Global warming is a huge problem; however, we can make it much worse if we keep burning fossil carbon and killing ecosystems.
The hopeful bit is that:
- Coal is dead. The US energy information administration confirms coal production is declining across the country. Greenpeace reports that globally “coal is in terminal decline.”
- Solar and battery cost and efficiencies already make sense, so much so that utilities must embrace them or die.
- Electric cars are coming faster than we imagine.
- Nearly 200 countries have signed-on to the Paris Agreement. The aim of the agreement is:
- Holding the increase in the global average temperature, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change;
- Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production;
- Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.
“Countries furthermore aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible.”
- If we do all this and more, we might save East Antarctica (which is another 150-200 feet of sea level rise over Greenland and West Antarctica melt of 30 feet SLR or so. Many species that are probably crucial to our survival could be saved.)
As for hope, it was said in another war, “It is not necessary to hope, in order to persevere.”
By Sidd Mukherjee and Daniel Brouse 2016