This article first appeared at ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
Sorry uncouth. But this isn’t off topic… if anyone likes dystopian speculative fiction that might be too close to home.
Very interesting read. I’ve been interacting a lot with my Republican family about Climate Change and biodiversity, they’re not full blown MAGAT I don’t think, but, as long as you don’t mention Democrat or Republican they’re amenable to interacting on a rational basis. I wish it attracted more attention on TPM.
In Europe, the EU proposal to go cold turkey on Russian oil has inadvertently removed some of the usual carbon transition backsliding. In addition, a tariff on embedded carbon is being charged on imports. Finland, which is colder than the US, expects to reach a per capita carbon footprint of just 8 metric tons within three years. That’s about half of the US (16 tons a year), where it seems most of the discussion is focused on gasoline prices and reverse causation, i.e. climate change is causing problems rather than human behavior is causing climate change.
People in Arizona seem oblivious to the changing Climate. Driving down to Arizona in the winter, I saw unlimited building going on everywhere. The politicians gave a big water allotment to the Saudis to grow alfalfa to be shipped home to feed their cattle. I saw cotton being grown in the desert by growers with water allotments. The power company along with the Republican Cult made it uneconomical to install solar panels.
If Arizona doesn’t get rid of their Republican government, then they are literally burnt toast. It’s like they live in an alternate universe where everything is hunky dory.
“Window to the future”. Lol! IT’S HAPPENING NOW. It’s here. We’re done. Lots of MAGAs are going to be super conflicted when they realize (but will never admit) that we should have listened to Al Gore 30 years ago when there was time to ensure a habitable environment for their children’s children.
But, nah. Gas is too expensive, I need a bigger truck.
I live on the central coast of california. Lake Lopez supplies drinking water to the cities in the south county and it’s at 29% capacity at the end of our wet cycle.
I think you can tell what America’s priorities are based on the lack of comments on this thread. It’s in the single digits, still. It’s just not that important, even though it is the biggest existential threat humans face. We’re obviously not going to do anything to save ourselves.
That’s still kinda sad that people bow up over democrat/republican rather than taking in the information and simply thinking about it. Colorado is drying up and New Mexico is worse. The people living in these places will be forced to relocate soon. That’s the reality.
I would move while there’s still time. It’s not going to improve. Ever.
I’ll stick around. I’m 70 come next month and can’t afford to even go anywhere else.