As to climate change, I think the human race, and to a large extent our economies, will survive even if the globe warms 2-3 degrees C. The problem is that the impacts will fall heavily on the poor.
Does a freeze that cost Texas $100 billion and killed 200 people suck? Does Hurricane Harvey having similar impact suck? Yes, absolutely. And those kind of things are going to get worse with further climate change. And yet Texas recovers and chugs along (except for the poor people who got crushed underfoot in the process). I'm not trying to make light of those things. But Hiroshima was completely destroyed 76 years ago and yet today is a thriving city. People are resilient. To quote that weighty philosophical movie, "Life finds a way."
In no way am I saying that we shouldn't try to do better and stave off disasters. That we shouldn't work together and take care of the vulnerable instead of every man for himself. I'm saying that the predictions of ultimate doom don't really help. The actual, more measured doom is enough!
Does a freeze that cost Texas $100 billion and killed 200 people suck? Does Hurricane Harvey having similar impact suck? Yes, absolutely. And those kind of things are going to get worse with further climate change. And yet Texas recovers and chugs along (except for the poor people who got crushed underfoot in the process). I'm not trying to make light of those things. But Hiroshima was completely destroyed 76 years ago and yet today is a thriving city. People are resilient. To quote that weighty philosophical movie, "Life finds a way."
In no way am I saying that we shouldn't try to do better and stave off disasters. That we shouldn't work together and take care of the vulnerable instead of every man for himself. I'm saying that the predictions of ultimate doom don't really help. The actual, more measured doom is enough!
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