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> Also because civil war in Syria has nothing to do with climate change and all to do with politics. I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic, but bro, those thi

by TOGoS 7y ago

> Also because civil war in Syria has nothing to do with climate change and all to do with politics. I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic, but bro, those things may be related.

tonyedgecombe 7y ago
Yes, the conflicts around the middle east started because people couldn't afford bread. The reason is failed grain harvests pushed up the cost of wheat. Something that's easy to miss if you live in the rich part of the world.
- Udik 7y ago
  Please. The conflicts in the ME have been going on for decades or centuries, but if we want to find proximal causes these are Israel's military occupation, US's support of Israel and ME dictators and US interventionism, with the obvious case of a 2003 destruction of a state on false pretexts.
scottlocklin 7y ago
> those things may be related. I can't tell if this is parody or not. Of course they're not related. The "civil war in Syria" is a regional power proxy war and has nothing to do with climate or "the price of bread."
- mikeyouse 7y ago
  Of course conflict has many causes, the corruption and long standing sectarian rifts are clearly foremost on the list but there’s a plausible case that a portion of the blame for the war is due to climate related impacts: https://www.google.com/amp/s/relay.nationalgeographic.com/proxy/distribution/public/amp/news/2015/3/150302-syria-war-climate-change-drought https://www.google.com/amp/s/relay.nationalgeographic.com/pr... > The authors acknowledge that many factors led to Syria's uprising, including corrupt leadership, inequality, massive population growth, and the government's inability to curb human suffering. > But their report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, compiled statistics showing that water shortages in the Fertile Crescent in Syria, Iraq, and Turkey killed livestock, drove up food prices, sickened children, and forced 1.5 million rural residents to the outskirts of Syria's jam-packed cities—just as that country was exploding with immigrants from the Iraq war.
  - scottlocklin 7y ago
    > ... there’s a plausible case that a portion of the blame for the war is due to climate related ... No, there really isn't, and if PNAS is making such claims, they should be derided. The authors should also be closely examined for why they might be making such preposterous claims; they may belong to governments or groups which ... actually caused the conflict in Syria. Such assertions are transparent propaganda which should be laughed to scorn by any numerate person.
    - Udik 7y ago
      Agreed, and yet here we are. People flood the streets to campaign against climate change and when a deranged president in the White House brings the world on the edge of a new major war everybody keep their mouths shut. Most of the climate change discourse is nothing but a huge distraction from the real issues of the world.
      - cloverich 7y ago
        Climate change affects everyone and has a straight forward fix (elect people who care). Raising awareness is, in effect, all that is necessary from the people. Syria is far more complicated and most people don't even know who the main factions are, or who is fighting them. Or how to stop it. Or why it started. Etc.
        Udik 7y ago
        > has a straight forward fix How can you be so simplistic? CO2 is a byproduct of basically everything we do. We can change that but it's not at all straightforward, quick or painless. > Syria is far more complicated Of climate science? Come on... Climate change seems to be the only issue that has any activism left: and it sure the powerful think it's a great outlet for people's desire for change. One huge issue that explains everything that is going badly in the world, while being so far removed from actual events and the responsibilities involved as to leave political actors entirely free- except from getting a bit of flak from a sixteen year old now and then.
jessaustin 7y ago
The connection between conflict in Syria and fossil fuels is that USA/Saud wanted to build pipelines across Syria, and Syria's sovereign government didn't want to build those pipelines. That's why USA created ISIS and gave it lots of arms and ammunition. Recently, we assassinated one of the guys who saved Syria from ISIS.

by TOGoS 7y ago

> Also because civil war in Syria has nothing to do with climate change and all to do with politics. I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic, but bro, those things may be related.

tonyedgecombe 7y ago

Yes, the conflicts around the middle east started because people couldn't afford bread. The reason is failed grain harvests pushed up the cost of wheat. Something that's easy to miss if you live in the rich part of the world.

Udik 7y ago
Please. The conflicts in the ME have been going on for decades or centuries, but if we want to find proximal causes these are Israel's military occupation, US's support of Israel and ME dictators and US interventionism, with the obvious case of a 2003 destruction of a state on false pretexts.

scottlocklin 7y ago

> those things may be related. I can't tell if this is parody or not. Of course they're not related. The "civil war in Syria" is a regional power proxy war and has nothing to do with climate or "the price of bread."

mikeyouse 7y ago
Of course conflict has many causes, the corruption and long standing sectarian rifts are clearly foremost on the list but there’s a plausible case that a portion of the blame for the war is due to climate related impacts: https://www.google.com/amp/s/relay.nationalgeographic.com/proxy/distribution/public/amp/news/2015/3/150302-syria-war-climate-change-drought https://www.google.com/amp/s/relay.nationalgeographic.com/pr... > The authors acknowledge that many factors led to Syria's uprising, including corrupt leadership, inequality, massive population growth, and the government's inability to curb human suffering. > But their report, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, compiled statistics showing that water shortages in the Fertile Crescent in Syria, Iraq, and Turkey killed livestock, drove up food prices, sickened children, and forced 1.5 million rural residents to the outskirts of Syria's jam-packed cities—just as that country was exploding with immigrants from the Iraq war.
- scottlocklin 7y ago
  > ... there’s a plausible case that a portion of the blame for the war is due to climate related ... No, there really isn't, and if PNAS is making such claims, they should be derided. The authors should also be closely examined for why they might be making such preposterous claims; they may belong to governments or groups which ... actually caused the conflict in Syria. Such assertions are transparent propaganda which should be laughed to scorn by any numerate person.
  - Udik 7y ago
    Agreed, and yet here we are. People flood the streets to campaign against climate change and when a deranged president in the White House brings the world on the edge of a new major war everybody keep their mouths shut. Most of the climate change discourse is nothing but a huge distraction from the real issues of the world.
    - cloverich 7y ago
      Climate change affects everyone and has a straight forward fix (elect people who care). Raising awareness is, in effect, all that is necessary from the people. Syria is far more complicated and most people don't even know who the main factions are, or who is fighting them. Or how to stop it. Or why it started. Etc.
      - Udik 7y ago
        > has a straight forward fix How can you be so simplistic? CO2 is a byproduct of basically everything we do. We can change that but it's not at all straightforward, quick or painless. > Syria is far more complicated Of climate science? Come on... Climate change seems to be the only issue that has any activism left: and it sure the powerful think it's a great outlet for people's desire for change. One huge issue that explains everything that is going badly in the world, while being so far removed from actual events and the responsibilities involved as to leave political actors entirely free- except from getting a bit of flak from a sixteen year old now and then.

jessaustin 7y ago

The connection between conflict in Syria and fossil fuels is that USA/Saud wanted to build pipelines across Syria, and Syria's sovereign government didn't want to build those pipelines. That's why USA created ISIS and gave it lots of arms and ammunition. Recently, we assassinated one of the guys who saved Syria from ISIS.