To worry that the planet is heating faster than we have been led to expect and whether we can cope?

[100thingstoknowaboutspace]

I understand that extreme weather events, including spikes in temperatures and longer heatwaves, are a result of smaller incremental rises in global temperature. But the rate of heat records and large jumps in the temperatures during those spikes and heatwaves that we have experienced during the last 10 years feels off the scale for me, and I am wondering how we can actually cope if it continues at this pace? Climate experts talk about 2 degrees warming by mid century, but if we experience heatwaves that are 5 or more degrees hotter or go on longer than this one, I genuinely don't understand how we will cope. At the moment my flat is only just tolerable - with every measure of cooling I could think of. A few degrees more, and survival is literally threatened. Whereas humans may be able to cope with 5, 10 etc degrees lower, as it is easier to heat up, it seems we are reaching the edge of survivability in terms of being able to stay cool enough to maintain life. Not only here in the UK obviously.

I do believe there is still action that we as individuals and as a country (which in turn may impact other countries) can take, but I am scared that things are worse than even experts, in their carefully hedged or caveated statements and predictions, cause us to believe. I am worried I won't be able to keep my child safe as they grow up.

Grateful if anyone can talk me down from this climate anxiety - and also, grateful for insight about what might be most effective for us to do.

It was a degree cooler in 1976.

If they are claiming it’s all going to shit in 2050 then I probably won’t still be alive by then.

On the plus side it sorts out the so called crisis about people not having enough children and the economic impact of that long term.

I don’t understand how your flat could only be barely tolerable if you’ve done every cooling measure you can think of — air conditioning can make it so that any space is extremely comfortable no matter the temperature outside.

And, yet, globally only about 10% of solar panels are recycled because it's too difficult / too expensive.

We really have been rather silly when it comes to solar panels.

But you don't know that every child will have an unimaginably hard life full of suffering. I actually would put money on that not being the case for the majority of children born in the uk today. You are speculating that every child born today is doomed to a life of suffering, and I would love to know your sources for that prediction because it is certainly an audacious one.

Whether you think it is ethical to have a child knowing that, being born in the uk, they will likely contribute significantly more to the climate crisis than a child born in a less developed country is another question. As i am sure you are aware, one western human produces far more carbon than someone born in parts of africa for example.

I definitely agree with your second paragraph. Wanting a comfortable life and wanting to do what we want, consume what we want and as much as we want is a huge problem and making a significant change to humanity and the planet will mean very difficult decisions for future governments. Marketing, influencing, wanting the economy to grow at all costs are another problem.

Also, in case you missed it, I did say that I applaud people choosing not to have any children for the sake of the planet. So if that is you, I am grateful to you.

Yes the elite billionaires can go first then

I think it depends where people live. Scotland certainly isn't hot, 29c isnt hot. Itsvwry warn if anyone mentions Aberdeen Parts of Ireland are still waiting for the heattwave.

No, it's a thing! I picked a random book at the airport and it addressed this!
Long story short, Homo sapiens, modern humans, have no natural predators anymore, and no competition, and so are lacking genetic diversity. This book detailed the belief of some that, unless we separate and reintroduce humans, ie: through colonising the moon and then reintroduce the different factions, humanity will end.
It would take 100s of 1000s of years, but maybe these billionaires also intend to live forever! 🤷

To add (as if my comment wasn't waffley enough - sorry)!

Can a child born in Britain today have a fulfilling, joyful life? Yes. Could they also face more environmental disruption than their grandparents did? Also yes. Those two statements are entirely compatible.

@SistarSystem I don’t know if there will be unimaginable suffering. What I actually think is we will run out of drinking water. The UK have not built any completed reservoirs since 1992, but our population has significantly increased. Of course nothing is certain.

I don’t have children, I have never flown, I don’t drive, we have solar panels on the house, a family of three adults produces half a black bag of rubbish every fortnight. We recycle everything possible.

So my conscience is clear that I have done everything possible.

Be anxious.

Despite climate scientists and activists publicly warning everyone that we were nearing a tipping point decades ago, humans have continued with all the activities that led us to this point.
The vast majority of politicians and pundits and ignored the problem (or sought to make money out of it - which is also what most corporations have tried to do).
It's too late to change the trajectory.
We are one of the only species stupid enough to transform the planet into one that will not support our existence for much longer.

Things you could do to mitigate the effects slightly in your life:

Move to a different place. One that is less likely to get overheated, or suffer in some other way from the impacts of climate chaos (incl flooding, landslides etc - it really isn't just about occasional heatwaves)

Don't contribute further to the problem. Aim to stop using fossil fuels for your personal transportation, taking any flights, eating an unsustainable diet, buying consumerist crap, having any more children/ grandchildren, buying brand-new clothes...

Teach your child the practical skills they'll need as the world gets more unstable. How to do more for themselves, rely on repairing things rather than buying new, being part of a community that shares resources etc....

Mumsnet will say you haven’t lived if you haven’t travelled extensively!!!!

That is obviously a real concern! I am concerned too - actually that is a massive understatement!! And that is far from my only concern.

But I think that being totally paralysed by fear and taking an attitude that we are certainly, imminently doomed, can be as dangerous as the people denying there is a climate crisis at all. Both lead to inaction and complacency.

Just my opinion obviously

It's honestly been heartwarming reading this thread. So many well informed comments and surprisingly few uninformed sceptics. All the factors mentioned beyond temperature increase (which will be devastating enough) are so important, too. Food security, water security, vast amounts of climate migration, sea level rise, the likelihood of migration of invasive plants and insects that have no natural predators here, sea surface temperature rise and acidification, collapse of AMOC are all massive existential threats. Scientist have been warning the general population for decades.

I am not currently a climate scientist but I studied it at degree level in the early 00s. It was (almost entirely) undisputed in academic circles 25 years ago. The (very basic) greenhouse mechanisms were taught at GCSE even then. None of this is new. We, as a species, have done virtually nothing about it. But this thread 20 years ago would have been full of people that didn't understand the strength of the science and were sceptical. Thankfully, it is now recognised as the conspiracy theory it is that there are 'natural' causes - it genuinely gives me hope and I hope it does for you, too, OP ❤️

The state of education . . . .

Climate change could cause damage to complex systems, which can cause severe cold winters in set areas that can overpower the overall global warming for local climates.

This isn't even a particularly difficult example of that which apparently baffled you.

Absolute nonsense.

The planet is warming faster than previously believed. But also we are decarbonising at a faster rate than previously expected.

We need to keep the pressure on to hit net zero. We have already reduced our carbon output in the UK by 50% i.e. halfway to net zero.

I'm not sure what you consider to be unimaginable suffering, but running out of drinking water is pretty top of my list of things I will need to survive.

Permission has been granted for another reservoir in the South East but we're running to stand still. It won't make a tangible difference because the population is now so much bigger. As Jamiroquai said, "it's virtual insanity".

Obviously nonsense.

We won't "run out" of drinking water FFS! It's entirely possible we'll need to introduce local micro-water capture and filtration but it's still going to rain in the UK!

I enjoy your 90s musical reference and i take seriously the concern that our water supply is under threat!

However, the uk is not expected to run out of drinking eater entirely in the imminently future. There may be regional shortages which I really do not want to minimise as that is a horrendous thought.

But speaking in absolutes about how children born today will suffer their whole lives is something I do take issue with.

Maybe we will have to search....deeper underground, geddit? For water? Jamiroquai?

Ahem. Sorry.

If the UK got hotter and the summers became drier, we would be at big risk of running out of usable drinking water.

It's probably worth reminding yourself of the ratio of fresh water to saltwater on earth, with the appropriate adjustment for freshwater frozen at the poles.

Changes to the water system in an environment is the prime driver of mass migration. And even in the UK, local migration. Plenty of settlements that just disappeared when the climate changed.

That said, I totally agree about better micromanagement. But you don't get bonuses for that,

The UK lack storage to capture and store enough water, especially during heatwaves.

Ummm its really NOT like no one mentioned it ffs.

Not unless you a psychopath.