Human Civilization Isn't Prepared to Survive Climate Change

[Djordje]

Any advice for millennials how to not want to eat a bullet reading about this?

Human Civilization Isn't Prepared to Survive Climate Change

[DaleCutler]

Become a Christian and trust your heavenly Father to take care of you?

I’ve posted this on PS before, a comment that I have posted after news articles on climate change:

Contrary to what Christian climate change deniers in the US appear to believe (not that I believe it is necessarily primarily anthropogenic), it seems that the Bible – and in particular, the Carpenter from Galilee – speaks to climate change. It also seems unlikely that it is going to get better. The “distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves” of Luke 21:25 describes climate change well, with rising sea levels and weather extremes, although he may be referring to tsunamis, or both. Some megacryometeors may be a result of climate change, so it would not be a surprise if they became more frequent (cf. Revelation 16:21). Bloody red algae blooming seas, fires, floods and famines are also mentioned – earthquakes, too. Since big bang cosmology’s telling us that space and time(!) had a beginning fits so nicely with Genesis 1:1, I’m inclined to believe more of the Book as well, and it says we live in a dying world.

Given the brokenness of people (all of us) and the corruption in and the ineptitude of governments – first and third world, it doesn’t seem likely that climate change is fixable, even if it were all anthropogenic. And any global financial, geopolitical or geophysical disaster could effectively scrap any unenforceable political agreements (Trump is a geopolitical disaster). That does not mean that I am not in favor of greener solutions for energy and cleaner air!

Counterintuitively, perhaps, since many consider the Judeo-Christian God to be a vindictive and angry judge, the most frequent mandate in the Bible is “Don’t be afraid” (or one of its several variations, e.g., “Fret not” and “Be anxious for nothing”). That would include not being anxious about politics, climate change and terrorism. Father is in control, like it or not. It would be better to like it. Also counterintuitive, perhaps: he is a loving – and lovable – Father.

[T_aquaticus]

@DaleCutler

Become a Christian and trust your heavenly Father to take care of you?

Even Christians wear seat belts and look both ways before crossing a road. I would think that God would expect us humans to use the brain he gave us and perhaps solve some of the problems we create. I don’t see how giving up because something is hard is something we should aim for. Also, just 4 countries (US, China, India, Russia) are responsible for over half of the world’s carbon emissions. If those countries create and innovate that will seriously reduce emissions, and they can sell their technology to the other countries.

[DaleCutler]

Maybe you haven’t noticed yet, but there are some things out of your control. Sure, do what we can, but it won’t be enough (did you neglect to notice that I am all for green solutions?..and my wife and I recycle assiduously) – I suspect uncontrollable positive feedback loops have already started (like thawing of tundra and release of carbon). Maybe nuclear fusion power will become a thing and we can sequester gobs of CO₂ and buy some time, but do you think human nature is going to spontaneously change any time soon? And then there are incoming meteors, comets and asteroids, or maybe there will be a volcanic winter or two, and the question will be moot.

This is notable (hence my noting it ):

How our addiction to big beef ended up ruining the planet

[Djordje]

@DaleCutler

Become a Christian and trust your heavenly Father to take care of you?

I am a Christian. Still find it hard to get out of bed every morning I think about this stuff.

[DaleCutler]

Yeah, if I were not confident in God’s control and providence, I wouldn’t be interested in watching or reading the news.

We make a continuous moral choice of what we pay attention to, and sometimes we take our eyes off the prize.

@Djordje: edited to add the first sentence.

[T_aquaticus]

@DaleCutler

I suspect uncontrollable positive feedback loops have already started (like thawing of tundra and release of carbon).

That’s a possibility, but we can still stop it from getting worse beyond that point.

@DaleCutler

This is notable (hence my noting it ):

You also need to grow food for cattle which fixes carbon. The only net carbon emissions comes from the initial loss of carbon sinks in the form of natural habitats and the amount of fossil fuels used in farm equipment/electricity.

[DaleCutler]

@T_aquaticus

…we can still stop it from getting worse beyond that point.

But you can’t control an uncontrollable positive feedback loop. And cows convert a lot of carbon to methane, a maybe 10x worse greenhouse gas than CO₂, if I recall correctly.

[T_aquaticus]

@DaleCutler

But you can’t control an uncontrollable positive feedback loop.

They are self limiting. They will plateau at some point.

@DaleCutler

And cows convert a lot of carbon to methane, a maybe 10x worse greenhouse gas than CO₂, if I recall correctly.

Compared to the use of fossil fuels, the amount of methane released by cattle is pretty small.

Livestock and Climate Change

[DaleCutler]

@T_aquaticus

They will plateau at some point.

Sure, when all the tundra is thawed and all the methane is released.

Another factor:
https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2785/unexpected-future-boost-of-methane-possible-from-arctic-permafrost/

[Djordje]

@DaleCutler

Sure, when all the tundra is thawed and all the methane is released.

Another factor:

Okay, then, what do you propose we do?

[DaleCutler]

That depends a lot on our individual circumstances. I’m not going to obsess over the fact that we live on a dying planet whose time is limited – I already knew that. Christians should maybe be more concerned with more enduring questions.