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Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

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Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

#1

Post by andrewstuart »

It seems to me that governments can be counted out of taking the leadership needed to solve this within 12 years. If anything they seem to want to act against solving this issue in some cases.

So what can we do so our children don't live in some ghastly hothouse world?

The scientists have told us its our final chance.... not to start within 12 years, but solve it within 12 years.

I feel like the young people need to take charge of the world because the older generations have had their chance and not fixed it.

Maybe corporations are the ones who can be pressured to take the lead.

Re: Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

#3

Post by josho »

> Maybe corporations are the ones who can be pressured to take the lead.

Yes. They absolutely will. But only after they have the right incentives. Those incentives can be created over night by having governments put in place a carbon tax.

It gets even worse. If a large group of people reduced their energy consumption to help climate change it has the consequence of reducing demand and therefore energy costs will come down. That will make green energy cost uncompetitive and slow down the transition to green fuels.

This change really does need to come from government. So get politically involved.

Re: Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

#4

Post by fallingfrog »

To solve this crisis in 12 years would require overthrowing the government of every country with an industrial base and replacing them with much more progressive people. You can try if you want but I don't see it happening. As far as actually convincing people of global warming, the older generation will absolutely never believe it no matter how much evidence you present. They are truly lost. Change will only be possible after they have died. This is going to be a sad, tragic period in human history, and nobody in the future is going to understand why we made such self destructive decisions. It will pass though. Hundreds of years from now the climate will slowly begin to return to normal. Despite the fact that the fight is hopeless, though, I'll continue to try.

Re: Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

#6

Post by richardknop »

The obvious solution would be to decrease the population globally to more manageable level. That is not possible because humans are hardwired to breed and multiply. The next best thing we can do is try to do some big action on government levels. Again very difficult because it would mean decreasing standard of living (more expensive fuel, for example, to discourage inefficient cars, higher taxes on products dependent on fossil fuels), so you would be asking people to vote for decreasing their living standard and making their life worse off short term. Nobody is going to vote for a politician who promises to make your life worse and products you use daily more expensive thus making you poorer.

Re: Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

#7

Post by f_allwein »

verroq wrote: post #5

Can’t see it happening when a large portion of the population insists that climate change isn’t real.

Yes - education, lobbying and advocating would all have to be part of the plan.

Edit: look at https://transitionnetwork.org - grassroots network in the UK that seems to be doing well at getting people to engage.

Re: Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

#8

Post by shard972 »

richardknop wrote: post #6

The obvious solution would be to decrease the population globally to more manageable level. That is not possible because humans are hardwired to breed and multiply. The next best thing we can do is try to do some big action on government levels. Again very difficult because it would mean decreasing standard of living (more expensive fuel, for example, to discourage inefficient cars, higher taxes on products dependent…

> That is not possible because humans are hardwired to breed and multiply.

Wait a second, then why is it that almost every western country is currently seeing negative population forecasts without immigration?

Seems like western countries were already heading towards population decline but have been propped up in recent years with the call for more economic growth and I don't think those calls are hardwired at all.

Re: Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?

#10

Post by shard972 »

verroq wrote: post #5

Can’t see it happening when a large portion of the population insists that climate change isn’t real.

Maybe if the media managed to actually present the issue in a balanced way we wouldn't be here. Maybe if every dire prediction wasn't presented as fact and every criticism labeled as conspiracy theory and vica versa for a-lot of other outlets.

Maybe if solutions like geo-engineering were at least discussed instead of the chorus of the media/politicians telling people that taxes and fees are THE ONLY SOLUTION to the crisis.

Just my 2cents, but we would be so much further ahead if the conversation has some actual balance instead of these-days where people are complaining that having a 5/95 skew in favour of the armageddon scenario if we don't have a global tax on carbon, move to 100% renewables and electric cars as being too generous to the critics of this plan.

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