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> I think climate change is the biggest current threat to humanity, and almost nobody is taking it as seriously as they should. Here I disagree. We're trying t

> I think climate change is the biggest current threat to humanity, and almost nobody is taking it as seriously as they should. Here I disagree. We're trying to colonise Mars, but at the same time believe a somewhat warmer climate is an existential threat to humanity. How is that logical? Climate change will not destroy humanity, civilisation, or even the planet. We will adapt easily. Look to the 20th century for examples of actual threats to humanity... > This is 0% of the deaths that will be caused when one of the alternative "wind down the economy" or "uncontrolled temperature rise" plans triggers World War 3 Exactly, only that these aren't the only possible triggers for a WW3.

tobr 8y ago
> We're trying to colonise Mars, but at the same time believe a somewhat warmer climate is an existential threat to humanity. That’s an interesting non sequitur. How does the potential for colonization of Mars say anything about how big of a threat climate change is?
- lazyjones 8y ago
  > That’s an interesting non sequitur. I'll have to write it in a more straightforward manner, since it's apparently a non sequitur if you don't understand it: if we are optimistic about living on a planet as hostile as Mars, how can we be pessimistic about surviving a temperature increase of a few degrees on Earth?
  - tobr 8y ago
    That is a very superficial comparison between two problems that are fundamentally different, especially with regards to what’s at stake. Going to Mars has no deadline, and barely any stakes. If it proves practically unachievable, it’s a failed dream, or maybe just an indefinitely delayed dream; no big deal. Earth is already inhabited by millions of species, and if it becomes even one percent less hospitable, that’s an existential crisis.
    - lazyjones 8y ago
      > Earth is already inhabited by millions of species, and if it becomes even one percent less hospitable, that’s an existential crisis. No, it's not. This is just the typical scaremongering and dramatisation I'm getting so tired of. Every populated region on Earth becomes much more than one percent less hospitable every winter and there is no crisis, especially not an existential one. We can cope very well with minor changes in weather and climate and we will. Stop obsessing about climate doom scenarios, it's silly.
      - tobr 8y ago
        > Every populated region on Earth becomes much more than one percent less hospitable every winter No, winter is part of the baseline. Life has evolved to to survive during winter, and societies have been built to handle it. We do not have ecosystem collapses or widespread climate refugees every winter. Permanent and unprecedented changes cause completely different problems than a few months of winter.

tobr 8y ago

> We're trying to colonise Mars, but at the same time believe a somewhat warmer climate is an existential threat to humanity. That’s an interesting non sequitur. How does the potential for colonization of Mars say anything about how big of a threat climate change is?

lazyjones 8y ago
> That’s an interesting non sequitur. I'll have to write it in a more straightforward manner, since it's apparently a non sequitur if you don't understand it: if we are optimistic about living on a planet as hostile as Mars, how can we be pessimistic about surviving a temperature increase of a few degrees on Earth?
- tobr 8y ago
  That is a very superficial comparison between two problems that are fundamentally different, especially with regards to what’s at stake. Going to Mars has no deadline, and barely any stakes. If it proves practically unachievable, it’s a failed dream, or maybe just an indefinitely delayed dream; no big deal. Earth is already inhabited by millions of species, and if it becomes even one percent less hospitable, that’s an existential crisis.
  - lazyjones 8y ago
    > Earth is already inhabited by millions of species, and if it becomes even one percent less hospitable, that’s an existential crisis. No, it's not. This is just the typical scaremongering and dramatisation I'm getting so tired of. Every populated region on Earth becomes much more than one percent less hospitable every winter and there is no crisis, especially not an existential one. We can cope very well with minor changes in weather and climate and we will. Stop obsessing about climate doom scenarios, it's silly.
    - tobr 8y ago
      > Every populated region on Earth becomes much more than one percent less hospitable every winter No, winter is part of the baseline. Life has evolved to to survive during winter, and societies have been built to handle it. We do not have ecosystem collapses or widespread climate refugees every winter. Permanent and unprecedented changes cause completely different problems than a few months of winter.