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Time is Up: New Report Suggests it’s too Late to Save the Planet

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coal plant

The Elektrownia Bełchatów coal power plant in Poland.

Humanity has less time than we thought to preserve the planet. In fact, it would take an extremely dramatic effort right now to prevent catastrophic climate change. Unfortunately, the U.S., one of the largest polluters in the world, has Republicans in control of the Presidency, House, Senate, and now the Supreme Court with the addition of political bias through Brett Kavanaugh. Republicans have denied the irrefutable proof of climate change for decades, and refuse to believe the overwhelming evidence that it is man-made. They’ve instead sided with oil companies and coal mining, destroying the planet to benefit from campaign contributions.

If it sounds like I’m being overly harsh, I’m not. The Republican Party is the only roadblock between the U.S. and stopping climate change. As one of the largest influencers on the global stage, as well as one of the world’s largest polluters, the U.S. is in a unique position to change the tides of global warming. Instead, they’re electing Republicans who are willing to accelerate it for personal gain.

We used to believe that we had decades to get climate change under control. Scientists believed that we had until global temperature averages hit 2ºC above industrial averages before the climate became extremely unlivable for many species, including humans. We were wrong on both accounts. A new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report says humanity only has until temperature averages hit 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels, and we’re on track to hit 3ºC before any technology could exist on a global scale to reverse the pattern. We’re on the path to hit 1.5ºC in 10-15 years. We have just one decade to fix the planet. Conservative politicians won’t let us do it.

Climate Catastrophe

XKCD webcomic showing drastic effect humans have had on global warming.What are we talking about when we say things like 1.5ºC over pre-industrial levels? I’ll point you to this wonderful timeline from XKCD. If we want to look to a time when temperatures were, largely, stabilized, we need to look to the past few thousand years. For over 10,000 years, the global average temperature didn’t change very much. All less than 1ºC above or below a middle point. Then humans discovered the power of burning things and containing combustion. The industrial revolution happened. We started burning everything we could. Wood to heat water for steam engines. Then on to oil and methane gas. This caused the most rapid change in global temperatures that we can possibly record. The carbon, released to the atmosphere, traps heat, causing a greenhouse effect. Since then, temperatures have spiked. If we follow the current path, we could cause a 4ºC difference in global temperature by 2100.

For comparison, the ice age, where glaciers stood taller than skyscrapers, was only a 4º difference, and that change took over 10,000 years. Humans would cause heating greater than that in just a few hundred years. The change to the planet would be catastrophic. Earth, 4ºC warmer than it is now, would be an unlivable place, inconceivably different from the place we live now.

2ºC or 1.5ºC?

However, for humans, a planet that is merely 2º warmer would be catastrophic. Species would die and oceans would become less diverse, more empty. Food would become scarce. Landmass would shrink as ocean levels rose. We’d fight in wars for shrinking land and dwindling resources that only end with humanity’s ultimate demise.

With a great deal of work, starting right now, we could miss 2ºC. We could potentially save the planet. However, as it turns out, 1.5ºC would be devastating and cause drastic changes in climate that would lead to powerful storms, shrunken landmass, increased wildfires, desertification, and, yes, war. Some of this we’re already seeing. Unprecedented droughts in Syria lead to civil unrest and civil war. Wildfires ravage the western coast. The south east is hit with “100 year” storms every year, and the north east snaps between unseasonable hot and arctic cold.

According to a new report, 1.5ºC should be our target. We must stop global warming there and reverse it. Humanity and millions of other species may not survive if we don’t.

The Report

1.5º could be too hot for the planetA report from the IPCC states that catastrophic climate change is closer than we anticipated. 91 scientists from 40 countries analyzed more than 6,000 scientific studies. They concluded that the atmosphere will warm by 1.5ºC by 2040. We have less than a decade to take drastic and unprecedented action to prevent this. The report warns of increased poverty, food shortages, rising coastlines, islands disappearing, extreme weather, droughts, and global human conflict.

The report points out that, at our current level of about 1ºC above pre-industrial levels, we’re already seeing many of the negative effects of climate change. Another half of a degree centigrade would do far more damage to the livability of this planet than we anticipated.

“Limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared with 2°C would reduce challenging impacts on ecosystems, human health and well-being, making it easier to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”

-Priyardarshi Shukla, Co-Chair of IPCC Working Group III

The conclusions made by these 91 scientists and 6,000 scientific studies is clear. Climate change will have an extremely negative impact on this planet. Limiting humanity’s impact on the global climate to 1.5ºC instead of 2.0ºC will save lives, prevent conflict, and give us more overhead to invest in new technologies to sequester carbon dioxide emissions.

If we don’t stop producing CO2 emissions now, and begin investing in ways to reclaim CO2 from the atmosphere, we will doom this planet and the people who will be living on it. According to this report, many of us will still be alive when the impact of climate change is at its worst.

Politician Response

The proper response to this would be drastic action. Raise taxes on CO2 emissions to well over $100/ton. Consider a tax in the thousands. We’d have to stop burning coal immediately and power our homes with an investment in renewable energy. We need a government sponsored effort to replace internal combustion engines with electric cars (or at least an electric drive train swap). Side note: I’m a car nut. That last sentence hurt my soul. Replace my tuned and turbo’d 2.0L Focus ST engine with a soulless electric? For the environment, for the future of this planet, of course.

Republicans

So what has been the Republican response? Surely they’re racing to protect their constituents, right? The once again irrefutable proof of climate change and the danger it brings to humanity surely got their attention, right?

Sorry, but no.

Republicans have ignored the report. Trump, when asked about it, cast doubt, saying, “I want to look at who drew it.” Presumably, he knows that the report was written, not drawn, but, honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if his staff has to deliver illustrated versions of all reports that land on his desk, as he reportedly refuses to read. His full stance on the matter, for your consideration, is below.

“It was given to me. And I want to look at who drew it. You know, which group drew it. I can give you reports that are fabulous, and I can give you reports that aren’t so good. But I will be looking at it, absolutely.”

-President of the United States of America, Donald J. Trump
(No, really)

Trump didn’t know who wrote the report entitled, “IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C,” sent out by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

He has not followed up his befuddled response with a more informed one yet.Donald Trump, as a reminder, has called climate change a Chinese Hoax.

The report was a summary of thousands of studies, with over 100 editors, and 91 scientists. It concluded that climate change is anthropological, that is, man-made, and the results of that anthropological climate change will cause disastrous effects worldwide. We have less than a decade to react.

Trump, meanwhile, has dialed back climate change prevention efforts. He has removed restrictions placed on coal and other polluters. As a result, he may have slowed our progress on climate change by 1-2% in his first two years alone, with compounding effects that could be disastrous on their own.

Democrat Response

The democrats are not in charge of anything. A man screamed and ranted about liking beer, farting, drinking games, and refuting the numerous claims of former classmates and even a police report, yet was still confirmed to the supreme court because democrats have no power. Still, a response from representatives of the party would be welcome, especially heading into midterms. The democratic base should be energized, ready to tackle climate change and, without overstating what’s happening here, save the planet.

Largely, the democratic response has been lacking as well. However, Bill Clinton called the report a “wake up call.” Furthermore, four top democrats, Barbara Boxer, Robert Menendez, Patty Murray, and Ron Wyden wrote a letter to the president, imploring he take action. They wrote, “The US must propose a strong target for emissions reductions after 2020 in order to internationalize our strong efforts to reduce carbon pollution at home.”

Democrats have plenty on their plate. They’re defending their constituents against attacks on the rights of women, LGBTQ people, immigrants, and non-Christians, to fighting challenges to voters’ rights, and even attempting (in vain) to block an unqualified man from becoming a supreme court justice. However, this report should have triggered an outcry from the left, even if it would have fallen on deaf ears. While virtually powerless on a federal level, state and local politicians could do more to fight climate change at home. Every little bit counts.

What Should WE Do?

I try to be subtle in my partisan bias, even remain neutral when I can stomach it, but I can’t here. The biggest thing you can do to prevent the deaths, destruction, war, and extinctions that will come from climate change is to vote Democrat. The Democrats, while lacking the passion we’d like to see from them, are our only hope. They’re the only party trying to do anything to prevent climate change.

You can also take small measures on your own. Consider going vegetarian or vegan, as plant crop farming uses far fewer resources than meat. Too much effort? Try “meatless Monday,” cutting meat out of your diet on just one day of the week. Every little bit helps, and you might find you like going veg (hey, I did!). You could also consider carpooling, or taking public transit, if available. Eat locally sourced foods. Buy solar credits, or use a device like the SunPort to do so automatically. At home, my SunPort powers my entire computer setup. When you’re thinking about buying a new vehicle, consider getting an electric or hybrid one. At least consider the turbocharged 4 cylinder model instead of a V6 or V8.

You’re just one person. It can sometimes feel like nothing you do matters. However, what you do matters a whole lot. You can influence friends through your actions. You could help elect politicians who will strive to make a difference. It might not feel like much, but you do have the power to make a small difference. If we all make our own little small differences, we can save the planet. But we have to act right now.

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