The upside of climate change

[Jolly_Penguin]

So... it is highly speculated that Trump will pull the USA out of the Paris accord and deal a mighty blow to anti-climate-change efforts.

China, Canada, and Europe are pushing ahead. Why? And Why not USA?

A cynical selfish view would suggest that Canada and the northern USA shouldn't be so against climate change (whereas the southern US should - ironic given the political spectrum within the US). We actually may stand to profit from it, at the massive loss of those who live in the southern hemisphere. http://www.ctvnews.ca/could-global-warming-turn-canada-into-a-superpower-1.556373 (article from 2010)

It explains why Russia isn't so concerned, as they too may benefit at least based on geography, though they may suffer based on their xenophobic nature of not inviting in the skilled immigrants that Canada will take in.

It also makes self-interested sense for China to be concerned, as they are in a bad spot geographically and will suffer greatly from climate change, and they are a top polluter, so they can do something about climate change (Canada's impact is relatively tiny).

Canada is perfectly situated, geographically, socially, and politically to thrive as the climate changes. Plenty of fresh water, an open immigration policy geared towards skilled labour to offset the aging population, etc. So it seems in Canada's self interest to not be so against climate change.

There is also the fact that there is really not a whole lot we can do at this point to prevent climate change. The damage is done, and there isn't much that can be done to reverse it. Our planet is going to change, and we can no longer stop it.

I don't see many people talking about the silver lining of climate change, but there does appear to be one... for some of us lucky few, at the expense of those who are the least responsible for causing it (huge moral argument there).

 

[Nice Squirrel]

A cynical selfish view would suggest that Canada and the northern USA shouldn't be so against climate change

Sure if you like rock and sagebrush. Most of the soil of the empty quarter of the continent is very thin due to glaciers pushing it south.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

A cynical selfish view would suggest that Canada and the northern USA shouldn't be so against climate change (whereas the southern US should - ironic given the political spectrum within the US). We actually may stand to profit from it, at the massive loss of those who live in the southern hemisphere. http://www.ctvnews.ca/could-global-warming-turn-canada-into-a-superpower-1.556373 (article from 2010)

May be able to profit from it? I'll take short-sighted optimism for $1200 Alex.

It explains why Russia isn't so concerned,

Like Russia has industry. HAW!!!

...as they too may benefit at least based on geography, though they may suffer based on their xenophobic nature of not inviting in the skilled immigrants that Canada will take in.

Yeah. Just imagine, all that permafrost in Siberia thawing out and releasing all that methane. That'll be great for the atmosphere!

It also makes self-interested sense for China to be concerned, as they are in a bad spot geographically and will suffer greatly from climate change, and they are a top polluter, so they can do something about climate change (Canada's impact is relatively tiny).

Canada is perfectly situated, geographically, socially, and politically to thrive as the climate changes. Plenty of fresh water, an open immigration policy geared towards skilled labour to offset the aging population, etc. So it seems in Canada's self interest to not be so against climate change.

No connecting the few points you put there. Are you planning to move to Sudbury to farm?

There is also the fact that there is really not a whole lot we can do at this point to prevent climate change.

You mean other than polluting less?

The damage is done, and there isn't much that can be done to reverse it.

Other than polluting less?

Our planet is going to change, and we can no longer stop it.

Other than polluting less?

I don't see many people talking about the silver lining of climate change, but there does appear to be one...

You know, I don't see many people talking about how good going to prison is...

...for some of us lucky few, at the expense of those who are the least responsible for causing it (huge moral argument there).

I don't see any argument in your entire post.

 

[repoman]

I bet you can find stuff written a long time ago saying that 405 ppm of CO2 is total disaster - and it would be as accurate then as now.

There is no way to sequester the stuff unless you do the Olivine gambit.

http://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2016/07/olivine-weathering-to-capture-co2-and-counter-climate-change.html



look up olivine and carbon on youtube and you get some academic and industrial presentations

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

Our planet is going to change, and we can no longer stop it.

Other than polluting less?

At this point we (primarily China and USA - Canada is a tiny factor in this) could stop polluting altogether, and climate change is still going to happen. We've started a process we can't stop. We can make it not as bad, but we can't stop it. It is too late. We ARE going to have a serious change and there really will be some parts of the world that lose big, and some that have some benefit. Canada is one of the latter.

I don't see any argument in your entire post.

Probably because I'm not making an argument. I'm simply pondering about the silver lining of climate change. Believe it or not, its not ALL bad news.

And the damage and benefits are not at all evenly or fairly distributed. Canada, Russia, Scandinavia, northern USA stand to benefit (mostly rich countries) and Africa, China, and South America stand to suffer the most dramatically. China being the only one of those that have contributed in a big way to the problem. If you compare who did the damage vs who gets hurt, its really a horribly unfair picture. But we DO have winners and losers here. And Canada is one of the big winners.

 

[laughing dog]

Other than polluting less?

At this point we (primarily China and USA - Canada is a tiny factor in this) could stop polluting altogether, and climate change is still going to happen. We've started a process we can't stop. We can make it not as bad, but we can't stop it. It is too late. We ARE going to have a serious change and there really will be some parts of the world that lose big, and some that have some benefit. Canada is one of the latter.

I don't see any argument in your entire post.

Probably because I'm not making an argument. I'm simply pondering about the silver lining of climate change. Believe it or not, its not ALL bad news.

And the damage and benefits are not at all evenly or fairly distributed. Canada, Russia, Scandinavia, northern USA stand to benefit (mostly rich countries) and Africa, China, and South America stand to suffer the most dramatically. China being the only one of those that have contributed in a big way to the problem. If you compare who did the damage vs who gets hurt, its really a horribly unfair picture. But we DO have winners and losers here. And Canada is one of the big winners.

Climate change is unstoppable. At best, humans can act to mitigate the changes in order to ameliorate the worst projected effects. And it is not news that there are winner and losers in these changes. Of course, the losing areas and populations vastly outnumber the winning areas, and it is pretty naive to think that the the populations in the losing areas are going to stay put over time. Pointing out that Canada and parts of the USA are going to have a better climate is not much consolation to the rest of the North America, nor is it a reason to stop acting to mitigate the worst effects.

 

[repoman]

We are gonna have Global Warming Death Squads to keep them out.

 

[TSwizzle]

There is also the fact that there is really not a whole lot we can do at this point to prevent climate change. The damage is done, and there isn't much that can be done to reverse it. Our planet is going to change, and we can no longer stop it.

The planet's climate has never been stable. Why some people have picked this moment in time to decide the current climate is how it should remain is baffling.

 

[repoman]

TSwizzle, the Alt-Right really needs to take this reality as seriously as Islam.

 

[LordKiran]

TSwizzle, the Alt-Right really needs to take this reality as seriously as Islam.

Furthermore, the climate is changing at a rate and to a degree that would otherwise not occur without human involvement, which is where the problem is. The climate simply changing is not in itself a problem anymore than the magnetic reversal of the poles.

 

[blastula]

There is also the fact that there is really not a whole lot we can do at this point to prevent climate change. The damage is done, and there isn't much that can be done to reverse it. Our planet is going to change, and we can no longer stop it.

The planet's climate has never been stable. Why some people have picked this moment in time to decide the current climate is how it should remain is baffling.

To the ignorant it is baffling.

 

[bilby]

There is also the fact that there is really not a whole lot we can do at this point to prevent climate change. The damage is done, and there isn't much that can be done to reverse it. Our planet is going to change, and we can no longer stop it.

The planet's climate has never been stable. Why some people have picked this moment in time to decide the current climate is how it should remain is baffling.

The planet's climate hasn't changed anywhere CLOSE to this rapidly in the last 20,000 years.

Cars slow down all the time. Why some people are worried about that brick wall slowing them from 70mph to zero in less than a second is baffling.

https://xkcd.com/1732/

 

[bilby]

This map (https://www.electricitymap.org) shows who is responsible, in real time.

It used to only show the EU, but now it covers more of the world, and they keep adding to it as information becomes available.

I am sad to say that my home state is consistently near the bottom of the rankings, vying with Victoria and Estonia for worst polluter. The noticeable thing is that people who do a lot of talking about renewables (eg Germany, Denmark) are not doing very well; and that places with really good results are, consistently, those with nuclear and hydro power.

Talk is cheap; this map shows that if you want actual results, then nuclear power or hydroelectricity are the only currently viable solutions.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

TSwizzle, the Alt-Right really needs to take this reality as seriously as Islam.

That's a non-starter. There was a movie theatre in a small town somewhere which decided to stage a female only viewing of the Wonder Woman movie, so the alt-right has worked itself in to such a tizzy that they need to lie down in a dark room with a cool towel in their head for a while.

It will be at least a couple of weeks before they'll be able to take on any new projects.

 

[repoman]

TSwizzle, the Alt-Right really needs to take this reality as seriously as Islam.

That's a non-starter. There was a movie theatre in a small town somewhere which decided to stage a female only viewing of the Wonder Woman movie, so the alt-right has worked itself in to such a tizzy that they need to lie down in a dark room with a cool towel in their head for a while.

It will be at least a couple of weeks before they'll be able to take on any new projects.

I have no idea what you are talking about

 

[barbos]

One of the benefits of the GW I read would be Saudi Arabia becoming uninhabitable, no more Mecca pilgrimage and stuff. Of course that could mean that they will move Mecca to Canada which would be bad.

 

[bilby]

One of the benefits of the GW I read would be Saudi Arabia becoming uninhabitable, no more Mecca pilgrimage and stuff. Of course that could mean that they will move Mecca to Canada.

Saudi Arabia is already mostly uninhabitable. But as long as there is loads of money, it doesn't matter - anywhere on Earth can be made comfortable if you don't care how much it costs.

 

[barbos]

One of the benefits of the GW I read would be Saudi Arabia becoming uninhabitable, no more Mecca pilgrimage and stuff. Of course that could mean that they will move Mecca to Canada.

Saudi Arabia is already mostly uninhabitable. But as long as there is loads of money, it doesn't matter - anywhere on Earth can be made comfortable if you don't care how much it costs.

Well, you would literally die without portable (oil powered no doubt) A/C unit. Right now you can cool yourself down by perspiration.

 

[bilby]

Saudi Arabia is already mostly uninhabitable. But as long as there is loads of money, it doesn't matter - anywhere on Earth can be made comfortable if you don't care how much it costs.

Well, you would literally die without portable (oil powered no doubt) A/C unit. Right now you can cool yourself down by perspiration.

Not without portable drinking water.

Most of Earth is uninhabitable for humans without some level of technology. Arabia particularly so.

 

[TSwizzle]

One of the benefits of the GW I read would be Saudi Arabia becoming uninhabitable, no more Mecca pilgrimage and stuff. Of course that could mean that they will move Mecca to Canada which would be bad.

Global warming or not, they are in the process of doing that already.