Date: 2024-12-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00017696
Climate Crisis
Reporting on Progress
Climate crisis: 11,000 scientists warn of ‘untold suffering’ ... Statement sets out ‘vital signs’ as indicators of magnitude of the climate emergency ... Most countries’ climate plans ‘totally inadequate’ – experts
I like the Guardian piece. It covers a lot of ground quite efficiently and shows a whole set of indicators that are trending mainly in the wrong direction. This article is short and does not go into the many initiatives that all of us should be working on to change all of these trends for the better. I want to see some radical accountability around the behavior of big and powerful organizations that are contributing to the ongoing degradation of the climate system. It is pretty clear to me that there will be substantial costs to repair damage caused by the climate crisis / extreme weather and the big question should be whether or not the organizations that have contributed to the climate crisis should pay for these costs or not along the lines of the famous tobacco settlement many years ago. When these potential liabilities are factored in, many major companies that appear profitable are already bankrupt. This must be giving insurance companies a headache already .... but other executives should also be having sleepless nights!
Peter Burgess
The world’s people face “untold suffering due to the climate crisis” unless there are major transformations to global society, according to a stark warning from more than 11,000 scientists.
“We declare clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency,” it states. “To secure a sustainable future, we must change how we live. [This] entails major transformations in the ways our global society functions and interacts with natural ecosystems.”
There is no time to lose, the scientists say: “The climate crisis has arrived and is accelerating faster than most scientists expected. It is more severe than anticipated, threatening natural ecosystems and the fate of humanity.”
The statement is published in the journal BioScience on the 40th anniversary of the first world climate conference, which was held in Geneva in 1979. The statement was a collaboration of dozens of scientists and endorsed by further 11,000 from 153 nations. The scientists say the urgent changes needed include ending population growth, leaving fossil fuels in the ground, halting forest destruction and slashing meat eating.
Prof William Ripple, of Oregon State University and the lead author of the statement, said he was driven to initiate it by the increase in extreme weather he was seeing. A key aim of the warning is to set out a full range of “vital sign” indicators of the causes and effects of climate breakdown, rather than only carbon emissions and surface temperature rise.
“A broader set of indicators should be monitored, including human population growth, meat consumption, tree-cover loss, energy consumption, fossil-fuel subsidies and annual economic losses to extreme weather events,” said co-author Thomas Newsome, of the University of Sydney.
Other “profoundly troubling signs from human activities” selected by the scientists include booming air passenger numbers and world GDP growth. “The climate crisis is closely linked to excessive consumption of the wealthy lifestyle,” they said.
As a result of these human activities, there are “especially disturbing” trends of increasing land and ocean temperatures, rising sea levels and extreme weather events, the scientists said: “Despite 40 years of global climate negotiations, with few exceptions, we have have largely failed to address this predicament. Especially worrisome are potential irreversible climate tipping points. These climate chain reactions could cause significant disruptions to ecosystems, society, and economies, potentially making large areas of Earth uninhabitable.”
“We urge widespread use of the vital signs [to] allow policymakers and the public to understand the magnitude of the crisis, realign priorities and track progress,” the scientists said.
“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to look at the graphs and know things are going wrong,” said Newsome. “But it is not too late.” The scientists identify some encouraging signs, including decreasing global birth rates, increasing solar and wind power and fossil fuel divestment. Rates of forest destruction in the Amazon had also been falling until a recent increase under new president Jair Bolsonaro.
They set out a series of urgently needed actions:
- Use energy far more efficiently and apply strong carbon taxes to cut fossil fuel use
- Stabilise global population – currently growing by 200,000 people a day – using ethical approaches such as longer education for girls
- End the destruction of nature and restore forests and mangroves to absorb CO2
- Eat mostly plants and less meat, and reduce food waste
- Shift economic goals away from GDP growth
A warning of the dangers of pollution and a looming mass extinction of wildlife on Earth, also led by Ripple, was published in 2017. It was supported by more than 15,000 scientists and read out in parliaments from Canada to Israel. It came 25 years after the original “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity” in 1992, which said: “A great change in our stewardship of the Earth and the life on it is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided.”
Ripple said scientists have a moral obligation to issue warnings of catastrophic threats: “It is more important than ever that we speak out, based on evidence. It is time to go beyond just research and publishing, and to go directly to the citizens and policymakers.”
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California wildfires: what role has the climate crisis played? – video explainer Topics
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Tim Gieseke commented on this Sean Kidney Sean Kidney • 2nd CEO Climate Bonds Initiative, EU Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance at European Commission 6d • Folks, this like our doctors - 11,000 of them - telling us we have potentially terminal cancer. We either take the advice and act or we are toast @ClimateBonds No alt text provided for this image Climate crisis: 11,000 scientists warn of ‘untold suffering’ theguardian.com 117 23 Comments Like Comment Share Top Comments Peter Burgess Add a comment… Images Tim Gieseke Tim Gieseke 1st degree connection1st President, AgRS, LLC 1d Think about where we are at in this solution process; we are just starting to gain social consensus that the earth's climate is shifting and 11,000 scientists and their colleagues are throwing out suggestions on what people should do within the context of their daily lives. Of that massive, somewhat mess, others are creating collective, albeit, unconnected efforts related to what groups should be doing. Kind of a good time for fingernails on the chalkboard - the climate doctors are only telling us the ecological symptoms, not the economic problem. Since the economic system is a subset of the ecological system, then we should probably understand what that looks like on paper. What is needed is a currency based on [conditionally renewable] natural capital as the foundation. Because in this case, the total value of the currency would be correlated to the capacity of natural capital to produce. Economic value would be directed toward ecological function because people would gain economically from it...kind of like investing in gold mining when the dollar was tethered to gold. Fortunately, this is a relatively easy start with self-organization and emergence being qualities, rather than a large top-down institution. Like Tim Gieseke’s comment · 1 Like 1 Like on Tim Gieseke’s comment Bruce Laird Bruce Laird 2nd degree connection2nd Laird Associates Limited 5d I have to be honest and say that 'The Guardian' is not a resource I would quote if proposing any credible prediction of future trends. On 29th January 1974 they headlined 'Space Satellites show new Ice Age coming fast' which it wasn't. Now I am not denying that Climate Change it happening because that is a fact and there are many academic papers to support that fact. The interesting thing, however, regarding the Guardian article is that they show graphs of the changes that have happened since 1980. Interestingly they propose CO2 per capita (now population is shown as increasing) dropped between 1980 and the mid 1990s. Now during that time global average temperatures kept on rising. Why was that? Does this mean if we reduce CO2 that it will have little or not effect as it did during that time? Like Bruce Laird’s comment · 3 Replies 3 Replies on Bruce Laird’s comment Tim Gieseke Tim Gieseke 1st degree connection1st President, AgRS, LLC 1d I think it is more like you are missing the forest for the trees. The climate is a massive system of oceans, atmosphere, and land with those spheres effecting climate and weather in that order. The ocean is not going to know if CO2 emissions dropped during a decade or two. Like Tim Gieseke’s comment Bruce Laird Bruce Laird 2nd degree connection2nd Laird Associates Limited 1d Tim G. Sorry I don't get your point. Like Bruce Laird’s comment Tim Gieseke Tim Gieseke 1st degree connection1st President, AgRS, LLC 1d Re: 'Now during that time global average temperatures kept on rising. Why was that? Does this mean if we reduce CO2 that it will have little or not effect as it did during that time?' Yes, it does mean that if we reduce CO2 for a decade that we will see little or no effect, or the effect we see might be opposite of what we expect because the climate system does not have immediate response to changing conditions. Kind of like turning the Titanic - spin the wheel as hard as you want, but the ship is going to go in the direction it is going for awhile. Like Tim Gieseke’s comment Pete Halsall Pete Halsall 2nd degree connection2nd managing director at international_haus 6d Approaches to environment and climate change correlate Internationally and in the UK with political right and political left. The more towards the right - the more irresponsibility and destructiveness those governments are towards the environment. So - Sorry - but if you vote right - if you vote Tory - then you will get what you deserve; increasing environmental destruction. One cannot separate these issues from politics; sustainability is, foremost, a political endeavour …see more Like Pete Halsall’s comment · 1 Like 1 Like on Pete Halsall’s comment · 3 Replies 3 Replies on Pete Halsall’s comment Sean Kidney Sean Kidney 2nd degree connection2nd CEO Climate Bonds Initiative, EU Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance at European Commission 5d Not always. There are avowedly left regimes that are utterly crap on climate change: notably Bolivia, Venezuela, Mexico Like Sean Kidney’s comment · 1 Like 1 Like on Sean Kidney’s comment Nicholas Jack Nicholas Jack 2nd degree connection2nd Finance & business development professional with a passion for sustainability, corporate finance and impact investment. 5d Likewise it’s absolute rubbish to say you cannot separate these issue from politics, and if you vote “right” (I hate those meaningless labels anyway) then you support and deserve environmental destruction. I’ve never been called “left wing” in my life but I’ve been a strong environmentalist for years. Like Nicholas Jack’s comment Steve Green Steve Green 2nd degree connection2nd Green Chemical Engineer 1d Unfortunately across many platforms its become political because the solutions force people to choose between their politics / financial priorities and climate science. In reality there is a lot of money to be made in the future transition for those who back the right horses. Like Steve Green’s comment Steve Green Steve Green 2nd degree connection2nd Green Chemical Engineer 6d I often have contacts asking me how they can move their investments and pensions from fossil fuels to greener solutions but who can they trust with so many scammers around? Meanwhile my linked in feed alternates between climate concerns and fossil fuel employees celebrating their latest efforts. Two parallel worlds, one of them with no empathy unfortunately. …see more Like Steve Green’s comment · 1 Like 1 Like on Steve Green’s comment · 1 Reply 1 Comment on Steve Green’s comment Sean Kidney Sean Kidney 2nd degree connection2nd CEO Climate Bonds Initiative, EU Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance at European Commission 3d Actually there are not many scammers around - an unwarranted fear. But look for Climate Bonds Certification, or just compare the assets of projects involved against the EU Taxonomy we have developed: https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/sustainable-finance-teg-taxonomy_en EU taxonomy for sustainable activities EU taxonomy for sustainable activities ec.europa.eu Like Sean Kidney’s comment · 2 Likes 2 Likes on Sean Kidney’s comment Tim Cadman Tim Cadman 2nd degree connection2nd Research Fellow Griffith University 1d And we certainly don’t go private or issue bonds Like Tim Cadman’s comment · 1 Reply 1 Comment on Tim Cadman’s comment Sean Kidney Sean Kidney 2nd degree connection2nd CEO Climate Bonds Initiative, EU Technical Expert Group on Sustainable Finance at European Commission 1d ??? Like Sean Kidney’s comment Pete Daw Pete Daw 2nd degree connection2nd Director Urban Development and Environment at Siemens 6d Correct. Like Pete Daw’s comment Paul Dumble Paul Dumble 2nd degree connection2nd Paul's Environment Ltd 5d Has anyone found the detailed report? Please send me the link. Like Paul Dumble’s comment · 1 Reply 1 Comment on Paul Dumble’s comment Tom Worthington Tom Worthington 2nd degree connection2nd Certified Computer Professional and Educational Design Consultant 5d William J Ripple, Christopher Wolf, Thomas M Newsome, Phoebe Barnard, William R Moomaw, World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency, BioScience, , biz088, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biz088 Like Tom Worthington’s comment · 1 Like 1 Like on Tom Worthington’s comment Julia Tresidder Julia Tresidder 2nd degree connection2nd A/g Director: Research Sector and Data Policy, NHMRC 3d NSW is a bit of a fire storm right now. So much to learn about managing the risks associated with a drier warmer climate - adaptation as well as understanding - about 30% of the problem comes from agriculture according the IGPOCH - so it’s multi faceted & complex & adaptation is definitely in the mix of what has to be done - as well as understanding what we all need to change what we do. (edited) …see more Like Julia Tresidder’s comment Nico van den Bergh, B Ec. Nico van den Bergh, B Ec. 2nd degree connection2nd Vennoot bij Bron van Helderheid: Heldere keuzes dankzij maatwerk analyses van gegevens en informatie 6d People will not listen. They just won't! https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicovdbergh_there-will-come-soft-rains-activity-6597064088499564544-HD-4 Like Nico van den Bergh, B Ec.’s comment · 1 Reply 1 Comment on Nico van den Bergh, B Ec.’s comment Nico van den Bergh, B Ec. Nico van den Bergh, B Ec. 2nd degree connection2nd Vennoot bij Bron van Helderheid: Heldere keuzes dankzij maatwerk analyses van gegevens en informatie 6d https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mankind-does-influence-climate-even-though-co2-sooner-nico/ Like Nico van den Bergh, B Ec.’s comment Phil StrongStatus is online Phil Strong 2nd degree connection2nd Managing Director at Ergo Ike Ltd (home of Phil-e-Slide range of products) 1d https://aeon.co/essays/the-little-ice-age-is-a-history-of-resilience-and-surprises?utm_source=Aeon+Newsletter&utm_campaign=bf2cdf43ed-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_11_03_49&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_411a82e59d-bf2cdf43ed-70415725 And how funnily the ways humans have this coping mechanism: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video-on-demand/talking-point-fy1920/what-s-it-like-living-in-hot-singapore-12031394 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/video-on-demand/talking-point-fy1920/what-pests-will-this-heat-bring-12071678 Like Phil Strong’s comment Chungha Cha Chungha Cha 2nd degree connection2nd From Proptech, Contech to Smart, Sustainable Cities ... 6d So many things to do to counter this devastating threat on our doorsteps. Climate Bonds are wonderful ... but we need deals to finance. And these deals are not coming fast enough!! How can we fill the pipeline faster with bankable GHG reduction projects?? Any ideas?? Any comments? (edited) Like Chungha Cha’s comment Lynn F. Lynn F. 2nd degree connection2nd Technical Manager 3d Having removed Mickey mouse and Harry Potter characters this is the current list of the 11000 scientists the media jumped on to report. http://bit.ly/36LGuio biz088_supplemental_file_s1.pdf biz088_supplemental_file_s1.pdf oup.silverchair-cdn.com Supplemental File S1 for the article “World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency” published in… Like Lynn F.’s comment Dale Anne Bourjaily Dale Anne Bourjaily 2nd degree connection2nd executive board member bij g9ark.com 6d Right you are. See g9Ark.org, Sean.