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> Until people see a material change, they're not going to make massive changes themselves. The beauty of climate change is that it’ll be too late by then. A

• lisper 3y ago
  I'm not sure "beauty" is the word I would have chosen. But it's really important to emphasize this: by the time things get bad enough to really notice, it will be far too late to stop them from getting much, much worse. Once the permafrost starts to melt and release it's methane, it's game over (and that process has already begun).
  • peteradio 3y ago
    > Once the permafrost starts to melt and release it's methane, it's game over (and that process has already begun). Sources?
    • lisper 3y ago
      https://climate.mit.edu/explainers/permafrost https://climate.mit.edu/explainers/permafrost https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2785/unexpected-future-boost-of-methane-possible-from-arctic-permafrost/ https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2785/unexpected-future-boost-o... https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/driven-by-climate-change-thawing-permafrost-is-radically-changing-the-arctic-landscape https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/driven-by-climate-chang... "Under the surface, something else is active – and it is amplifying global warming. When the ground thaws, microbes begin feasting on organic matter in soils that have been frozen for millennia. These microbes release carbon dioxide and methane, potent greenhouse gases. As those gases escape into the atmosphere, they further warm the climate, creating a feedback loop: Warmer temperatures thaw more soil, releasing more organic material for microbes to feast on and produce more greenhouse gases."
      • peteradio 3y ago
        I'm not see game over.
        • lisper 3y ago
          Seriously? Do I really need to explain positive feedback to you? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_feedback https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_feedback
          • soco 3y ago
            This reminds me of the usual argument with the deniers: they ask you for proof, for scientific proof, for better scientific proof, refuse them all, and when you are fed up and ask them in turn for their proof, they come up with a youtube video of some sarcastic guy.
            • lisper 3y ago
              Yes. Young earth creationists employ the same tactics.
      • akira2501 3y ago
        > carbon dioxide and methane, potent greenhouse gases They're actually the least potent. They have GWPs of 1 and 20, respectively. Meanwhile Nitrous Oxide has 300 and CFCs have above 5000. > they further warm the climate, creating a feedback loop Possibly creating a feedback loop according to limited computer models focusing strictly on local conditions and explicitly ignoring global ones.
        • lisper 3y ago
          > They're actually the least potent. Doesn't much matter when we are releasing them by the gigaton. > Possibly creating a feedback loop according to limited computer models focusing strictly on local conditions and explicitly ignoring global ones. You don't need computer models to see that warming -> melting permafrost -> more methane -> more warming -> more melting permafrost -> more methane...