Optimistic, innovative and confident humans face adaptation challenges

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umans are generally optimistic, innovative and so confident that they can adapt to most things.

Many see global warming and just another of life’s “speed bumps” that will be easily smoothed out through technology and the adaptation that has been the hallmark of homo-species, particularly modern human beings.

However, global warming raises the bar even higher and so the need for adaptation is going to even more pressing and as suggested in a story by Vox, even “messier than we think”.

The story - “Adapting to climate change is going to be a lot messier than we think” – discusses adaptation, saying: It's a hopeful idea. Except you can also find quite a few examples of places where we're doing the exact opposite of that — places where we're actively increasing our exposure to risks like floods and wildfires, either by building more homes in disaster-prone areas or by subsidizing those who do with taxpayer money.”

This is America, but here in Australia, the equation is strikingly similar.

Joe Romm explains 'The really awful truth' about climate change

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oe Romm understands the intricacies of the of the climate change conversation.

Joe Romm - 'The really awful truth".

Writing ClimateProgress he has questions the piece, “The awful truth about climate change no one wants to admit”, by former Grist columnist Dave Roberts, published recently on Vox.

Romm says, “The premise comes from an equally flawed commentary in Nature, “Policy: Climate advisers must maintain integrity” in which German analyst Oliver Geden argues that climate scientists (and others) have been “spreading false optimism,” about our chances of stabilizing below 2°C total global warming.”

The climate change deniers/doubters/skeptics love this infighting among climate change activists for while they debate, any action to mitigate climate change stalls.

Read Romm’s story - “The Really Awful Truth About Climate Change”

Joe Romm is an American author, blogger, physicist and climate expert who concentrates on methods of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming and increasing energy security through energy efficiency, green energy technologies and green transportation technologies.

View from the top of the food chain might not be so good

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umans (that is you and me) have been ruthless in securing our position at the top of the food chain.

Nothing, be that fellow species or the environment upon which we all depend, has been allowed stand in the way.

Our fellow species are disappearing at an alarming rate, because almost entirely because of our behaviour, and we are now poised for what might be a survival defining lesson.

Elizabeth Kolbert has written about the Sixth Great Extinction and now Vox asks the question, “What would happen if we lost one-sixth of Earth's species? We may just find out”.

Excitement quelled by sobering knowledge

-       by Robert McLean

Sitting next to an internationally known and recognized climate scientist was a sobering experience.

The Melbourne meeting some two years ago crackled with excitement as the speaker espoused the wonders of carbon capture and storage.

My friend lent over at one point and whispered that this was an absolutely unproved technology that was far from implemented, for many reasons, not to mention the cost.

Not for a second was there any doubt my friend’s view; a view that has been confirmed many times and again in story headed: “Can we build power plants that actually take carbon dioxide out of the air?” published by “Vox”.

That story, discussing the idea of removing carbon dioxide from the air while producing electricity said: “The sober news is that this technology is still in its infancy, far from commercialization, and expected to be quite expensive. And it can't really substitute for other ways to cut emissions; it's more of a complement. But this modelling effort suggests the technology is worth pursuing further.”