janeiro for the rest of the month: 2 weeks of hellish heat 24/7 are awaiting the “cariocas”.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1890439081336713302
“Deforestation boom in Gran Chaco raises alarm over Argentina’s forest law…
“The Gran Chaco was hit by a rise in deforestation in 2024, damaging the dry forest ecosystem that spans an area more than one and a half times the size of California across Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil.”
“Brazil soy lobby tells growers to reject EU anti-deforestation rule in contracts.
“A powerful Brazilian soy grower lobby is recommending farmers reject the inclusion in soy purchase and sale contracts of the obligation to comply with the European Union anti-deforestation law, according to a statement on Friday.”
“Cargill weakens Amazon no-deforestation vow, raising concerns about wider backslide.
“Commodity-trading giant Cargill recently signaled that it will weaken its no-deforestation commitments in the Amazon Rainforest, an investigation by Repórter Brasil has revealed.”
“ENDLESS RECORD HEAT IN ECUADOR:
“Every single month Ecuador is smashing heat records, with a typical Nino pattern and opposite of a Nina’s. Hottest February nights in history: Tmin 26.5 [79.7F] Manta, 26.4 Guayaquil… RECORD HEAT IN PERU – Tacna had a minimum temperature of 22.0C on the 10th tying its Hottest night in history.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1890105523179295125
“Several rescued from bus in Peru after becoming stuck in flooded river.
“Officials had issued a red alert for more than a dozen regions across the South American country after heavy rainfall caused rivers and streams to swell… Several hundred miles east, police reported helping families in the San Martín region deal with the torrential rainfall.”
https://www.foxweather.com/earth-space/chicama-river-peru-rescue-flood
“Rain in Bogotá [Colombia] today: flooding reported…
“On February 13, the capital authorities confirmed the activation of two Unified Command Posts (PMU), after 53 emergencies were attended to due to the heavy rains that have been recorded in Bogotá in recent days.”
https://www.elnuevosiglo.com.co/nacion/lluvias-en-bogota-hoy-reportan-encharcamientos-e-inundaciones
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT IN MEXICO; WORLD CLIMATIC HISTORY REWRITTEN:
“Brutal 43.5C [110.3F] at Gallinas on 12th… is the highest temperature ever recorded so early in the whole Northern Hemisphere. 42.0C also at Padilla and Santa Rosa, nearby.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1890572805072138247
“If you’re looking for which bodies of water are currently experiencing sea surface temperature records, the place to cast your gaze is the Gulf of Mexico, which I have henceforth renamed the “Gulf of Karankawa.”
“The sea surfaced temperature for the Gulf of Karankawa (formerly, Gulf of Mexico) continues to set new daily records…” [Prof Eliot Jacobson in humorous form]
https://bsky.app/profile/climatecasino.net/post/3li5sgvguwk2c
“FLORIDA & GULF RECORD HEAT – up to 93F [33.9C] at Ochopee Florida, close to the State historic winter record.
“Monthly records fell in some places like 90F at St Augustine; extreme heat on the Gulf in MEXICO, February record hot nights: Tmin 24.4 Merida, 22.6 Tuxpan.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1890222169889865921
“After heavy rains, debris flows hit Southern California community scarred by fire.
“Residents of a Southern California mountain community near the Eaton Fire burn scar dug out of roads submerged in sludge Friday after the strongest storm of the year swept through the area, unleashing debris flows…”
“Insurance claims paid so far after LA wildfires exceed $6.9bn…
“On January 23rd, Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued an order on directing insurance companies to provide advance payments for replacing personal property or contents without requiring itemized claims… Additionally, insurers were also instructed to pay at least four months’ worth of living expenses as an advance.”
https://www.artemis.bm/news/insurance-claims-paid-so-far-after-la-wildfires-exceed-6-9bn/
“US wildfire suppressants rife with toxic heavy metals, study finds.
“The US federal government and chemical makers have long concealed the contents of pink wildfire suppressants widely spread by firefighting aircraft to contain blazes, but new test results provide alarming answers – the substances are rife with cadmium, arsenic, chromium and other toxic heavy metals.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/13/us-wildfire-suppressants-toxic-study
“A ‘recipe for extinction’: can the US’s envied nature protections survive Trump and his ‘God squad’?
“…“Burgum and Trump are strapping dynamite to basic rules that protect our natural world,” says Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity.”
“World’s largely unprotected peatlands are ticking ‘carbon bomb’, warns study.
“…draining or disturbing peatlands for farming, mining or roads and other infrastructure exposes the carbon to the air and leads to CO2 being released into the atmosphere. In total, the carbon stored in peatlands is equivalent to more than half a century’s worth of current global emissions.”
“Warming climates force plants to compete with each other.
“Climate change is reshaping ecosystems at an alarming rate. While much attention goes to the loss of animal species, plants are also vanishing. Since 1750, around 600 plant species have gone extinct, a number twice as high as animal extinctions.”
https://www.earth.com/news/warming-climates-force-plants-to-compete-with-each-other/
“Climate change outpaces tree migration, human intervention may be needed: Study.
“A new Colorado State University study of the interior U.S. West has found that tree ranges are generally contracting in response to climate change but not expanding into cooler, wetter climates—suggesting that forests are not regenerating fast enough to keep pace with climate change, wildfire, insects and disease.”
https://phys.org/news/2025-02-climate-outpaces-tree-migration-human.html
“Goodbye Gouda and farewell French mustard: Signature foods on the brink of climate extinction…
“Imagine Belgium without its exquisite chocolates, or a French ‘jambon beurre’ baguette without any Dijon mustard. Turkish mezze may have to be served without hummus, Scandinavian ‘smørrebrød’ could lose its staple ‘gravlax’ (smoked salmon)…”
“Mapped: How extreme weather is destroying crops around the world.
“Carbon Brief has used the events found within the media analysis to create the map below, which shows 100 cases of crops being destroyed by heat, drought, floods and other extremes in 2023-24.”
https://interactive.carbonbrief.org/crops-extreme-weather/index.html
“Brake pad dust can be more toxic than exhaust emissions, study says…
“This research shows that even with a move to electric vehicles, pollution from cars may not be able to be eradicated… the study found that these “non-exhaust” pollution sources are now responsible for the majority of vehicle particulate matter emissions in the UK and parts of Europe.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/14/brake-pad-dust-toxic-exhaust-emissions
“Revealed: ‘extremely concerning’ industry influence over UN aviation body…
“Aviation industry delegates outnumbered those from green groups by 10 to one at the previous conference of the UN’s committee on aviation environmental protection (CAEP), an analysis has found.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/14/industry-influence-un-aviation-body
“And Still Growth Is All They Talk About.
“Climate change is one aspect of the man-made environmental catastrophe, which is the biggest crisis humanity has ever been confronted with. It is unprecedented in seriousness and impact, short, medium, and long-term. The speed of change is surprising everyone…”
https://www.counterpunch.org/2025/02/14/and-still-growth-is-all-they-talk-about/
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Hello Pan
Thank you for your enormously extensive summary of the ‘disasters’ that are already upon us and will irreversibly increase in the coming decades.
A comparison in this era ‘under’ Trump, but actually under ultra-capitalist doctrines and the Soviet era, is inescapable. And the goal of the bidding is how ‘science’ is being twisted and distorted to serve their political ideological purposes.
Trump and his supporters are now vehemently denying accelerated climate change. Well, why is that? Because recognising it would lead to policies that run counter to their economic and political interests (support for the fossil fuel industry, minimising government regulation). Well, you can see it happening before your very eyes. Public bodies such as the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) are pulling out all the stops, cancelling climate reports and dismissing or marginalising (climate) scientists. Well, they are not quite being imprisoned yet, but who knows. The era of disinformation about climate change, with statements such as ‘climate change is a hoax’ and ‘wind turbines cause cancer’ is increasingly common. CO2, what a problem? etc. etc.
Climate sceptics in key positions in environmental agencies and scientific institutes. A large-scale purge will follow and, strangely enough, when disinformation becomes ‘mainstream’ and the problems associated with climate and ecology are pushed into the background, this will become commonplace in reactions to all kinds of everyday topics and considerations.
The problem is that if you remove ‘climate change’ from the dictionary and replaced by weather extremes (which are always going to happen), we will never be able to determine to what extent amputation and distortion of science will quickly or in the near future accelerate to crop failures and famines and the destruction of ecosystems. The collapse of complex natural systems will unfortunately lead to disasters with much more far-reaching consequences, making ‘Lysenko’ pale in comparison.
Unfortunately, there is no going back on the developing scenario. That does not make your work any less important, however . . . on the contrary.
Zip, thank you for the kind compliment.
It is hard to know how things play out from here. On the one hand, the increasingly pressing economic concerns of the masses seem likely to bring climate change-denying/minimising/obfuscating/ignoring politicians to the fore… But on the other, you will have a growing number of people whose livelihoods are directly impacted by climate change and are vociferous in their calls for action and compensation, like these Greek farmers, for example:
“Greek Farmers Continue Protests Amid Key Government Talks… Farmers from the region of Thessaly in particular, that saw their livelihoods obliterated by storm Daniel two years ago, are seeking compensation and support from the government, which they say has been slow to materialize and insufficient.”
https://www.tovima.com/finance/greek-farmers-continue-protests-amid-key-government-talks/
We seem headed for a morass of confusion and discord. As for Trump himself, his real feelings on climate change remain opaque to me, as there is so much inconsistency in his statements. I was surprised to discover that he and three of his offspring were actually signatories to a full page ad in the NY Times calling for urgent climate action back in 2009!
https://grist.org/politics/donald-trump-climate-action-new-york-times/
Surely most shipping in the Med. will have already switched to extra low sulphur fuel, they won’t suddenly all switch on the first of May. So whatever the effects are should already be showing up through this summer.
Also I wonder how much of Israel’s strategy in Lebanon and Gaza has been driven by knowledge of what is happening to Israel’s water supply?
George, from what I can gather, the added cost of extra low sulphur fuel or marine gas oil, and the limited supply of the former in the Mediterranean, means that there will probably be quite a lot of last-minute switching.
This study, published Oct 2024, is forecasting a drop of 79% for sulphur emissions in the Mediterranean, so not inconsiderable:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308597X24002987
Re Israel, I’m sure anxieties over water must inform a lot of their decision-making. They’ve seized a couple of important dams in Syria, the Al-Wehda (which is on the border with Jordan and supplies about 40% of their water) and the Al-Mantara:
https://www.turkiyetoday.com/region/israel-takes-control-of-most-vital-water-source-al-mantara-dam-in-quneitra-syria-100525/
The water supply in Israel is reasonably well organised, I gather from some research, even though they are dealing with the driest winter ever. They have really built up an enormous ‘desalination’ infrastructure over the past decades and the price of water is, for example, half of what I pay here in France.
Strange but true
The water crisis in Gaza is of course ‘total’.
It was already extremely precarious, with residents dependent on water imported from Israel. But the water crisis in Gaza has worsened considerably in recent months due to ongoing conflicts and the destruction of vital infrastructure. Recent reports paint an alarming picture of the situation:
Israeli military operations have destroyed more than 30 water wells in Gaza, particularly in the Rafah and Khan Younis areas. This has put further pressure on the already limited water supply. According to Oxfam, 88% of the water wells and all desalination plants in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, which has brought the production of clean drinking water to a virtual standstill.
‘Residents’ of which?? now have to travel long distances to fetch water, often from unsafe or polluted sources. Children carry heavy water containers for kilometres. The result is all kinds of diseases. Human Rights Watch has accused Israel of committing genocidal acts by systematically limiting and destroying the water supply in Gaza. Aid organisations warn that the coming winter rains could lead to serious flooding of sewage systems, which will further worsen the already vulnerable situation of the displaced population.
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/02/gaza-needs-clean-water/681583/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Thanks for the replies.
LOTS OF WATER UNDERGROUND IN ISRAEL
Sounds like it has been over-exploited though, Joe:
“Intensive exploitation of groundwater in Israel has disturbed the natural equilibrium which prevailed between fresh and saline water.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0022169494900876
I am having a hard time imagining > 40 C temps and min 30. I don’t cope with temps above 30 C. I have given up on my raspberries due to the lack of rain. The next 6 months should be interesting.
BlueMoose, I hope you’ll forgive my nosiness but I looked up your IP because I couldn’t remember where you are based and it looks like you are in Poland. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Sorry to hear about your raspberries.
I recall the Vistula river being at record lows at the end of last summer but hadn’t realised the water-deficit was ongoing: “Hydrologists are sounding alarms about the driest winter conditions seen in years across Poland.”
https://evrimagaci.org/tpg/poland-faces-harsh-winter-weather-and-community-concerns-195175
Here in The United States of Dementia, we thought we could Get Smart by putting an agent of Chaos in Control, lowering a Cone of Silence over climate scientists, but as pointed out over and over by TCD (the cool down … huh?):
“As research teams worldwide work to help protect humans and wildlife from the potentially hazardous effects of microplastics, you can take steps at home to reduce your exposure.
For example, you can switch from disposable coffee cups to travel mugs or ditch single-use plastic bags for reusable grocery bags.”
Yes you Can … and that’ll really help.
And to alleviate global heating? Easy! Switch to LED lightbulbs!
That another publication can claim, “ even with a move to electric vehicles, pollution from cars may not be able to be eradicated… ”, even as China retains its position as # 1 polluter on the planet, despite their impressive switch to EV’s, is illustrative of my insistence that the denial of climate change embedded in the delusion that changing the fuel driving a billion multi-ton ICE machines by robofacturing a Billion EV’s to replace them, is unassailable.
Every Corporate “solution” makes the problem of CO2 emissions accumulating in the atmosphere worse, precisely because of the belief their climate lies propagate: simply change a light bulb or buy a canvas bag or EV, and Voila!, problem solved!
This is Worse than “climate change is a hoax” as no one, not its most vociferous advocates, actually believes it. But AOC and her acolytes actually believe that their Green New Deal can “save the Planet” (which is in no jeopardy whatsoever… WeAre, we simply could care less) by moving the combustion necessary to propel a billion multi-ton vehicles from under the car’s hood to a coal/methane-fired power plant hundreds of miles away.
After all, it’s working so well to solve China’s emissions problem.
When President Plump left the Offal office in 2020, CO2 accumulation was 2.5 ppm’s per annum: it is now, after 4 years of Build Back Bigger, 3.5/yr.
There is every indication that the Trumputinyahoo triumvirate will “solve” the climate crisis in much the same manner the GWBush administration solved peak oil: by crashing the global economy on such a manner that “No one could see it coming”.
Rob, as you say, we’re basically caught between the cynical right denying that there are eco/climate limits and the delusional left advocating an impossible greentopia that allows us to address climate change whilst enjoying economic growth and greater equality.
Both ignore that the monolithic fact of our relentless consumption of planetary resources is “the problem”, and so Nate Hagens’ superorganism blunders blindly on towards the cliff-edge.
Appropriate photo choice for the meteorologist quote which basically sums up very well what is bearing down on us!
Thank you, Kali. I actually struggled with that one because I couldn’t find anyone standing on train-tracks, as per the headline, which, now I come to think about it, would convey a totally inadequate sense of risk, as they could just step off them. Alas, we cannot.
In the end I went with the featured photo because she seemed like the sort of person one might want to rescue.
Climate disinformation is not as serious as the decline in adequate actual information we will likely be facing as both international and domestic social/political/economic dysfunction worsens. And those are of course linked to net energy decline. Similar problems exist for the economy – the true unemployment rate for the US is closer to 12 per cent than 6, and the “gig” economy is actually a burgeoning informal economy of the underemployed and precariously employed. Everything is connected in the worst way possible, but I guess it doesn’t matter at this point. Find a scapegoat, yell at it, move on with your life.
Nevertheless… the recommended Paris target was in fact 1.5C. Why only recommended though? The “shocking” climate news at the cusp of 1.5C indicate that should have been the worst case. The Cochabamba People’s Agreement targeted 1C. Bemoaning the abandonment of these targets assumes they were being seriously pursued in the first place against clear evidence to the contrary. Principles cannot be switched off and on based on convenience. If they are then they stop being principles and start becoming sick jokes, which they already have.
“Find a scapegoat, yell at it, move on with your life.”
Jupiviv, I hit a heavy-bag. It is extremely therapeutic. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Too bad that there was never a solution.
Always remember: You can’t get what you want but sometimes you get what you deserve.
I only have time to deny AGW, I wouldn’t to miss some environmental destroying sporting event. Damn! Am I missing SNL? 😉
Freedom – The ability to choose one’s priorities regardless of how detrimental they are to one’s self.
Thanks TR, another stellar insight in the human condition, and yes, we deserve it. Amazing that we have the collective intelligence to realize what we are doing, but lack the collective action to avert it. The tragedy of existence.. Jiddu Krishnamurti