To think we’ve already f****d it up when it comes to the environment.

[MynameisWa]

Am I being unreasonable in thinking we’ve already passed the point of no return when it comes to the environment and that it’s just no one in power or in the know wants to be the one to admit it?

Sadly I agree...fuck all will come of cop 26.just like all the other cops. .The human race is fucked. ,the planet will survive without us. its depressing

I suppose it's more about how to minimise the damage where possible

We should have been making significant changes before now but we can absolutely minimise the worst extremes. We really have no choice. It’s a no brainer now. Do or die.

I agree too. I think anyone who thinks differently is deluding themselves. Massive change needs to be implemented now. It won’t be though, because commercial interests are at stake and most people don’t really care.
I was talking to a Physicist about this yesterday. He is firmly of the opinion that it’s too late for mankind.

No. We’re close but a lot of incredibly clever people who know a lot more about the science than I do say there’s still a chance.

If countries deliver on the commitments made up to yesterday, it takes us finally below 2 degrees. The deforestation agreement is a genuine breakthrough. If we can sort out finance - baby steps from Rishi today but frankly amazed he went as far as he he did - then that is a huge global shift.

We are right on the precipice, for sure. But for the first time in years I actually feel a little bit hopeful.

I need to have hope for my DDs sake, but I'm not sure humanity has got it in us to fix it.

Well you may be right when it comes to cop26 but that’s not really a reason to just say ‘fuck it, let it all burn’
It was Greta Thunberg who I heard saying ‘if we don’t manage 1.5, we aim for 1.6, if we don’t manage that we aim for 1.7’ we don’t just give up. (I may be paraphrasing a bit)
Do you have children? Shouldn’t we keep on trying to ensure a more secure and positive future for them?

Smartiepants79

Well you may be right when it comes to cop26 but that’s not really a reason to just say ‘fuck it, let it all burn’
It was Greta Thunberg who I heard saying ‘if we don’t manage 1.5, we aim for 1.6, if we don’t manage that we aim for 1.7’ we don’t just give up. (I may be paraphrasing a bit)
Do you have children? Shouldn’t we keep on trying to ensure a more secure and positive future for them?

Agree.

I read that the planet will survive, it’s just humans that will disappear off the face of the earth.

Good riddance.

It is beyond depressing and monumentally terrifying. Not just cop but also the biodiversity crisis. Just look at all the stuff about water companies being allowed to discharge raw sewage, in the press last week. But we have to try. Because what's the alternative?! Not trying?!

It’s actually not that hard. Lots of reduction in carbon requires doing nothing:

Don’t book a holiday that requires a flight.
Don’t buy as much meat and dairy.
Don’t buy so much stuff.

Obviously it will need more than just that but if all households in the richer nations did that it would make a big difference. It’s all about degrees.

I’m aiming for the 5tonne carbon lifestyle. Some things have been harder than others. The times I yearn to hop on a plane and lie by a pool somewhere- but it’s not a ‘need’ and it’s not my right. It’s unnecessary and my responsibility to future generations and those at risk right now is way greater than my desire for a lie down in the sun. It’s a loss for sure but I want to look my DC in the eye and say ‘I did what I could’.

Squeezita

I read that the planet will survive, it’s just humans that will disappear off the face of the earth.

Good riddance.

Yes. I sometimes think that too. We are a parasite on the earth. But I have DC and I work with children. Their future is looking frightening- I want to do what I can to minimise just quite how bad it will be. It’s our responsibility I believe.

I don't think most people are willing to make the lifestyle changes needed for this.

I mean, look on Mumsnet on any given day. Threads about how it's 'minging' not to wash towels after every single use or not shower twice a day, threads about fucking beauty advent calendars which are full of tat half of which the recipient won't even use because they never wanted it in the first place, threads about how disgusting tap water is, about how they want their next brand new car which is replacing their current 3 year old car to be electric 'because of the environment', endless threads about buying stuff a lot of which is shipped halfway across the world, about holidays abroad.

I just don't know if people are willing to give it all up?

And don't talk to me about Leonardo DiCaprio, who literally must have one of the biggest carbon footprints of any human being in this history of this planet ever, telling everyone what they need to do to tackle climate change.

Greta Thunberg says not. She knows a great deal more about it than I do 🤷‍♀️

Thefartingsofaofdenmarkstreet

If people were aware of the horrors to come they would - but it’s not been reported on.

Also, that’s why it needs to be legislated for. We all have had to use energy efficient lightbulbs because the old ones were banned.

We need the worlds leaders to put in place legislation that forces us to change our ways. That’s unpopular and so they haven’t.

That’s why those that do fully understand what’s to come and care about it, need to pressure the powers that be to take the bold decisions needed.

I agree with you. The main problem with these long ranging issues is that politicians of all stripes go for the quick wins. It's much harder to sell a policy where the gains may not be evident until decades into the future, especially if it involves lifestyle changes and increased costs to businesses in the immediate future.

There is also such a big disconnect in people's minds. It's easy to blame China for example but so much of the cheap stuff we are so used to buying is made there, so of course China is creating high emissions- we have just moved the problem there from our own countries. I used to have a small product based business and I don't think people realise how everything is made in China. Even things like enamel pin badges because the metal plating process is so toxic and high in pollution it isn't permitted in Europe.

YABU I'm an environmental scientist and it depends on your definition of design fucked. If you are being completely human centric and you mean we are fucked then you might have a point. The environment will adapt and change as it always does. People need to think far more holistically about humans being part of the wider environment. Start reducing what you consume and start helping to protect what we have (practically not just clicking on posts on social media).

There's a lot of money in eco initiatives and being able to provide a service to work towards lower emissions, I'm sure the government will invest when their mates have set up businesses.

The reality I suppose is that the way we live is at odds with the natural world and the planet. Destroying things, building things, using things that aren't being replenished at the same rate, controlling animals, burning stuff. But realistically how many people would be willing to make huge sacrifices? Probably not loads. People pour scorn on China for their high levels of emissions, but some is producing cheap tat that gets shopping across the globe; we are all culpable in that.

Yes... Far to late.... Reorganising the deckchairs on the titanic as it sinks...

Unless their is a huge global population correction in the next decade... I'm talking huge... Even a loss of life like ww2 isn't enough as quickly replaced...

Nature is trying.. Pandemics and bad weather and alike.. We are trying.... Wars & by slowly killing ourselves in our own pollution....
But Gaia hypothesis.. The world will survive... Once its got rid of the problem... aka us...

I suppose dinosaurs were arguably the dominant animal before the ice age/asteroid weren't they? Not in terms if intelligence necessarily but I wouldn't imagine humans walked around freely without fear back then and we weren't in a position to control them as we do now with animals. It will be interesting to know what the next dominant species will be when we are gone, I'm guessing not an animal in the ocean just because of logistics, so a land dwelling creature; cats perhaps?

I don’t know why everyone is suddenly handwringing now as though it’s a new thing, my Blue Peter Green Book outlines it all quite clearly in 1991, we’ve had loads of time.

Ants?

@hollyhead totally agree.. My 6th form chemistry text book was dated 1973 and went into lots of detail about emissions and the effect climate change would have on the environment and concerns about water pollution

Greta etc have to install hope as we can’t give up.

Carrying on is not an option. We have already depleted the Earth’s resources so change has to happen whether in the interest of future generations or not. No landfill space. No land for agriculture. No decent land for homes. Toxic soil. Litter everywhere.

Even if we all reduce carbon footprints to 5 tonnes it won’t make a difference because ppl in developing countries are increasing theirs.

Even if the UK’s population decreases, which it is, the hlibdd as l population which is getting richer and greedier is set to increase by three billion by 2050.

Expectations are also on the rise. As previous poster said up thread, we demand more convenience everyday, more style, more travel and the younger generations don’t know any other way.

We are way in up to our necks. And no one knows what to do about it.

That’s not to say we can’t and shouldn’t try and change or mitigate our impact.

But I think we’re not getting the whole picture.