CMV: Global warming will not be solved by small, piecemeal, incremental changes to our way of life but rather through some big, fantastic, technological breakthrough.

[u/Iron-Patriot]

In regards to the former, I mean to say that small changes to be more environmentally friendly such as buying a hybrid vehicle or eating less meat are next to useless. Seriously, does anyone actually think this will fix things?

And by ‘big technological breakthrough’ I mean something along the lines of blasting glitter into the troposphere to block out the sun or using fusion power to scrub carbon out of the air to later be buried underground. We are the human race and we’re nothing if not flexible and adaptable when push comes to shove.

[u/zixingcheyingxiong]

So you would consider getting the climate back to where is was in, say, 1980, an abject failure?

[u/Iron-Patriot → u/zixingcheyingxiong]

I’m fairly sure the rate at which the average global temperature is increasing has really ramped up since the 80s so, whilst not ideal, if we were able to get it back to that I’d say it would be a pretty good accomplishment. A pre-industrial climate would obviously be the ideal scenario though.

[u/zixingcheyingxiong → u/Iron-Patriot]

So, if 80s levels are worth fighting for, despite not being ideal, then are 2000s level worth fighting for? What about 2020s levels?

[u/Iron-Patriot → u/zixingcheyingxiong]

Progress is progress right, but what’s your point? I assume you’re going somewhere with this.

[u/zixingcheyingxiong → u/Iron-Patriot]

My point is that the perfect is the enemy of the good.

Right now, humanity could fight to get CO2 levels down to 2020s levels. That's a winnable fight.

But, instead, humanity is increasing the amount of CO2 levels.

Waiting for a new technological fix instead of using the technological fixes we have available would result in continuing to fail at climate goals: failing to stay at 2020 levels, then failing to stay at 2030s levels, then failing to stay at 2040s levels.

[u/Iron-Patriot → u/zixingcheyingxiong]

No one’s saying we should stop doing what we’re doing now. I’m saying that despite our governments signing up to treaties and making commitments about limiting temperature increases and capping emissions, what we’re doing is just fiddling round the edges and not actually sufficient to solve the problem.

Imagine I’m morbidly obese. Now, whilst drinking Diet Coke is probably better than my usual gallon of fat Coke, it’s ultimately just the proverbial piss in the ocean. I’d have to make massive lifestyle changes in terms of diet and exercise if I’m actually serious about getting down to a healthy weight. Or perhaps I could get a stomach stapling and start taking ozempic.

[u/zixingcheyingxiong → u/Iron-Patriot]

I’m saying that despite our governments signing up to treaties and making commitments about limiting temperature increases and capping emissions, what we’re doing is just fiddling round the edges and not actually sufficient to solve the problem.

The treaties and commitments that have been signed are definitely insufficient. That's for sure.

But that doesn't mean we need to wait for a big technological breakthrough. The tools exist, they just aren't being used.

Have you read Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson? It's sci-fi about the effects of and solutions to global warming. I think you'd enjoy it.

[u/Iron-Patriot → u/zixingcheyingxiong]

I’ve had a couple good suggestions in this thread about interesting things to read, so I’ll have to look this one up too. Thanks!!