Merger of Climate Change and Weather topics.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

I'm proposing that we suggest to MNHQ that we merge these two boards. There are a few reasons that I suggest this:

Weather and climate change are inherently interconnected and the impacts of climate change are becoming obvious in our every day experience of weather. It is becoming increasingly hard to talk about one, without referring to the other. Although weather refers to the day-to-day atmospheric conditions and climate change refers to long-term shifts in weather patterns, if we merge the two boards, we can better understand how weather events and climate change are related.

It would help contribute to raising awareness about climate change and its impact on weather patterns. It will also allow better discussion of mitigation and adaptation measures. For example, when talking about the recent heat and last years record breaking temperatures, inevitably conversation drifts to 'how can we cope, what can we do in the future'.

From a pragmatic point of view, both boards are relatively quiet and by sharing a space the visibility of both Weather and, more importantly in a way, Climate Change would be given a traffic boost.

I am cross-posting this proposal to both boards, so that we can gauge support and if the general feeling is of either 'meh, I don't care, I'm ignoring this thread' or more hopefully 'yes, that's a good idea' then we can take it to MNHQ.

I agree with you.

Thanks Summerhill.

Definitely agree , great idea x

Good idea.

Thanks Sunglasses and Meglet.

I want this thread to have good visibility by the Climate Change posters, so that it isn't dominated by the view of the Weather posters.

This is a summary of the views, mostly expressed in the Weather section.

"Reading everyones responses carefully, to summarise:

The majority of responses are in favour, (21) some are either meh (3), or against the idea (3). Their main concern is they are worried about being lectured to on Weather threads.

The above tallies include three respondees from the thread in the Climate Change topic.

So this is our current provisional proposal:

'That a new Sustainability section be created. That a new topic 'Weather and Climate Change' be created by merging the two topics 'Weather' and 'Climate Change' porting all the old threads over from both. That this new topic, along with 'Ethical living' be placed into the Sustainability section.

I've put Weather as the first subject in the topic header because this is the topic that tends to interest more people day to day. It's not because I think it is more important.

Perhaps a short 'explainer' paragraph could be pinned to the top of the Weather and Climate Change section, explaining what the difference is. Would this be helpful?

If a new sustainability section were created, which other existing topics might like to be pulled over into it? Ethical living is currently in Homes and Gardens, so we need to check with them that they would be happy with being moved over. What about 'preppers' who reside in 'others'. I know they are a topic that divides opinion, but arguably there is a lot of overlap with sustainability. "

Any additional thoughts before we take this to MNHQ? I will flag this with the Ethical living and prepper peeps.

This sounds good.

I agree with a Sustainability group of topics.

But if you look down this topic, most of it is not about the weather, so I don't think it should be merged

If two topics are to be merged, Climate Change and Ethical Living have threads with closer overlap

If you look at the threads in this topic, you can count on the fingers of one hand the number that are to do with the weather.

I don't think this topic should be merged with Weather

Possibly with ethical living, if MNHQ want to reduce the number of topics

Circling back to where we started.

The majority of people who responded thought that a Weather and Climate (change) topic was a good idea. Because as we said at the start, Weather and Climate change are inherently and inextricably linked. We absolutely cannot talk about the weather, without discussing the impact of change and how to mitigate against the impacts of weather that will become increasingly more extreme.

I know that people also like the fluffy chat weather threads and they would stay.

Is it a problem if there are other threads related to Climate Change in that topic? I don't think so personally. But if lots of others think it is a problem then:

Weather and Climate change.
Climate Action
Ethical living.

All under a sustainability umbrella.

Im going to ask MN to move it into site stuff for consideration now.

Negotiating by MN thread is tough.

oh no! I thought I was in the Weather topic where this reply made more sense.

Im going to ask MN to move the other thread that is longer.

Definitely weather and climate merge.