Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity' • Hacker News Board

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#341

Post by Throwaway197401 » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:17 AM UTC

Anyone who claims to be "following the science" knows that there is no such thing as "code red" in science and lo and behold it's not what the IPCC report says but a UN representative. This is a media and ideologically driven narrative and have absolutely nothing to do with reality yet it's used to scare people who can do absolutely nothing and will only be used to push draconian and anti-human decisions on the energy front.

Anyone who wants to actually understand what the IPCC is finding should go read the actual report and they will find just like all the other IPCC reports that things are not even close to what the media and environmental organizations want you to believe, in fact, the IPCC reports are getting less concerned not more and you will find there is a lot more uncertainty with a lot of metrics.

There is no scientifically demonstrated consequence of climate change we don't know how to deal with today let alone in 80 years from now. Yes the use of fossil fuel have externalities, some of them negative luckily most of them positive.

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#342

Post by agumonkey » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:18 AM UTC

rich_sasha wrote: post #170

It’s just so hard to know what actions have what impact on CO2 production. Some are high-pain, low-gain (switching devices off instead of standby?), some are opposite (cycling instead of driving when possible etc). For that if for no other reason, I’d rather if consumer prices included an explicit CO2 tax. The here can be a rebate for poorer people, or personal allowance, whatever, but there would be a fixed yardstic…

Fair point, it's blurry

From the top of my head, most cited ones are

Concrete production

Heating / cooling (unless designed to be physically smart)

Beef production

Worldwide transportation (fruits all year long)

Cars

If you eat a Mediterranean die, move by foot or bike and have a well insulated house with no AC you're good

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#343

Post by AstralStorm » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:19 AM UTC

Throwaway197401 wrote: post #341

Anyone who claims to be "following the science" knows that there is no such thing as "code red" in science and lo and behold it's not what the IPCC report says but a UN representative. This is a media and ideologically driven narrative and have absolutely nothing to do with reality yet it's used to scare people who can do absolutely nothing and will only be used to push draconian and anti-human decisions on the energ…

Yeah? Tell me how you deal with displacement of millions of hungry people and I'll give you a Nobel peace prize. Well, the monetary amount of, we'll do a Fig or something.

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#344

Post by fouc » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:19 AM UTC

nosianu wrote: post #201

rich_sasha wrote: post #170

It’s just so hard to know what actions have what impact on CO2 production. Some are high-pain, low-gain (switching devices off instead of standby?), some are opposite (cycling instead of driving when possible etc). For that if for no other reason, I’d rather if consumer prices included an explicit CO2 tax. The here can be a rebate for poorer people, or personal allowance, whatever, but there would be a fixed yardstic…

> It’s just so hard to know what actions have what impact on CO2 production Not really. For some reason the actually quite simple problem is needlessly complicated in the discussions. Stop digging up ANY carbon from below ground where it was safely buried. Any carbon above ground is part of the cycle that includes atmospheric CO2. You need huge effort to change how much of it is in CO2 form at any time while still ha…

That's not super helpful to the individual.

Take an individual that bikes everywhere. What other changes can he make in his life that would reduce the demand of "digging out carbon"?

As it turns out, he's relying on rubber wheels for his bicycle, he's relying on synthetic clothing for comfort, and numerous in his life products are made with plastic. What are the highest impact changes he can make?

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#345

Post by Tycho » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:19 AM UTC

1. That the planet is warming and we can accurately measure that

2. That we can accurately model the effect of CO2 on temperature and sea levels

3. That we can accurately model increasing levels of 'bad weather' and disasters based on temperature increase

4. That we can translate these climate forecasts into socioeconomic repercussions well enough to make global policy decisions that should be enforced at great cost

My credulity decreases with each successive layer.

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#346

Post by belorn » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:20 AM UTC

rich_sasha wrote: post #170

It’s just so hard to know what actions have what impact on CO2 production. Some are high-pain, low-gain (switching devices off instead of standby?), some are opposite (cycling instead of driving when possible etc). For that if for no other reason, I’d rather if consumer prices included an explicit CO2 tax. The here can be a rebate for poorer people, or personal allowance, whatever, but there would be a fixed yardstic…

There were a study done in Sweden a few years ago that looked at the question about an individuals actions and the corresponding CO2 production.

No car > skipping flight > buy green energy > Get a electric car > diet.

https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/article/four-lifestyle-choi...

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#347

Post by davewritescode » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:20 AM UTC

danybittel wrote: post #260

nosianu wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It’s just so hard to know what actions have what impact on CO2 production Not really. For some reason the actually quite simple problem is needlessly complicated in the discussions. Stop digging up ANY carbon from below ground where it was safely buried. Any carbon above ground is part of the cycle that includes atmospheric CO2. You need huge effort to change how much of it is in CO2 form at any time while still ha…

I really like your post! It's not rocket science. Too many interest groups are convoluting the issue. But, I think to clearest, easiest way is to just ban "coal, gas, oil". Then let the lack of it "tickle" through the economy. Not by tomorrow, mind you, have it gradually reduce. Where there are problems, help with tax money. We've done it before, with asbestos, lead in gas, ..

Asbestos and lead in gas were things that had suitable replacements. What you're asking people to do is give up personal transportation, which is to some their sense of freedom and in some cases the ability to head and cool their homes.

This isn't going to be easy not because it's technically difficult but because you're going to end up asking humanity to give up much the lifestyle it's grown accustomed to over the last 150 years.

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#348

Post by longtom » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:20 AM UTC

holografix wrote: post #231

I have this overwhelming feeling that it’s over. Are there publications and articles or studies etc about how the rich are preparing for the impact of climate change? Are there large swaths of Alaska being bought up? Farms in California being sold cheap? Mega security mansions popping up in New Zealand? Fresh water supply chains suddenly being consolidated under the same biz? Is this part of the reason why China is g…

The propaganda and media cooptation is just staggering. It's extremely suspicious that very little attention is paid to the fact that reducing consumption will likely increase poverty. If you trace, for example, the supply chain of some medicine you might use, or might depend on in future: The machinery, chemical refinery, transport, sourcing or resources, management, markets, and infrastructure below all that. All of this will get orders of magnitude more expensive if we reduce carbon emissions. You will not be able to afford medicine if you need it, and possibly die of a horrible death, e.g. from an infection and without painkillers. In the meanwhile, anyone raising these issues is defamed as climate change denier.

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#349

Post by throwaway128327 » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:21 AM UTC

skinkestek wrote: post #193

cblconfederate wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What about tourism ?

Already cut massively thanks to COVID-19. I say we should try to keep it at a level close to where it is now. But we need to set the expectations here and I guess today's influencers and thought leaders won't be of much help :-/

> Already cut massively thanks to COVID-19.

i dont think this is true, at least booking.com has very small decrease in numbers

Re: Climate change: IPCC report is 'code red for humanity'

#350

Post by AstralStorm » Mon, Aug 09, 2021, 11:21 AM UTC

longtom wrote: post #331

Bellamy wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wildfires in Canada and Russia. Floats in Germany. Etc, etc... We have known 40 years what will happen and now for our leaders those consequences seem to come as a surprise. I hope the Germans will vote for the Green party in the September's federal elections and other countries will follow the example.

I dearly hope the Greens will not win. Reducing consumption is an extremely tricky problem, and likely unfeasible without creating large amounts of poverty. I'd rather live in a rich, powerful nation with strong workforce and military rebuilding after each storm than being stripped my last rights and eating worms while a tiny elite still enjoying the freedoms we once had. Please do not fall for the propaganda.

Find smarter Greens and replace your current feel-good Greens with them. For all our sakes.

A strong nation the size of EU nation does not have the resources to fix it. Maybe fight it a bit and try to not make it worse but alone that will not be enough.

US or China might have these sorts of resources, but as we know politicians prefer patches and blame redirection and status quo.