Another Climate Change “Gotcha”
As everyone knows, the history of humankind on this planet goes roughly like this:
~ 150,000 years ago: earliest Homo sapiens
~ 30,000 years ago: some humans leave East Africa and slowly spread globally
~ 10,000 years ago: perennial agriculture brings first permanent (stationary) cultures
Today: human civilization consists of 200+ nation states. Some are friendly to one another, but most are either competitive or in a perpetual state of hostility with their neighbors. Making matters worse, these hostile states are generally run by the single most power-hungry and contemptible person in the entirety of his particular country (not naming names here).
Of course, there is no turning back the clock, and it’s possible that this was the only course civilization could have taken given the genetic make-up of human beings and their dispositions.
In any case, given that what’s needed now is a coming together to deal collectively with an existential threat, there really couldn’t be a worse scenario.
Is all lost? Hardly. Despite all this, every country on Earth (except one — again, not naming names) actually did come together (Paris, 2015) and laid down a broad set of plans to avert climate catastrophe. That’s certainly not enough, but it’s an impressive start, considering that world history has exactly zero experience in dealing with the type and scope of the challenge that faces humankind in the 21st Century. Wishing us luck.
Craig,
You are great at claiming to speak for everyone!
You begin by stating “As everyone knows” then continue with, ” single most power-hungry and contemptible person in the entirety of his particular country”, clearly referring to President Trump.
In fact, your proposition is clearly absurd and you speak not for “everyone” but only an increasingly dwindling coterie of deperate “never Trumpers”.
The Paris Agreement was always about as sincere and effective as “The Holy Alliance” also sighed in Paris exactly 200 years earlier.
The modern version was phrased in equally noble and high minded “symbolic terms” but had only two real objectives, the was a Public relations exercise to fool the general public, without ever having to actually had to comply with the terms, the other being to once again pick America’s pocket.
No sensible, responsible US President would (or should) agree to such a document (Nor could without ratification).
The Paris agreement is now largely forgotten, except by wishful thinkers.