Excuse the pessimism, but say the world policy leaders don't listen to the scientists and activists urging them to implement a variety of climate change mitigation techniques right away.
As we might expect, the more disastrous consequences of climate change may start to take effect. The ice caps will melt, sea levels will rise and storms will rip apart pieces of human civilization. Species will become extinct, droughts will occur and our ability to make food and drink water will become increasingly limited. It's not looking good for humans. Shit.
But guess what? We're humans, and we love to survive and control things, no matter the cost. Even when all looks in doubt we can even save ourselves from the big impacts of climate change if need be. At least according to Dr. David Keith at the University of Calgary.
It's slightly frightening, but I highly suggest you take a look:
Text: http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2107
Video: http://sciencestage.com/v/459/david-keith-climate-change-global-issues-science-technology-engineering-china-business.html
It scares me that we would likely be more willing to embrace manipulation of our entire planet's ecosystem on a massive scale than to make simple and some not so simple changes in our own lives.
ReplyDeleteYes, we need to explore all options because right now we suck at doing enough to reduce our footprint, but the money that will pile into these types of ventures focuses on somebody else finding a solution and not becoming part of it on an individual level. I see it as another diffusion of responsibility - for those who can tell themselves that somebody else will come up with a solution.