I joined @katydaigle and @iron_emu on @Reuters yesterday to talk all things climate. We received so many questions we weren't able to get through them all so I wanted to answer a few more here. Here we go! pscp.tv/w/1gqxvagqNBjJB
First, if you'd prefer to watch our chat on YouTube, here is the link: and while you're there, don't forget to subscribe to Global Weirding too! globalweirdingseries.com
Q. What's the most serious thing standing in the way of genuinely effective action on climate?
A. Our “threat-meter” is upside-down. We see sol'ns as posing an imminent risk but impacts as distant/far off. There are many ways to help flip this. Here's one: ted.com/talks/katharin…
Q. Which sovereign governments are performing best and worst regarding the Paris Agreement?
A. This is what @climateactiontr tracks, and here’s where we currently stand. Note the US and Russia: both gray, while China is red. For more, see: climateactiontracker.org/countries/
Q. Is voting more impt right now than a single person's individual reductions?
A. Action at all levels is key - and talking about what we are doing, equally so! But if you live in the US I'd agree voting is the single most impactful climate action you can take this fall.
Q. What do you think of the report of recycling being taken to the dump?
A. Where I live, they already did that yrs ago so I know how it feels: frustrating + discouraging! This shows why system-wide change is SO impt. We can do our best but w/o it, the deck's stacked against us.
Q. How well, or how poorly, is the media handling these problems?
A. According to @YaleClimateComm, people don’t hear much about climate in the media, but they want to! I'd add though: we need stories on local impacts + viable sol'ns, not more doomsday clickbait headlines.
Q. Which demographics are most and least interested in climate change?
A. The main predictor of US climate opinions is POLITICS. The more conservative, the more likely to reject. By demographic, tho, Hispanic/Latino are most concerned + conservative white are least concerned.
Q. In your experience is it a good idea to connect Covid to climate change, or is that a bridge too far?
A. Climate change is the great threat multiplier, exposing the weaknesses in our society and amplifying them. So no, I don’t think it’s too far. Watch:
Q. If we magically stop emissions today, how long would it take for the climate to stabilise?
A. Atmospheric CO2 levels will stabilise when humans are taking up as much CO2 as they produce (when the bathtub drain=the tap), but it will take climate thousands of years to rebalance.
I've also gotten a lot of questions lately about how long CO2 lasts in the atmosphere. Here is an explainer from a Nat'l Academy report I co-authored a few years ago called "Climate Stabilization Targets" (good reading if you want to learn more!) nap.edu/catalog/12877/…
Finally, a thread I wrote earlier that explains the Paris targets
And to end, the thread (or my chat with @neiltyson if you prefer video!) that explains how our coronavirus response affected carbon emissions and climate and why that is both discouraging AND hopeful.
I answered many other questions in the video but if you'd rather read a synopsis, @lauriegoering has it covered! news.trust.org/item/202009251…
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