Basically it's too late to stop the process.
Even if we switched to renewables entirely, there will be a lag. That lag is now in a positive feedback loop.
I remember some of the early research showing this when I was in college in the late 90s/early 00s. It's mostly following the worst-case scenario models from the time, except 50 - 80 years ahead of schedule.
Not to mention the tipping point where it is no longer reversible. And even worse, the huge effect that the current has on basically the whole of the globe!
Humanity is the only species capable of the arrogance required to believe we deserve to endure. Our survival instincts are ultimately self-defeating because we refuse to evolve socially. Instead we make wars and loot resources, rinse and repeat.
So, what does this all mean for us? It means we have even less time to get our act together. Reducing emissions isn’t just a good idea — it’s crucial.
I don't think this will motivate countries to dramatically increase emissions reduction efforts, but I think it will motivate countries to begin geoengineering. Geoengineering is cheaper and easier than rapid emissions reduction, and the results are more immediate. Yes, it doesn't solve the core problem, which is the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere, but it treats the symptom, albeit temporarily. Why put a lot of time, money, and effort into fixing the core problem when you can spend comparatively less time, money, and effort just treating the symptom? Then you can just pretend the core problem doesn't exist and go about business as usual.
I don't think you realize what a collapsed ocean current means for us. This is existential, not business as usual. Anything we do from here on out that isn't in service of stopping this is signing our species death warrant.
Haha fricking euros enjoying their moderate climate - wait until they find out what’s real Midwest winter is like. And they want to take my truck and my gas stove? Eff them.
Geoengineering is cheaper and easier than rapid emissions reduction
I don't know if your whole comment is sarcasm, but every part of this statement is wrong. We are in the very, very early stages of developing the technologies needed for the level of geoengineering required to mitigate what we have already done to the environment. To roll it out to the levels needed would be far more difficult and expensive that converting our entire way of life to renewables, which should really say how hard and expensive it would be given how utterly daunting of a task full conversion to renewables is.
Now, putting in token investment and paying lip service to geoengineering, that's cheaper and easier than switching to renewables. But that's not even treating the symptoms. That's just your standard con game against the broader population to try to manipulate the conversation.
To roll it out to the levels needed would be far more difficult and expensive that converting our entire way of life to renewables
The cost of geoengineering solutions has been estimated to be less than $5b/yr, which includes R&D. In other words, this is something that the government of New York City (annual budget: >$100b) could easily do alone without any international support, even in the face of significant opposition.
In contrast, ending fossil fuel use requires significant international cooperation and is regularly stymied by opposing interests. NYC obviously cannot do it by itself.
So from a pragmatic perspective, geoengineering is definitely the easiest solution. In fact IMO the lack of progress on emission reduction makes it inevitable, at some point some country will weigh the risks of climate change and take matters into its own hands.
You tried, but your tone and wording was off. Some people would state all that fully believing things can continue and we'll tech out way out of trouble. And we WILL absolutely jump to geoengineering to try and preserve status quo, cost or not. The alternative is to change society dramatically, and that won't happen voluntarily. And the great news is once we start geoengineering, we dare not stop because the reaction will spike things even worse.
The alien visitors to this planet will sort through the ruins of its extinct species and will be told to buy more things. By computers still running, still marketing.
They will shrug their shoulders and wonder what that means, and if it helped the inhabitants.
Summer homes in Europe go up in value. A new market for winter apparel opens too. Just think to the potential market growth. This is going to make a few shrewd entrepreneurs very wealthy. The planet will suffer, but man think of the money.
It’s not freeing. We may have locked in some really bad changes but it can always get worse. It more critical than ever to get a handle on our green house emissions
It's freeing for me in that, "No matter what, we're at the guaranteed fuck stage. My brain is now freeing up the energy that goes to unproductive worry, and it can now be spared for productive minimization of damage", which I thought was clear with me saying "Still gonna be for eco measures and such"
As someone who whe experienced both-ish, I tend to agree. There is a point where you just get sick when it's too hot and humid and it's way worse than being cold. Your system just shuts down and you feel so bad, and if you don't get away well you die.
That said, -35° is the coldest I have lived through and without proper clothing it's not funny being outside! But it beats dying lol.
We need to be coordinating human effort across the globe on this above all else. China’s the only one taking it seriously right now.
The people defending the US tariffs on imports of Chinese solar panels are engaging in straight up climate change denial. We don’t have time for industry protectionism. Once the currents collapse, food chain collapse will follow shortly.
China is better in implementing countermeasures than especially the USA (also looking to the dark future ahead) but if they would take it seriously they would need to do quit a bit more especially driving something like a global CO2-tax, but AFAIK they were the ones blocking such measures (not that other nations are much better). THIS would be effective.