Global warming may have already passed irreversible tipping point

[MoeSzyslak]

It is correct that we have already passed some tipping points for global warming. We will have a temperature increase of at least 1.5°C. All our efforts should be focused on preventing to reach other tipping points.
If anyone wants to read a good horror story read the scenarios for a temperature increase of 5-8 °C in 2015. There will be billions of people dying. This is a date most of us will still be alive and it is possible to prevent. It is even in the interest of every hardcore captialist. If we do nothing the damages will so high that capitalism will no longe be possible.

[Zantos]

I could have told you that. Just remembering my child hood and how often it would snow, and compare that to now, its obvious. Heck, it used to be overcast nearly every day during December when I was younger. This year, it was lucky to be cloudy. That's only been maybe 10 years. The bigger problem are all of the idiots who are opposed to green technology. They choose to ignore the fact that All of our resources are finite. We will run out. Its not if, but when. Its better to develop the technology now and delay that.

[beanman12345]

Yea basically everyone with an functioning brain will openly acknowledge that humanity is fucked, unless they're posting for the lulz or some nonsense. It's inevitable, just gotta delay it as long as possible at this point.

[MoeSzyslak]

The doom and gloom views of the majority here is just as dangerous as the progress believe of PC2. It hinders the necessary steps to change our world.

At this point in time it is possible to act and change our course. We have approx. 10 years to change our economy to be less harmfull for the environment. If we do this we create a better world for everyone. If we do not act strong enough our children or grandchildren can plan for a Mad Max world (and we all will have signifcant changes in our life as well).

[Santti]

The doom and gloom views of the majority here is just as dangerous as the progress believe of PC2. It hinders the necessary steps to change our world.

At this point in time it is possible to act and change our course. We have approx. 10 years to change our economy to be less harmfull for the environment. If we do this we create a better world for everyone. If we do not act strong enough our children or grandchildren can plan for a Mad Max world (and we all will have signifcant changes in our life as well).

Where are you pulling this 10 years from? I can't remember how it went, but I believe reading that even if we stopped producing greenhouse gasses completely, it would still take thousands of years, before we get back to pre-industrial levels.

And what is this Mad Max stuff if not doom and gloom?

[MoeSzyslak]

Ha take that science I survived 2015.

Those hardcord capitalists know that btw, that's why they're hoarding things, building bunkers etc. Do you think Mark Zuckerberg is learning to throw spears and shit for fun?

Typo from me, that should have been 2050.

Where are you pulling this 10 years from? I can't remember how it went, but I believe reading that even if we stopped producing greenhouse gasses completely, it would still take thousands of years, before we get back to pre-industrial levels.

And what is this Mad Max stuff if not doom and gloom?

My sources are german because the last book which detailed it quite well was german. I don't think that would be very helpful here.

The hoempage of the UN details all the developments but it is quite a lot to unpack.

Yes we have clima change. At the moment we have to live with a increase of 1.5°C but this is possible. The higher increases are to prevent with all means possible but they are preventable. We just have to go to work.

It is not necessary to produce no more greenhouse gases (nearly impossible for us) but to mange them well. If we produce them we have to bind the equal amount somehow (Trees, burry them, algae in the ocean and so on).

[Shadowferal]

Noted that typo since I did see the "2050" timeframe. The idea posits the idea of hurricane season with hurricanes with the size of typhoon "Tip" (and larger) hitting the US.

[jamieson]

One of the major problems everyone should be focused on. Encourage plantation campaigns around your places.

[Narwhalosh Whalescream]

I'd rather not know about it

[dwarven]

Actual scientists: We've very likely passed the point of no return and here's the data.
PC2: Well that's just like, their psuedoscience opinion, man.

Where's your data, bro?

Data exists in the geological records of earth, during which we had extreme periods of volcanism, meteor impacts, high global warming, ice ages etc.. Even if we cause an uptick in global warming, the earth will return to its natural state of equilibrium after a time. The idea that a runaway climate change effect will happen really is pseudo science. If that were possible, it would have happened already and we wouldn't be here.

[Shadowferal]

Data exists in the geological records of earth, during which we had extreme periods of volcanism, meteor impacts, high global warming, ice ages etc.. .

Except the lack of billions of people and all of their collective waste that you prefer to overlook. Classic denial.

[Theodarzna]

We could build a ton of nuclear power plants and really cut down on the carbon and have a fuck ton of cheap electricity and avoid basically Malthusian thinking and destroying the the poor and lower classes.

[D Luniz]

Data exists in the geological records of earth, during which we had extreme periods of volcanism, meteor impacts, high global warming, ice ages etc.. Even if we cause an uptick in global warming, the earth will return to its natural state of equilibrium after a time. The idea that a runaway climate change effect will happen really is pseudo science. If that were possible, it would have happened already and we wouldn't be here.

...for the Umpteenth time
there are tipping points where the system keeps into a positive feedback, and things like methane hydrates, or organic material currently in permafrost release and such us reducing our emissions wont matter anymore. Scientists arent sure where they are, but its likely we are close, and the result will be terrible for us and the rest of this planet's biodiversity.

And as for the " If that were possible, it would have happened already and we wouldn't be here."
There have been five mass extinction before us, modern humans have only been around 300k years, hominids about 20 million years
So, yes, its happened before, and the species that were around before each of those extinctions, 90% weren't afterwards

its nice to go "we're smart enough, we'll be here afterward" but the issue becomes, if we're all killing each other for basic supplies, it possible we end up in the 90% gone group rather then the 10% still here of species if we cause a sixth mass extinction event.

We could build a ton of nuclear power plants and really cut down on the carbon and have a fuck ton of cheap electricity and avoid basically Malthusian thinking and destroying the the poor and lower classes.

it might come to that, combined with building systems to actively pull carbon from the atmosphere to try to put the system back at a more favorable balance point

The luxury of screaming "NIMBY" about the waste will become unavoidable

[Endus]

Data exists in the geological records of earth, during which we had extreme periods of volcanism, meteor impacts, high global warming, ice ages etc.. Even if we cause an uptick in global warming, the earth will return to its natural state of equilibrium after a time. The idea that a runaway climate change effect will happen really is pseudo science. If that were possible, it would have happened already and we wouldn't be here.

The tipping point we're talking about has nothing to do with a "runaway" greenhouse effect. You're shifting goalposts.

Also, anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases absolutely dwarf the sum of all the volcanoes on Earth erupting. https://phys.org/news/2019-10-humani...ased%20Tuesday.

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And as for the " If that were possible, it would have happened already and we wouldn't be here."
There have been five mass extinction before us, modern humans have only been around 300k years, hominids about 20 million years
So, yes, its happened before, and the species that were around before each of those extinctions, 90% weren't afterwards

Also, critically, hominids have never been through a mass extinction event. And it isn't just our survival that matters; we're heavily reliant on a suite of other plants and animals for our own survival; a lot of mass extinctions occur not because of direct harm, but by collapse of food chains.

And while humanity might survive such a thing, human civilization as we know it absolutely could not.

[breadisfunny]

Is it scary and frightening? No, it shouldn't scare us because the idea that global warming cannot be reversed is pseudo-scientific nonsense. There's only so much GHGs that can be released and there would have to be an unlimited amount of energy and new GHGs to sustain a warming trend indefinitely. What will actually happen is it'll peak in the future and then the globe will cool as more GHGs leave the atmosphere as we reduce emissions by finding superior alternatives to current methods.

Things will always change a bit in the future but the idea that it must always get worse and not better is inaccurate.

that's one big pile of bullshit you just typed. can you at least TRY to post something based on fact instead of sticking your hand in the sand and going "lalalala I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

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That's an appeal to authority. There's no data that suggest it's impossible to reverse global warming in the future. In fact science says it's impossible for a planet to warm forever because it would take an infinite amount of new energy and molecules that trap heat on the planet.

you claim the appeal to authority fallacy than invoke it in the very next sentence.....ARE YOU EVEN TRYING ANYMORE? your contradicting yourself WITHIN TWO SENTENCES. that's got to be a new record.

[dwarven]

Except the lack of billions of people and all of their collective waste that you prefer to overlook. Classic denial.

Yeah, I don't know what you want. Everything you do contributes to emissions in some way, even if small. I'm sure people would be happy to use clean energy because it would most likely also be cheaper. But it doesn't exist yet on scales large enough to sustain all of our energy needs. I'm not arguing against climate change, I just think the doom position is very wrong. Scientists have predicted doom scenarios in the past plenty of times that never came to fruition. It turns out that even the smartest people are complete shit at predicting the future.

[Kaleredar]

In fact science says it's impossible for a planet to warm forever because it would take an infinite amount of new energy and molecules that trap heat on the planet.

Tell that to Venus.

[dwarven]

Tell that to Venus.

I'm 12 and how do habitable zones work.

[Kaleredar]

lol holy shit...

Precisely. And that's ignoring how insanely straw-manny the "Well NOTHING in nature can be INFINITE because the universe is finite, dude!" point is.

As for PC2, or any conservative "not worried about climate change because future innovation," I'd believe them a lot more if they didn't support people actively fighting those innovations.

You know, conservatives. They're the number one thing holding up progress on climate change in the USA and have been for 20+ years.

[breadisfunny]

Let me tell you the story of Venus and how the people there once thought everything would be fine.

Now it's raining sulfuric acid on Venus, maybe let's try not to test the limits of our planet.

it would take a lot worse than man made global warming to recreate venus on earth i think some people need to actually brush up on WHY venus is the way it is.