Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 74 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
General News    H2'ed 11/21/19

Thousands Of Climate Scientists Warn Of 'Untold Suffering'

By       (Page 1 of 2 pages)   5 comments
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Ted Millar
Become a Fan
  (2 fans)

Burning Earth
Burning Earth
(Image by Wondergressive)
  Details   DMCA

"Untold suffering."

Is that dire enough?

It's a warning 11,000 scientists from 153 countries pose humanity faces unless it effects major societal transformations.

That warning published in the journal BioScience goes on to explain:

"We declare clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency. The climate crisis has arrived and is accelerating faster than most scientists expected. It is more severe than anticipated, threatening natural ecosystems and the fate of humanity."

In order to avoid the catastrophic fallout the climate emergency forebodes, scientists urge ending population growth, leaving fossil fuels in the ground, halting forest destruction, and slashing meat consumption.

Lead author, Oregon State University professor William Ripple, said the cycle of recent extreme weather motivated him to initiate the study aiming to establish a full range of climate breakdown cause and effects "vital signs," not merely due to carbon emissions and surface temperature rise.

The study's scientists admonish:

"The climate crisis is closely linked to excessive consumption of the wealthy lifestyle. Despite 40 years of global climate negotiations, with few exceptions, we have largely failed to address this predicament. Especially worrisome are potential irreversible climate tipping points. These climate chain reactions could cause significant disruptions to ecosystems, society, and economies, potentially making large areas of Earth uninhabitable. We urge widespread use of the vital signs [to] allow policymakers and the public to understand the magnitude of the crisis, realign priorities and track progress."

Study co-author, the University of Sydney's Thomas Newsome, adds the most chilling warning:

"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to look at the graphs and know things are going wrong. But it is not too late."

To avoid crossing an irreparable tipping point, scientists suggest humanity take the following actions:

  • Use energy more efficiently and institute robust carbon taxes to slash fossil fuel use;
  • Stabilize the global population, ballooning by 200,000 people per day, through ethical approaches such as better education for girls;
  • Cease nature's destruction, restore forests and mangroves to absorb CO2;
  • Adopt plant-based diets and reduce food waste;
  • Shift economic goals away from gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

Scientists aver this "transformative change, with social and economic justice for all promises far greater human well-being than does business as usual."

This comes at a time the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest has reached its highest level in a decade.

And, of course, earlier this month Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Donald Trump sent a letter to the United Nations, initiating the Paris Climate Accords withdrawal process.

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Must Read 1   Well Said 1   Supported 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Ted Millar Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Ted Millar is a writer and teacher. His work has been in featured in myriad literary journals, including Straight Forward Poetry, Better Than Starbucks, the Broke Bohemian, Caesura, Circle Show, Cactus Heart, Third Wednesday, and The Voices (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

FBI Apprehends Another Trump Supporter Plotting A Massacre

Discovered Documents Reveal Trump Tax and Bank Fraud

Republicans' Stance On HR 1 Confirms They Prefer A Rigged System

Rumors of Trump's Possible Drug Addiction Need to Be Taken Seriously

Bernie is Not a Socialist--He's a Traditional FDR Democrat

The GOP Might Use The Shutdown To Justify 'Starving the Beast'

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend