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Earth

'A Crisis Entirely of Humanity's Making': UN Chief Issues Climate SOS on Trip To Pacific (theguardian.com) 164

Pacific island nations are in "grave danger" from rising sea levels and the world must "answer the SOS before it is too late," the UN chief has warned during a visit to Tonga. From a report: The UN secretary general, AntÃnio Guterres, urged the world to "look to the Pacific and listen to the science" as he released two new reports on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum, the region's most important annual political gathering. Sea-surface temperatures in the south-west Pacific have risen three times faster than the global average since 1980, according to a regional report compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and released on Tuesday. It also found that marine heatwaves in the region had roughly doubled in frequency since 1980 and become more intense and longer-lasting.

The report said 34 mostly storm or flood-related "hydrometeorological hazard events" in the south-west Pacific last year led to more than 200 deaths and affected more than 25 million people. In a second report published on Tuesday, the UN's climate action team warned that the climate crisis and sea-level rise were "no longer distant threats," especially for the Pacific's small island developing states. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded with high confidence in 2021 that the global mean sea level was rising at rates unprecedented in at least the last 3,000 years as a result of human-induced global warming.

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'A Crisis Entirely of Humanity's Making': UN Chief Issues Climate SOS on Trip To Pacific

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  • It would be ironic if after billionaires buy the entirety of the Hawaiian islands that the island ended up under water in a few decades
    • It would be ironic if after billionaires buy the entirety of the Hawaiian islands that the island ended up under water in a few decades

      It would indeed be ironic, but the Hawaiian islands are mountains that stick up WAY above sea level: they won't be underwater in a few decades, nor a few centuries.

      The discussion is about low islands that rise only a few feet above sea level.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
      • Hawaii is being pushed up by a volcanic plume, not tectonics directly. The older islands are smaller from erosion after the plate migrated over the plume. But you're right that the volcanically active ones will stay safe longer and the extinct ones are still fairly tall.
        • Hawaii is being pushed up by a volcanic plume, not tectonics directly.

          But what causes magma plumes?
          At least according to Wikipedia, the science is not settled: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

          • Comment removed based on user account deletion
            • Likewise. I'm not particularly educated on geology. I was curious about the difference between volcanism and tectonics because my rudimentary many-years-ago schooling on the issue made them seem pretty mutual processes. I read your comments and went looking for more, and enjoyed reading all of it.

  • More heat energy in the atmosphere results in bigger and wetter storms in a good many places. Civilization needs to prepare, and it ain't gonna be cheap. We juiced our weather.

  • But AI and Crypto! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by xack ( 5304745 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @11:02AM (#64739942)
    We must keep burning coal for 3.125 bitcoin and 3 fingered hands on our ai pictures.
    • I'll take crab hands over squid hands. (Except in bed)

  • by King_TJ ( 85913 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @11:04AM (#64739950) Journal

    The reality, though, is that it's insanity to pretend you can put out an SOS and we'll collectively say, "Woah! Sorry guys... Didn't realize our behavior started putting some of your small islands under water. We'll just spend billions of dollars on some changes and turn this right back around for you!"

    Every time I look at this stuff in a big picture sense, I come to the same conclusion. And basically, it's one that says Ok ... humans managed to cause some changes to our climate with all of our activities producing energy to improve our lives.We can't just take melted arctic ice from polar ice caps and put it back, though. We can't just shut down some power plants burning fossil fuels and pretend all the tropical storms and heat waves will just subside immediately as a result.

    Am I advocating doing nothing? No... but I think people ARE trying to do a lot to make changes. Most of these changes that will turn out to have true benefits, though, will take a lot of time to perfect and mature. Many others will simply be "shell games" where you hide the negative environmental impact they create at one end to show how they improved things at the other end.

    Ultimately? What the modern world demands is adequate "base load" power. There's only so much use for any technology that doesn't consistently generate power 24 hours/7 days a week. Wind doesn't consistently blow 24/7 in most places to power wind farms. The sun doesn't ever shine at night. Fossil fuels were burned in large quantities because they're extremely energy-dense. You get so much power for every gallon of them consumed, it's hard to find anything else equivalent. Nuclear power looks like the real solution - but more research is needed to build safer power plants that don't waste so much energy as radioactive waste.

    • by kackle ( 910159 )

      Many others will simply be "shell games" where you hide the negative environmental impact they create at one end to show how they improved things at the other end.

      Not to sound like a troll, but I've often wondered about the massive electronics industry and resources required to produce LED lighting and EVs. Does that ever get considered, or is only the last stage looked at (tailpipe, watts-per-lumen)? A "classic", carbureted car may be less efficient but it's much more recyclable, no? Same with incandescent bulbs.

      I thought it was funny during the closing ceremonies of the Olympics when they pointed out the use of recycled metals to make the giants rings that the

    • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      There are simple and easy things we can do that are highly effective.

      We aren't doing them though. China is, so it's not that they are impossible or even hard.

      • We aren't doing them though. China is, so it's not that they are impossible or even hard.

        Isn't China the #1 consumer of coal powered energy and continuing to build new plants? Or is that propaganda? (Serious question. I don't go too deep into this stuff but coal always sounds like the largest offender of both greenhouse and particulate pollution.)

        • by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          There was a story here about how coal is dying in China. They are expected to hit peak emissions this year, or next at the latest, 5-6 years ahead of their agreed Paris goal.

          The rate at which they are installing renewables really puts everyone else to shame. More than the rest of the world combined last year. More than the US has installed in its entire history, in just the first 8 months of last year. If they can do it, so can we.

  • We can start (Score:5, Informative)

    by Valgrus Thunderaxe ( 8769977 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @11:08AM (#64739956)
    With crippling taxes and bans on ICE vehicles and meat which account for a disastrous amount of climate change (and hence sea-level rise).
    • Or we can start at least with symbolic behaviour: private jets, luxury yachts ...
      Optimally do both.

      • by ebunga ( 95613 )

        I mean, it's literally a 10 to 15 point reduction if you knock that out and vacation / tourism.

    • With crippling taxes and bans on ICE vehicles and meat which account for a disastrous amount of climate change (and hence sea-level rise).

      Yeah...well, good luck with that.....

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • You don't even need to tax them; just reduce the subsidies. If we simply transitioned subsidies for the fossil fuel industries over to renewables & more efficient infrastructure, that'd accelerate our move towards greater survival from the ravages of global heating.
    • With crippling taxes and bans on ICE vehicles and meat which account for a disastrous amount of climate change

      Both items are the result of humans. Reduce the population and both the items you mentioned will cease to be a problem.
    • ICEs will eventually take care of themselves, but if you're actually serious about putting "crippling taxes and bans on meat," you've already lost, badly. Humans are omnivores -- yes, we eat meat! -- and you're not going to change that biological FACT, ever.
  • The trouble is (Score:2, Interesting)

    by 0xG ( 712423 )

    that nobody will pay the slightest attention.
    We must preserve our right to drive F-350s to work and enjoy the convenience of plastics! /s

    • by gweihir ( 88907 )

      Indeed. As a group, the human race is unfit for survival. How pathetic.

  • China will just come along and build the islands up above the new sea level for use as military bases.

    • You mean like the ones they built that are sinking? "Lets randomly dredge up some dirt, build some islands. Nothing can go wrong"
  • profits people (Score:4, Informative)

    by k3v0 ( 592611 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @11:36AM (#64740050) Journal
    there will be no change because shareholder value is more important to our government than the planet we all collectively inhabit
  • by ebunga ( 95613 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @11:55AM (#64740120)

    I think not. Do as he says not as he does.

    • I think not. Do as he says not as he does.

      I like this line. It's almost as if you think that his flight had even the tiniest impact on climate change, unlike say the organisation and the message they are promoting along with the agreements that they make.

      But hey, what ever you need to do to feel better about your wasteful self.

      • by ebunga ( 95613 )

        He contributed to global warming for no real purpose. There was no need to be there physically. That is literally the problem. The solution is easy. Stop doing that.

  • by FeelGood314 ( 2516288 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @11:58AM (#64740134)
    Just read the posts on here from people who believe climate change is a threat and you will see we all think it is someone else's problem. Ban ICE, China, the bitcoin miners, the F-150 drivers, the billionaires, volcanoes, plastic straws.... Just don't do any of the easy stuff that might affect me. Don't implement a carbon tax, don't allow rich people to pay spot market price for electricity, don't allow higher density housing in my neighbourhood, don't allow building of any new rail highspeed or regular even regular rail,....

    If the slashdot crowd won't support policies that will actually make a dent in our current green house gas emissions what hope does an elected politician have of staying in office if they actually try and do something?
    • While you're talking about the "easy" stuff you missed the fact that many of the things you listed can be collectively summed up by one word: "Pointless waste". Okay that was two words, but the point is fucking off plastic scraws, insane gas guzzlers used for school runs, and bitcoin miners *IS* the easy stuff.

    • Just read the posts on here from people who believe climate change is a threat and you will see we all think it is someone else's problem. Ban ICE, China, the bitcoin miners, the F-150 drivers, the billionaires, volcanoes, plastic straws.... Just don't do any of the easy stuff that might affect me.

      What is this 'easy' stuff that you are referring to? How would it affect me? I have no idea what you are talking about but you are effectively pointing the finger at individual action and saying that it is easy, but because it is inconvenient, that I (we) will not do it. So... what are these easy things that I can do that will make a difference?

  • I haven't heard this before. Thank goodness he warned us!

  • To justify it, think of climate damage as being inflicted by an invading army: https://www.genolve.com/design... [genolve.com]
  • It won't change (Score:3, Insightful)

    by DMJC ( 682799 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @03:00PM (#64740882)
    As long as the biggest proponents of climate change continue to swan around on giant yachts and jets. No one will take the issue seriously. Leadership is top down not bottom up and no one is going to listen to the dictates of a hypocrite. The super wealthy will have to lead by example otherwise nothing is going to change. Asking the masses to sacrifice when the elite sacrifice nothing will never work.
    • Leadership is top down not bottom up and no one is going to listen to the dictates of a hypocrite.

      Privilege is top down. Responsibility is bottom up. Leadership is completely nonexistent.

  • by Petersko ( 564140 ) on Tuesday August 27, 2024 @05:09PM (#64741318)

    Just go to one of the island nations and walk along the beach. Find some dry sand. Take it to their house of government, stand at the podium, show the sand, and confidently declare, "See? Not happening."

  • by ishmaelflood ( 643277 ) on Wednesday August 28, 2024 @06:32AM (#64742664)

    In other news scientists are puzzled by a rapid drop in sea surface temperatures in June 2024 compared with 2023. Phew, another crisis averted! As NOAA writes "In contrast, since the beginning of June, sea surface temperature (SST) in the central equatorial Atlantic has been 0.5–1.0 degrees Celsius (0.9–1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) colder than average for this time of the year."

    https://www.climate.gov/news-f... [climate.gov]

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