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I think it's too early to tell, and it depends (a lot) on how the next ~25 years go. Probably not though, but that's mostly because both a) the world is so much
by patmcc 4y ago
I think it's too early to tell, and it depends (a lot) on how the next ~25 years go. Probably not though, but that's mostly because both a) the world is so much better than it was pre-industrial revolution and b) I don't think that leap was possible without fossil fuels. It's not because pollution/CO2 turned out to not be a problem, quite the opposite.
With Starlink - offering cheap and high-speed internet access to currently underserved places is absolutely good and important, maybe even critical for long-term success and stability of some regions. It's not clear that this is the best way to do that. Kessler syndrome, light pollution, potential upper-atmosphere effects (ozone depletion), should not just be waved away. It's just more externalities piling up. Rich countries should be subsidizing these underserved areas around the world so they can put in infrastructure - cell stations, fiber lines, etc. - rather than filling up the sky.
- palata 4y agoCan we debate the "the world is so much better than it was pre-industrial revolution" statement? That's IMO the most interesting part here.