Climate change could mean the extinction of our species

[Ben]

The human species is insane...

Climate crisis: past eight years were the eight hottest ever, says UN: https://www.theguardian.com/environm...t-ever-says-un

[Ben]

Addressing Climate Change Will Not “Save the Planet”

The dismal reality is that green energy will save not the complex web of life on Earth but the particular way of life of one domineering species.
https://theintercept.com/2022/12/03/...-green-energy/

[filghy2]

It looks like the next move of the climate change denialists in the Republican Party will be to punish companies that try to take the environment into account. So much for intellectual consistency from the party of free enterprise.
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world...rs/ar-AA15QzNV

It's hard to see any rationality behind this. Companies presumably do this because they think it serves their long-term interests to plan for a transition to clean energy rather than putting their heads in the sand. Yes, fossil fuel fuel producers will lose from this, but many other companies will gain. Industries rise and fall all the time due to technological change and other factors, but we don't take the view that existing producers must be preserved at all costs.

[broncofan]

It is irrational on many levels. They are boycotting investment firms that take pledges to avoid investing in companies with a large carbon footprint. Are investment firms not allowed to consider whatever factors they want when choosing what to invest in (subject to their fiduciary duties)?

They also oppose scope 3 reporting, which would just require companies to publicly report the environmental impact of their suppliers. If investors are interested in that information and it can be reported accurately, then it should be made available. Their concern that it would harm stock prices is based on the fear that people would be interested in that information and make investment choices based on it.

The first response is really like trying to punish pension funds and investment funds who wouldn't want to invest in tobacco companies or arms suppliers for social reasons (or externalities).

As you point out, it really is a case of "free-market" Republicans interfering on the behalf of entrenched companies.

[Ben]

Doomsday Clock set at 90 seconds to midnight: https://thebulletin.org/2023/01/pres...s-to-midnight/

[MrFanti]

And from Canada...
There Is No Climate Emergency, Say 500 Experts in Letter to the United Nations
https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/there...nited-nations/

[Luke Warm]

And from Canada...
There Is No Climate Emergency, Say 500 Experts in Letter to the United Nations
https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/there...nited-nations/

That’s a right wing organization funded by Exxon among others. There were also “experts” who said smoking cigarettes didn’t cause cancer. Big deal.

[MrFanti]

That’s a right wing organization funded by Exxon among others. There were also “experts” who said smoking cigarettes didn’t cause cancer. Big deal.

Problem is, there are also left wing funded organizations as well.

Which is why IMHO science and politics should not mix and stay as far as part as possible.

[blackchubby38]

Here in NYC we had a snow drought that was finally broken on February 1st. Now I'm not going to lie, considering what a pain in the ass in can be to walk on the streets and sidewalks here whenever there is a significant snowfall, it was refreshing to have a mild winter for a change. Especially since it was only 13 years ago this happened:

//abc7ny.com/nyc-christmas-blizzard-new-york-city-2010-snowstorm/5788832/

That was a start of a particular rough winter. I remember seeing remnants of snow on the ground until late April/Early May.

Having said all that, its still kind of weird to be having a 62 degree day in the middle of February. Or seeing the sun shine in morning like its late March/early April. I'm used to the cold and grey days where if you look out the window, it could be either 10:30 in the morning or 4:00 in the afternoon.

There is still plenty of time for there to be a significant snowstorm here and spring is still 5-6 weeks away. But I'm starting to wonder if this winter was just a blip or the beginning of the new normal. Because there is truly something wrong when you start feeling pollen allergy symptoms two days after Valentine's Day.

[MrFanti]

it was refreshing to have a mild winter for a change.

I do find it a bit "peculiar" to hear folks say on the one hand:

-"Climate change & Global Warming"!!!

But yet on the other....

-"I'm really enjoying these mild winters"

Personally, I hate mild winters....