The feedback structures in high-order nonlinear feedback systems persistently draw attention away from high-leverage points (social change), towards low-leverage points (technology, consumption).
We need to learn to distinguish symptoms (greenhouse gas emissions) from causes (structures that generate activities causing direct or embodied GHG emissions). Yet most sustainability and climate science focuses on symptoms that cannot possibly solve deeper structural problems.
just a quick reminder to whomsoeverhereontwitter it concerns that when we call out <deep structural systemic problems that currently have no solutions> that may sound like 'giving up' to y'all (but just because you read shallowly); I never say that, it's lit a problem of language
Most typical & most often misunderstood example: poor Roy Scranton RIP his twitter account
--so long, if y'all know whatever I just said, take it as a sign that you're too deep into climate & should get out more :)
I’m struggling with “systems thinking” /-er; the word feels awkward at best, or distancing / arrogant often. But what other noun is there?
Most people don’t think in this way, it’s not at all intuitive in modern civilization, where success follows narrow expertise & reductionism
Regular reminder that these aren’t just academic pursuits; the difference between systems & linear thinking this year is measured in hundreds of thousands of lives, & many more affected. A stunning failure of western language, culture & education, theatlantic.com/technology/arc…
Thread with useful references & second the climate justice point. Only, recommend being careful with those cost estimates that have been going around and seem too-good-to believe. Any bet that they are.
I tire to repeat this but we can turn circles around temperature estimates, pointlessly creating complexity, or focus on concentrations data, to gain some clarity. 413 ppm now. Hansen 2007. Start there —🙏 @CarlSchleussner
How is everyone seemingly so afraid of pointing out the obvious problems. Folks if we just wanna have fun, then I can think of way better things to do than climate discourse.
These never get old. “crucial to remember that humanity still has great sway over how much we disrupt the climate in the coming decades.” —the problem here isn’t researchers’ <climate models>, which are very sophisticated, but their simplistic ideas of <society>, & how it changes
No one seems to care: in the sense of, the metrics of this paper don’t seem to be skyrocket quite yet. Internet, do your thing. This is relevant enough, our future & SDGs after all 🙏🥳cambridge.org/core/journals/… /@SaraSchurmann@gri_mm :)
Someone reminded me I did some editing years ago. Rewatching, this seems as naive as timely: [cw cognitive overload but also tango music, so why not share—👇🏿] vimeo.com/297453366
/@alxrdk 🙏🏿 and I agree, maybe it's about time to verbalize & unravel this, will try :]