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It's generally accepted that if we don't zero our carbon emissions in 12 years we'll see 2 degrees warming minimum. Best case scenario is drought, heatwaves, f

It's generally accepted that if we don't zero our carbon emissions in 12 years we'll see 2 degrees warming minimum. Best case scenario is drought, heatwaves, forest fires, lose half the wildlife in the world, all the coral reefs, most of the fish, reduced crop yield, flooding, storms, sea level rise, and parts of the world are inhospitable, and the populations of those regions migrate north. BEST case. WORST case is runaway warming when all the methane in the arctic is released and the forests that soak up our carbon burn down and the ocean stops absorbing it, and the earth gets so hot that humans literally just drop dead from hyperthermia. I refuse to believe in the worst case, because the majority of scientists are not going that far, and because it could make a person crazy just thinking about it. Besides, the best case is bad enough already.

xupybd 8y ago
I honestly think there is no way we can zero emissions in that time. But I'm hopeful the rate of technological progress can out pace our predictions. I'm also hopeful that we may one day find a means to reverse the problem through Geo engineering. People are far more motivate when the problem is already at the door. I just hope it's not too late by then.
- roryisok 8y ago
  I agree, on both counts. Rereading my post now it seems hopelessly pessimistic, and negative. I was mostly just trying to explain what we can expect to see as we approach 2 degrees of warming. We won't get to to zero carbon in the next 12 years and we won't avoid at least 1.5 degrees warming. But I honestly DO believe that we WILL see a downward trend in he next 12 years. We won't hit zero but i would hope we'd hit pre 2000 levels. And I also believe that even though we're going to suffer, technology like carbon capture and geo engineering will play a role in the future. A recent study suggested painting rooves and footpaths white in hotter countries would have the equivalent cooling effect of taking every car off the road for 50 years. Measures like this will help. Fusion power works. ITER in France will generate 500Mw when operational in 2025, and pave the way for more fusion globally. I think we can fix global warming, but its to our eternal shame that we're going to be fixing it rather than preventing it

xupybd 8y ago

I honestly think there is no way we can zero emissions in that time. But I'm hopeful the rate of technological progress can out pace our predictions. I'm also hopeful that we may one day find a means to reverse the problem through Geo engineering. People are far more motivate when the problem is already at the door. I just hope it's not too late by then.

roryisok 8y ago
I agree, on both counts. Rereading my post now it seems hopelessly pessimistic, and negative. I was mostly just trying to explain what we can expect to see as we approach 2 degrees of warming. We won't get to to zero carbon in the next 12 years and we won't avoid at least 1.5 degrees warming. But I honestly DO believe that we WILL see a downward trend in he next 12 years. We won't hit zero but i would hope we'd hit pre 2000 levels. And I also believe that even though we're going to suffer, technology like carbon capture and geo engineering will play a role in the future. A recent study suggested painting rooves and footpaths white in hotter countries would have the equivalent cooling effect of taking every car off the road for 50 years. Measures like this will help. Fusion power works. ITER in France will generate 500Mw when operational in 2025, and pave the way for more fusion globally. I think we can fix global warming, but its to our eternal shame that we're going to be fixing it rather than preventing it