'False optimism' climate warning (Guardian)

[arenean]

From The Guardian:

Climate scientists have warned that a "false optimism" has infused international climate talks and that governments must work quickly to set tough targets for global carbon emissions or risk profound consequences for the planet.

In strong language, the scientists have urged politicians to deliver "stringent emissions cuts and major adaptation efforts" to minimise the damage the next generation will encounter. They argue that the world has lost 10 years talking about climate change when it should have been taking action. "A curious optimism ... pervades the political arenas of the G8 and UN climate meetings. This is false optimism, and it is obscuring reality," they write in Nature Reports Climate Change. The authors are part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, but stress that in this paper they do not represent the panel.

The scientists say that even the most politically feasible target, of a 50% global reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 from the levels of 1990, would still entail "major global impacts". They used new modelling data on the impact of differing long-term cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. "For the first time we can read off what damages are avoided or not avoided for different amounts of emissions cuts," said Professor Martin Parry. In the shorter term there was an even chance of about 1 billion people being short of water by 2050. Because of the inertia in the climate system, by 2100 rising temperatures could threaten 20%-30% of species with extinction. Parry warned that action on the climate could falter as "the world becomes more obsessed with maintaining standards of living than protecting quality of life".

[Zachstar]

1. These talks are pointless in my view. Once oil hits 200 any thoughts on saving climate will die

With diesel prices the way they are we are starting down the face of a depression as truckers are already parking their rigs and giving up. No rigs = no effective exporting from state to state = depression.

Coal use is already exploding and there isn't a damn thing that can be done to stop it. Even if we said "sorry we will stop" the rest of the world has no choice but to go more to coal. China is NOT going to stop growing no matter how many times they say they are dedicated to climate. They cant even effectively control their plants for the Olympics.

Can we stop pretending we are not past the tipping point? Everything from this point forward depends on humanity finding a way to ACTIVELY fix these issues as passive crap is not going to stop it anymore.

We need to focus on getting sources like mass produced solar and fusion online so we can start the process.