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In reply to the discussion: Do you enjoy beef? You're directly contributing to climate change. Beef is the new SUV. [View all]Meldread
(4,213 posts)64. Agreed.
You are right that we fucked ourselves the moment we started walking down this path and now we're trapped.
I honestly don't think people truly realize the scale of the problem, nor the consequences of what will eventually unfold. We are really talking about the global collapse of civilization. To think of things comparable in the history of the Western World it will be on par with the fall of the Roman Empire and the Black Death all rolled into one and multiplied by roughly ten all of which unfolds over the space of roughly 200-250 years.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales in Australia and Purdue University in the US said global warming will not stop after 2100, the point where most previous projections have ended.
In fact temperatures may rise by up to 12C (21.6F) within just three centuries making many countries into deserts.
The study, published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said humans will not be able to adapt or survive in such conditions.
Professor Tony McMichael, one of the authors, said if the world continues to pump out greenhouse gases at the current rate it will cause catastrophic warming.
"Under realistic scenarios out to 2300, we may be faced with temperature increases of 12 degrees or even more," he said. "If this happens, our current worries about sea level rise, occasional heatwaves and bushfires, biodiversity loss and agricultural difficulties will pale into insignificance beside a major threat - as much as half the currently inhabited globe may simply become too hot for people to live there."
In fact temperatures may rise by up to 12C (21.6F) within just three centuries making many countries into deserts.
The study, published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said humans will not be able to adapt or survive in such conditions.
Professor Tony McMichael, one of the authors, said if the world continues to pump out greenhouse gases at the current rate it will cause catastrophic warming.
"Under realistic scenarios out to 2300, we may be faced with temperature increases of 12 degrees or even more," he said. "If this happens, our current worries about sea level rise, occasional heatwaves and bushfires, biodiversity loss and agricultural difficulties will pale into insignificance beside a major threat - as much as half the currently inhabited globe may simply become too hot for people to live there."
Article from the Telegraph.
That's what we're facing in the long term.
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Do you enjoy beef? You're directly contributing to climate change. Beef is the new SUV. [View all]
philosslayer
Oct 2015
OP
So we can't eat beef or milk or cheese. We can't eat fish because of overfishing.
mainer
Oct 2015
#3
If we killed all the people who think the planet is overcrowded, would it help?
NightWatcher
Oct 2015
#32
Oddly, most of the people complaining about overcrowding are the same ones who oppose
Marr
Oct 2015
#42
There is no free lunch, no technological fix. We need to return to simplicity.
MindfulOne
Oct 2015
#103
See my post #11 -sheep and goats (really all animals emit greenhouse gases)
TexasProgresive
Oct 2015
#14
Good point, but it needs a snappy catchphrase like kids are the new coal burning power plant
Major Nikon
Oct 2015
#61
High horse? Did you miss the part where I said I had little will power and am part of the problem?
Shoulders of Giants
Oct 2015
#101
If people want details, here's an FAO report on the variations around the world
muriel_volestrangler
Oct 2015
#36
Asparagus and artichokes, grown within walking distance of the back door.
cherokeeprogressive
Oct 2015
#37
Yep, you gotta watch out for those buns. Damned things will give you a heart attack.
GliderGuider
Oct 2015
#97
Yu are using a very energy īntensive medium (the internet) to tell us this. ;-)
CentralMass
Oct 2015
#82