5 ms·

So, when should we start our preparation for the apocalypse? 2020? 2025?

by Fiahil 10y ago

Retric 10y ago
Never. The issue with climate change is it's not going to harm wealthy people, so it's not a problem for them. In other words bad shit might happen to 75% of the worlds population, but so what. During the Irish potato famine, Ireland exported food. Think about that for a little bit. Throughout the entire period of the Famine, Ireland was exporting enormous quantities of food. Cormac O'Grada points out that, in Ireland before and after the famine, "Although the potato crop failed, the country was still producing and exporting more than enough grain crops to feed the population. But that was a 'money crop' and not a 'food crop' and could not be interfered with."[80] Net result, 1 million people died. Yes, large numbers of people really are that evil.
- niftich 10y ago
  Excellent point. It will affect different places differently, and those with means to work around it will suffer less than those without. For example, Arctic shipping may become a year-round possibility, opening up the shortest routes between the east coast of Asia and either side of the northern Atlantic. Parts of Arctic countries may open up for intensive agriculture. Meanwhile, the Maldives will be underwater, desertification will claim certain glasslands... this stuff is complex.
- ageofwant 10y ago
  I did not know this. The middle part I mean.
- baddox 10y ago
  I'm not sure why that requires "large" numbers of people to be evil. I suppose it depends what you mean by "large."
- TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
  Climate change is already harming wealthy people in the UK who bought nice houses on flood plains or near the Thames. It's no longer possible to buy insurance in some areas - the insurance companies are ahead of the game on modelling climate change impacts - and many people are trying to move away from those areas, with varying degrees of success. Parts of the country are literally becoming uninhabitable. I had to drive through a flash flood today, and it made me wonder just how much worse the weather can get. At some point in the next few decades we'll probably start having tropical hurricanes - which will be immense fun in a country that's completely unprepared for them. Also, London is a climate disaster waiting to happen. The Thames Barrier protects London from tidal flood water, but it won't do anything at all to prevent the kind of storms that hit France and Germany last week.
  - danieltillett 10y ago
    It is amazing that the people making money from burning carbon are denying anything is going on while the companies that have to take on the risk won't insure against it. I have always wondered if we could just merge Exxon and AIG and let them fight it out internally.
  - stale2002 10y ago
    As a total percentage of the world's land a very small percentage will become "uninhabitable", though right? And much more currently uninhabited land will now become usable. There is tons of land in Canada and Russia that is currently way too cold to do anything with. TBH, the world would be a better place if it was a couple degrees warmer.
    - Oletros 10y ago
      > As a total percentage of the world's land a very small percentage will become "uninhabitable", though right? An small percentage of land with a high percentage of population and infrastructure > There is tons of land in Canada and Russia that is currently way too cold to do anything with Yap, and with the warming the Sun will also change and will shine like in the meridional regions, isn't? > TBH, the world would be a better place if it was a couple degrees warmer. No, it won't be

So, when should we start our preparation for the apocalypse? 2020? 2025?

by Fiahil 10y ago

So, when should we start our preparation for the apocalypse? 2020? 2025?

Never. The issue with climate change is it's not going to harm wealthy people, so it's not a problem for them. In other words bad shit might happen to 75% of the worlds population, but so what. During the Irish potato famine, Ireland exported food. Think about that for a little bit. Throughout the entire period of the Famine, Ireland was exporting enormous quantities of food. Cormac O'Grada points out that, in Ireland before and after the famine, "Although the potato crop failed, the country was still producing and exporting more than enough grain crops to feed the population. But that was a 'money crop' and not a 'food crop' and could not be interfered with."[80] Net result, 1 million people died. Yes, large numbers of people really are that evil.

niftich 10y ago
Excellent point. It will affect different places differently, and those with means to work around it will suffer less than those without. For example, Arctic shipping may become a year-round possibility, opening up the shortest routes between the east coast of Asia and either side of the northern Atlantic. Parts of Arctic countries may open up for intensive agriculture. Meanwhile, the Maldives will be underwater, desertification will claim certain glasslands... this stuff is complex.
ageofwant 10y ago
I did not know this. The middle part I mean.
baddox 10y ago
I'm not sure why that requires "large" numbers of people to be evil. I suppose it depends what you mean by "large."
TheOtherHobbes 10y ago
Climate change is already harming wealthy people in the UK who bought nice houses on flood plains or near the Thames. It's no longer possible to buy insurance in some areas - the insurance companies are ahead of the game on modelling climate change impacts - and many people are trying to move away from those areas, with varying degrees of success. Parts of the country are literally becoming uninhabitable. I had to drive through a flash flood today, and it made me wonder just how much worse the weather can get. At some point in the next few decades we'll probably start having tropical hurricanes - which will be immense fun in a country that's completely unprepared for them. Also, London is a climate disaster waiting to happen. The Thames Barrier protects London from tidal flood water, but it won't do anything at all to prevent the kind of storms that hit France and Germany last week.
- danieltillett 10y ago
  It is amazing that the people making money from burning carbon are denying anything is going on while the companies that have to take on the risk won't insure against it. I have always wondered if we could just merge Exxon and AIG and let them fight it out internally.
- stale2002 10y ago
  As a total percentage of the world's land a very small percentage will become "uninhabitable", though right? And much more currently uninhabited land will now become usable. There is tons of land in Canada and Russia that is currently way too cold to do anything with. TBH, the world would be a better place if it was a couple degrees warmer.
  - Oletros 10y ago
    > As a total percentage of the world's land a very small percentage will become "uninhabitable", though right? An small percentage of land with a high percentage of population and infrastructure > There is tons of land in Canada and Russia that is currently way too cold to do anything with Yap, and with the warming the Sun will also change and will shine like in the meridional regions, isn't? > TBH, the world would be a better place if it was a couple degrees warmer. No, it won't be