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We already have a subtractive solution. Birth rate in the industrialized world has plummeted and the demographic wave initiated by industrializaton has crested.

We already have a subtractive solution. Birth rate in the industrialized world has plummeted and the demographic wave initiated by industrializaton has crested. We can expect carbon emissions for the next several hundred years to peak soon. In other words, the problem is solved. Any gargantuan efforts that we apply now are just about trying to get there a decade or two faster. Given the history of worldwide coordination attempts, it's not clear that it is possible or worth it.

pg314 4y ago
The problem is far from solved. It's not enough that carbon emissions will peak soon. They need to come down fast. And we do not have a decade or two.
- golemotron 3y ago
  We've had less than a decade since the 1970s. I'm very confident that in 2030 and 2040 we'll be told we have less than a decade too. Do you have doubts? Alarmism is a good way of moving people to action but it isn't accurate.
digging 4y ago
This is wrong on a lot of levels. Primarily: 1. Every nation with a declining birth rate is shitting their pants about it and trying to raise the birth rate. It is seen as an existential crisis to not grow in population. 2. Birth rates have already been dropping for decades and carbon emissions are continuing to climb because we keep finding new ways to spend money on creating carbon emissions.
- golemotron 4y ago
  So, 2 will get better and no country has figured out now to solve 1 yet. Not even handing out money works.
  - landemva 4y ago
    .cz seems to have figured it out. Maybe Hungary also, though I would need to look. "One country that has seen a steep rise in its fertility rate is the Czech Republic." https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/07/improve-us-birth-rate-give-parents-money-and-time/619367 https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/07/improve-u...
- landemva 4y ago
  > carbon emissions are continuing to climb EPA press release said emissions were decreasing under Trump. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/greenhouse-gas-emissions-continue-decline-american-economy-flourishes-under-trump-0 https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/greenhouse-gas-emissions-co...
xienze 4y ago
> Birth rate in the industrialized world has plummeted and the demographic wave initiated by industrializaton has crested. We can expect carbon emissions for the next several hundred years to peak soon. Except population is exploding in Asia and Africa and western nations are intent on importing as many of those people as possible. What’s baffling to me is how much overlap there is between the “we need to reduce CO2 emissions”, “having children is selfish”, and “we need more immigration” crowds. One of these things is not like the other.

pg314 4y ago

The problem is far from solved. It's not enough that carbon emissions will peak soon. They need to come down fast. And we do not have a decade or two.

golemotron 3y ago
We've had less than a decade since the 1970s. I'm very confident that in 2030 and 2040 we'll be told we have less than a decade too. Do you have doubts? Alarmism is a good way of moving people to action but it isn't accurate.

digging 4y ago

This is wrong on a lot of levels. Primarily: 1. Every nation with a declining birth rate is shitting their pants about it and trying to raise the birth rate. It is seen as an existential crisis to not grow in population. 2. Birth rates have already been dropping for decades and carbon emissions are continuing to climb because we keep finding new ways to spend money on creating carbon emissions.

golemotron 4y ago
So, 2 will get better and no country has figured out now to solve 1 yet. Not even handing out money works.
- landemva 4y ago
  .cz seems to have figured it out. Maybe Hungary also, though I would need to look. "One country that has seen a steep rise in its fertility rate is the Czech Republic." https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/07/improve-us-birth-rate-give-parents-money-and-time/619367 https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/07/improve-u...
landemva 4y ago
> carbon emissions are continuing to climb EPA press release said emissions were decreasing under Trump. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/greenhouse-gas-emissions-continue-decline-american-economy-flourishes-under-trump-0 https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/greenhouse-gas-emissions-co...

xienze 4y ago

> Birth rate in the industrialized world has plummeted and the demographic wave initiated by industrializaton has crested. We can expect carbon emissions for the next several hundred years to peak soon. Except population is exploding in Asia and Africa and western nations are intent on importing as many of those people as possible. What’s baffling to me is how much overlap there is between the “we need to reduce CO2 emissions”, “having children is selfish”, and “we need more immigration” crowds. One of these things is not like the other.