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The world's biggest polluters don't care. Studies can't compel them to do anything. Regulations can, but many countries don't have many because they are despera

The world's biggest polluters don't care. Studies can't compel them to do anything. Regulations can, but many countries don't have many because they are desperate for the business or are corrupt. Even the US is sluggish when it comes to regulations- since Reagan, the very concept has been demonized to the point of barely existing. There are politicians who call the EPA evil. Literally. So don't tell me about this. Preach it at Davos or the G whatever number this year summit. or a place like Epstein's island where the movers and shakers party. Those are the assholes who need to change. Sadly, only they can save this planet, and they are way busy focusing on making more and more billions they may not even live to spend.

turnsout 3y ago
Don't worry, they all have plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. They're not acting on those plans, and 2050 is 20 years too late, but they have plans!
- mike_hock 3y ago
  2050 is 70 years too late. Give or take.
8jef 3y ago
Preaching the avoidance of a 20th potential co2 correlated mass extinction event may appear to be a valid first response to the actual environmental anxiety crisis many of us are experiencing, but this won't work, as we need more clarity and honesty, as we do need to face facts first. The first fact is that we, individually and collectively, don't care. Given the chance, most of us would gladly live the shielded work from home air conditioned suburban suv life in some well irrigated arizonian gated community. We, as a species, are craving exactly that. Second fact, polluting corporations and corrupted officials are only meeting demand. Everybody and their neighbors are demanding ever more fossil energy and mined minerals, like fuels, plastics, trips, entertainment and smart devices. Third fact is my favourite: given the right circonstances, existential crisis are hugely profitable. Think of all these people who would sell a sibling for a chance at migrating to the first world. These people are all ripe for major exploitation, and luckily, some folks are already there to feed them lies and take their cash. Fourth fact is the most amazing one: we could just end all the nonsense if we would just be content and stop demanding. Stop the crave. Stop envy. This is a crisis based on supply and demand. Just stop demanding for what you don't already have. Maybe start doing stuff yourself instead. Stop demand, supply will end. Fifth fact, the most fascinating: nobody will stop demanding, quite the contrary. And we will most probably hit more than a wall. Sixth fact: we will survive this. This is an experimentation in how far we can go given unlimited supply. The answer is: not far.
- turnsout 3y ago
  The sixth fact is far from a foregone conclusion. There is absolutely nothing special about humans which would protect us from extinction.
  - 8jef 3y ago
    That's up for debate, for sure. My hopes are derived from the survival abililities of some close genetic cousins. Rats comes to mind. I do believe we could endure and thrive in much more hardship than we already have in any past period. We'll know soon enough.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  > The first fact is that we, individually and collectively, don't care. Just a pedantic niggle: I dispute the "individually" in there. Some individuals don't care, but quite a few do.
  - 8jef 3y ago
    You're absolutely right, I for one do care, a lot. Then, I feel _most_ don't, and since _most_ is driving this train we're in, I feel we have to deliver the message in all the possible ways it can be, including a toned down dismissive one. I know from experience that the _in your face_ affirmative way gets rammed-in the pickup truck way every single freakin time. So maybe one should try other ways. Our mileage may vary, of course.
esotericimpl 3y ago
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wilg 3y ago
> The world's biggest polluters don't care. The US and EU's (#2 and #3 biggest polluting regions) annual GHG emissions have been decreasing each year. (This accounts for trade.) It's probably not an accident.
- jshen 3y ago
  It increased in 2022 in the US https://rhg.com/research/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2022/ https://rhg.com/research/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2022/
  - wilg 3y ago
    OK, but I think it’s still below 2019 if I’m reading that chart right. Covid makes the last few years difficult to compare.
    - jshen 3y ago
      yea, it's could be a blip in the overall trend. Let's hope.

turnsout 3y ago

Don't worry, they all have plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. They're not acting on those plans, and 2050 is 20 years too late, but they have plans!

mike_hock 3y ago
2050 is 70 years too late. Give or take.

8jef 3y ago

Preaching the avoidance of a 20th potential co2 correlated mass extinction event may appear to be a valid first response to the actual environmental anxiety crisis many of us are experiencing, but this won't work, as we need more clarity and honesty, as we do need to face facts first. The first fact is that we, individually and collectively, don't care. Given the chance, most of us would gladly live the shielded work from home air conditioned suburban suv life in some well irrigated arizonian gated community. We, as a species, are craving exactly that. Second fact, polluting corporations and corrupted officials are only meeting demand. Everybody and their neighbors are demanding ever more fossil energy and mined minerals, like fuels, plastics, trips, entertainment and smart devices. Third fact is my favourite: given the right circonstances, existential crisis are hugely profitable. Think of all these people who would sell a sibling for a chance at migrating to the first world. These people are all ripe for major exploitation, and luckily, some folks are already there to feed them lies and take their cash. Fourth fact is the most amazing one: we could just end all the nonsense if we would just be content and stop demanding. Stop the crave. Stop envy. This is a crisis based on supply and demand. Just stop demanding for what you don't already have. Maybe start doing stuff yourself instead. Stop demand, supply will end. Fifth fact, the most fascinating: nobody will stop demanding, quite the contrary. And we will most probably hit more than a wall. Sixth fact: we will survive this. This is an experimentation in how far we can go given unlimited supply. The answer is: not far.

turnsout 3y ago
The sixth fact is far from a foregone conclusion. There is absolutely nothing special about humans which would protect us from extinction.
- 8jef 3y ago
  That's up for debate, for sure. My hopes are derived from the survival abililities of some close genetic cousins. Rats comes to mind. I do believe we could endure and thrive in much more hardship than we already have in any past period. We'll know soon enough.
JohnFen 3y ago
> The first fact is that we, individually and collectively, don't care. Just a pedantic niggle: I dispute the "individually" in there. Some individuals don't care, but quite a few do.
- 8jef 3y ago
  You're absolutely right, I for one do care, a lot. Then, I feel _most_ don't, and since _most_ is driving this train we're in, I feel we have to deliver the message in all the possible ways it can be, including a toned down dismissive one. I know from experience that the _in your face_ affirmative way gets rammed-in the pickup truck way every single freakin time. So maybe one should try other ways. Our mileage may vary, of course.

esotericimpl 3y ago

[dead]

wilg 3y ago

> The world's biggest polluters don't care. The US and EU's (#2 and #3 biggest polluting regions) annual GHG emissions have been decreasing each year. (This accounts for trade.) It's probably not an accident.

jshen 3y ago
It increased in 2022 in the US https://rhg.com/research/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2022/ https://rhg.com/research/us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2022/
- wilg 3y ago
  OK, but I think it’s still below 2019 if I’m reading that chart right. Covid makes the last few years difficult to compare.
  - jshen 3y ago
    yea, it's could be a blip in the overall trend. Let's hope.