The Anthropocene Extinction Event
Inevitability & damage control
Life on Earth has experienced many mass extinction events. One could say that the very reason we exist is the result of this turbulent history on our planet driving evolutionary pressures.
Many scientists theorize that anthropogenic change is creating the conditions for a 6th mass extinction event. The background extinction rate gives a constant to compare against and it is clear that the extinction rate is accelerating.
As you can see above, the rapidly changing conditions of the Anthropocene is affecting animal groups differently.
Invertebrates are even seeing a surge in population.
During periods of rapid change several characteristics may contribute to the resilience of a species: behavioral variability, high reproductive rates, broad geographic ranges, flexible diet, and adaptability to various habitats. This is the way of nature and how mammals came to dominate the Earth after the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event; when the dinosaurs died off from a major asteroid impact.
The extent of climate change will depend on the collective actions of our global civilization, but rest assured life will likely never go extinct. However, it is important to understand that humans thrive off complex ecosystems supported by rich biodiversity.
IPCC 2022 Report
The IPCC Report “assesses the impacts of climate change, looking at ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities at global and regional levels. It also reviews vulnerabilities and the capacities and limits of the natural world and human societies to adapt to climate change.”
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg2/
Atmospheric Physics
One thing that the report emphasizes is the role of atmospheric physics in climate change. Many of the phenomena are still unable to understood due to their complexity, but we do understand that as greenhouse emissions increase there is a domino effect of warming, especially at the poles.
Moreover, these changes can disrupt global wind patterns causing severe weather patterns and drastic changes in climate across large regions.
We must not underestimate the destructive capabilities of mother nature. As the climate warms there will be more ocean water, and this could lead to unforeseen disasters apart from rising sea levels. Large volumes of water are a terrifying force under inclement conditions.
Climate Alarmism
The ultimate realization we must make is that our current civilization is extremely dependent on the infrastructure we have built over the 20th century. This infrastructure was built with primarily fossil fuels in mind and it will take time for nations to transition, let alone afford, renewable and circular energy infrastructure. On the topic of affording infrastructure investments, oil is the basis of the world economy and essential for financial growth.
Our Industrialized World
“Why Demand Destruction Is More Worrying Than A Supply Crunch In Oil Markets”
Developing Countries
The problem with net zero climate programs is that poorer countries are disproportionately affected. Rich countries are already industrialized and burned a lot of fossil fuels to get there. Also, geographic disparities can put many nations at an inherent disadvantage for building a sustainable economy. Geographic determinism is a huge part of the history and future of nations.
Fossil Fuel Economy
→ 100% Renewable Electric Economy
“Biden’s green energy law is turning out to be huge” - Aug 7, 2023
“US green energy law is turning out to be huge. The Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives are way more popular than expected. Nations in Europe and elsewhere are rattled by the possibility that the United States might now capture an outsized portion of the global green energy economy.”
“One year after passage of the Inflation Reduction Act estimates have already tripled from original CBO projections. It has created a flurry of investments in new factories and clean energy projects. Some economists are crediting it with a new US manufacturing renaissance. The tax incentives are in place for ten years and have no cap or upper limit.”
Damage Control
Fortunately we are growing more environmentally conscious and developing ways to reduce our impact on Earth without human sacrifice. We are able to engineer our way out of this, but it will not happen overnight.
“A startup says it’s begun releasing particles into the atmosphere, in an effort to tweak the climate” - MIT Tech Review 24 Dec 2022
“Abrupt reduction in shipping emission as an inadvertent geoengineering termination shock produces substantial radiative warming” - Nature 30 May 2024
