Don't overstate 1.5 degrees C threat, new IPCC head says – DW – 07/30/2023
www.dw.com
Jim Skea, the new head of the UN's IPCC, said it's not helpful to imply that a temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius is an existential threat to humanity. He calls for a balanced approach to the climate change debate.

In short, we aren’t on track to an apocalyptic extinction, and the new head is concerned that rhetoric that we are is making people apathetic and paralyzes them from making beneficial actions.

He makes it clear too that this doesn’t mean things are perfectly fine. The world is becoming and will be more dangerous with respect to climate. We’re going to still have serious problems to deal with. The problems just aren’t insurmountable and extinction level.

  • heeplr@feddit.deEnglish
    0·
    1 year ago

    because it’s making people feel hopeless and apathetic, which is actually slowing our efforts to change.

    That’s the thing I don’t get. How to come to such a conclusion?

    If you ever have been on a sinking ship, you know how suddenly even the worst enemies will cooperate willingly quite well in face of time pressure and a life threat. Some might even be willing to sacrifice themselves when in such a situation, even a few minutes gained can make a huge difference. But aswell if the situation seems hopeless.

    It’s totally atypical for most humans to just accept fate and relax in any life threatening situation. Humans tend to die fighting/ defending.

      • heeplr@feddit.deEnglish
        0·
        1 year ago

        climate change unstoppable != scary life threatening consequences

        Those are two entirely different narratives.

        (And I didn’t get past the paywall.)

        • jemorgan@lemm.eeEnglish
          0·
          1 year ago

          Homie I’m trying to explain what you’re obviously not understanding about this, and you keep responding with arguments about how you’re correct to not understand or something?

          Guy said “don’t be hyperbolic about the 1.5c goal because if people feel hopeless they are less likely to act.” We shouldn’t be acting like the scary life threatening consequences of climate change are unstoppable. That is one narrative, you silly goof.

          • heeplr@feddit.deEnglish
            0·
            1 year ago

            Guy said “don’t be hyperbolic about the 1.5c goal because if people feel hopeless they are less likely to act.”

            Then he’s wrong. But it’s more likely you misread the study since that’s not the conclusion.

            • jemorgan@lemm.eeEnglish
              0·
              1 year ago

              My guy I can only imagine how hard it must be to go through life completely illiterate.

              “The belief that climate change is unstoppable reduces the behavioural and policy response to climate change and moderates risk perception.”

              • heeplr@feddit.deEnglish
                0·
                1 year ago

                So you are saying

                “The belief that climate change is unstoppable”

                is the same thing as

                “a temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius is an existential threat to humanity”

                Those are fundamentially different things and you just pulled some study you think is fitting to OPs article. But allright… I’m the one who’s illiterate.

    • mojofrododojo@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      1 year ago

      they want a slow boil, keeps the panic down and diminishes the odds there will be a ‘bastards up against the wall’ moment for the ones responsible.

      • heeplr@feddit.deEnglish
        0·
        1 year ago

        there will be a ‘bastards up against the wall’ moment for the ones responsible.

        i can’t see how that could prevent that. Quite the opposite, if half-assed efforts (without “state of emergency”) lead to higher impact, people will get angrier than with lower impact, simply because more will have to struggle harder.