Global warming has accelerated significantly • Hacker News Board

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#671

Post by Zigurd » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:41 PM UTC

qgin wrote: post #188

pjmlp wrote: post #89

What a surprise with all the wars going on, and AI depleting Earth resources, what a change from about the pandemic era when everyone was into paper straws and cups and promising to be a better person, because that is what was going to change anything.

All data centers in aggregate (AI and all other uses) use about 1.5% of electricity production, which itself is about 20% of total energy use. So when people are focusing on AI above all other energy uses, it doesn't really paint an accurate picture of what's going on.

What otheer industries are hyping the need for tens of gigawatts, maybe hundreds? On top of that they are hyping the idea of building utterly unrealistic space stations that would cost 10 times what the ISS cost. So maybe people are focusing on the dishonesty instead of the energy use. One or the other I suppose.

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#672

Post by ToucanLoucan » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:42 PM UTC

abustamam wrote: post #627

ToucanLoucan wrote: post #528

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (and eventually planets!) This particular point is remarkably optimistic on the part of our ruling elites who genuinely seem to think they'll be abandoning Earth like the Titanic and running off to Mars or whatever. I wonder if it's just wishful thinking or if they genuinely believe living off-terra would be a luxury experience, and not what it far more likely would be, which is hurtling through a void separated fr…

Lol. Yeah I actually hope they aren't serious about it and are just using it as an excuse to send things to space because it's cool. Because I do not foresee us colonizing Mars in our lifetimes. I'd be happy for them to test the waters for us though.

Oh they're more than welcome to go. Everyone who signs up is basically volunteering to die for science, there is simply no other end to that.

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#673

Post by yfw » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:42 PM UTC

notarobot123 wrote: post #182

eykanal wrote: post #3

For those (like me) who don't know the authors, apparently they are well-published authors in the field of climate science whose work is very highly cited: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C39&q=gra... Not a perfect measure of whether this is a reputable article but at least readers should know this isn't from some randos in a basement somewhere.

Ironically, those still unconvinced of the human influence on climate change seem to be the sort that would trust the basement randos more than they would reputable scientists

Theres a mistrust of government and the establishment. Not saying fringe is better but the behavior of govts, corruption and influence by rich donors doesn't help

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#674

Post by 00N8 » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:44 PM UTC

vorticalbox wrote: post #450

amelius wrote: post #399

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> We need to stop pursuing strategies that do not work here. We tried top down. Didn't work. We tried bottom up. Didn't work.

i think the only real strategy is that people take a hit to their standard of living but i don't think anyone will sign up for that.

It would be a lot easier if the global population stabilized at around 1 billion. It's conceivable we could get down to that by bringing 3rd world areas up to 1st world standards in terms of women's rights, access to birth control, education, standard of living, etc., since developed nations have had declining birth rates for quite a while. But it's not a cheap or popular idea & would take several generations anyway.

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#675

Post by kibwen » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:44 PM UTC

ComputerGuru wrote: post #650

WarmWash wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The real problem is that everyone has to sacrifice, but half the people think there is no problem and then other half thinks only corporations need to sacrifice (and are unwilling to sacrifice themselves).

No one thinks only corporations have to sacrifice; they do think that it's folly to ask individual members of society, who on average contribute the smallest overall proportion to global warming, to sacrifice while corporations continue to squander away our natural resources. And the pareto principle agrees.

No, that's insufficient. Yes, corporations that cause the most warming will need to be curtailed if we're to survive. But those corporations are in the act externalizing costs. Once you force them to internalize those costs, the visible costs to consumers will increase, meaning less consumption overall. If you can't convince those consumers that less consumption is a good thing if it's in the service of saving the biosphere, then they're going to rebel against your efforts to properly force companies to account for the environmental costs of their products. There's no either/or here, it's the responsibility of both corporations and individuals.

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#676

Post by teamonkey » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:45 PM UTC

01100011 wrote: post #364

sulam wrote: post #295

FWIW my personal assessment is that this acceleration is both real and largely out of our control. Models in the past did not attempt to account for non-anthropogenic carbon emissions, but as we experience further warming, most especially in the Arctic, feedback loops and tipping points mean that this (carbon emissions caused by “natural” processes) are becoming more evident. This is especially sensitive because a la…

What about solar shades? Seems like a relatively quick and easy way to regulate solar input. It's nice too because you can quickly remove it if necessary.

What percentage of the 128-million-square-km cross-sectional area of the earth are you proposing to shade?

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#677

Post by kibwen » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:46 PM UTC

cmxch wrote: post #537

ecshafer wrote: post #134

The issue with any significant steps to curbing the climate or environmental impacts with laws or treaties is always: But the economy. It creates an incentive where someone doesn't follow the laws, burn everything they can to accelerate their economy, and take industry from other countries. My proposal is thus: create a supranational treaty organization with a EPA like authority(or whatever the European equivalent is…

And what exactly would prevent a country like the United States to use its outsize resources to moot this org?

If the US refuses to participate in the energy revolution, then it'll be a Russia-tier power within a generation.

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#678

Post by funkyfiddler369 » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:47 PM UTC

jihadjihad wrote: post #510

notarobot123 wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ironically, those still unconvinced of the human influence on climate change seem to be the sort that would trust the basement randos more than they would reputable scientists

Because they are practicing the reverse scientific method. They hold a conclusion in their hand, like, man-made climate change is a hoax , and seek to find any threads of "evidence" that support their foregone conclusion.

that's cute but you can't blame people for holding opinions based on phenomenal observations before they learn the language and can perform experiments. the fact that so many can't is the sole reason you might be considered somewhat superior or competent. more people with scientific skills and a personal way to explain and adhere to the scientific method would mean that your competence would be no more than average, if at all. how would that make you feel?

more importantly though, is the fact that there are enough "critics" that consider Global Warming a cycle that "man" merely accelerated by a few decades. most of these "skeptics" are also perfectly capable of discerning between the amount of energy "wasted" in office buildings and lit up skyscrapers as well as anything at the end of luxury supply chains and markets and what the rest of the world "wastes" or expends. to them, the hoax is the "man-made" part ...

it should be "some-man-made climate change"

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#679

Post by mentos » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:48 PM UTC

sulam wrote: post #295

FWIW my personal assessment is that this acceleration is both real and largely out of our control. Models in the past did not attempt to account for non-anthropogenic carbon emissions, but as we experience further warming, most especially in the Arctic, feedback loops and tipping points mean that this (carbon emissions caused by “natural” processes) are becoming more evident. This is especially sensitive because a la…

What if global warming is beneficial to keep the next ice age at bay?

Re: Global warming has accelerated significantly

#680

Post by lokar » Fri, Mar 06, 2026, 7:50 PM UTC

breakpointalpha wrote: post #663

jtr1 wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But the economy" is an out-of-date framing. The cost of renewables has been plummeting for well over a decade. New renewables are now cheaper than new fossil fuel plants in most of the world, and in many regions they're already competitive with or cheaper than simply running existing fossil fuel infrastructure. As modern wars in Ukraine and now Iran are increasingly demonstrating, they are not only cost effective bu…

In principle, you are right. Cheaper than coal renewables are winning. Don't forget though, that fighter jets can't operate on batteries.

They don’t contribute enough to matter