I’m a Climate Scientist. I Refuse to Give Up Hope

5 comments

1. We have done nothing. All that matters is global emissions. Tipping points are in our near future.

   I’m as guilty and complicit as the next person. Thank you for trying.

2. I understand still holding out hope that we can go fully green in energy production, but that will NOT stop the climate crisis.

   That’s what nobody seems to want to admit.

   If we don’t build an absolutely ASTRONOMICAL amount of carbon capture technology and deploy it worldwide, we could stop making energy tomorrow, and the climate would still collapse in a number of decades.

   Emissions are DEFINITELY NOT AT ALL the ONE THING that matters. Carbon capture is a vital and core aspect to averting crisis. One cannot solve the problem without the other. PERIOD.

3. At this point I think we need to start seriously looking at geo-engineering. Yes it’s a bandaid, but you know what? When you’re bleeding you use a bandaid.

   I really believe we will reach net-zero around the middle of the century. The technologies that make it possible have matured to the point where it seems inevitable, but we need to buy ourselves some time. We need to keep global temperatures from pushing us over disastrous thresholds.

4. I find it easier to give up hope for large-scale systemic change. Now, I focus on community and local resiliency to enjoy every good day I get. We are truly boned, but there is freedom in acceptance and moving anyway.

5. Pretty funny that the entire piece only manages enough concrete examples of progress to warrant half a paragraph. Here are Peter’s reasons for hope:

   >The cost of non-carbon energy alternatives has fallen so low, it is now cheaper to shut down existing coal plants than to keep running them. In 2023, China built as much solar photovoltaics capacity as the entire world did in 2022.

   China also *increased* its co2 emissions year over year.

   >Clean energy is the leading form of new electricity generation in the U.S., with solar reaching record levels in 2023. In 2024, wind and solar will generate more electricity than hydropower. In early 2025, renewable electricity generation will surpass coal to become the largest source of electricity globally.

   Nice to see coal dying, but fossil fuel use is increasing. Greenhouse gas emissions are increasing. The rate that the emissions are increasing is increasing.

   I’m a climate scientist. I have given up hope*

   ^^* ^^Of ^^staying ^^below ^^2C. ^^Still ^^worth ^^trying ^^to ^^stay ^^below ^^3-4 ^^C, ^^obviously.

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