The greens will become more credible when they mention the "p" word occasionally. (population)

"Many believe we are enjoying the best of times. No doubt some are. To do this though, we have to believe that anthropogenic climate change is not real. We have to close our minds and completely ignore the terrible injustices that occur to our fellow human beings every day."

OK, done that. What next?

"We have to pay no heed to the environmental degradation and accelerated destruction of species."

There is no established link between CO2 levels and species extinctions and no reason to think that they are currently 'accelerated'.

http://www.ncasi.org/publications/Detail.aspx?id=3463

Since your second sentence is demonstrably false, I don't see much point in reading further.

Sorry, that should be THIRD sentence.

I do not believe totally in the green movement, but i do not think they are going to demise in the short term.
Climate change is real, but some trivialize the figures. .9c is enough for polar ice melt, and accelerating. That .9c sea temp; is disrupting the weather patterns around the globe. The increase is caused by carbon, which is at its highest level in 650,000 yrs. These are NASA calculations and measurements.

Hi Sandra, this is almost a copy of a response I submitted yesterday, but the message needs to be re-stated:

Climate change does not matter. Why? Because the economy is everything.

Slowing emissions would require us to shrink the economy. Why? Because industrial economies require lots of energy to function. As the economy grows, energy consumption grows. Unless we have alternative renewable energy that scale to levels required to support a growing global economy, we must shrink that economy to reduce emissions. At present, those viable energy alternatives do not or very likely will not exist.

Nobody is going to buy off on the idea that we must shrink the economy, get back to 350ppm, proposed by most climate scientists. We would have to tear down industrial civilization.

Even if an alternative energy miracle occurs, it would take decades to replace oil, natural gas and coal with wind, solar, hydropower etc. All that time the economy would need to be growing, because that's what human beings want.

If the economy grows, energy flows must increase. It is naive to believe that we wouldn't have to burn even more fossil fuels in the future. But where are those going to come from? Even if viable alternatives to fossil fuels appear, the possibility that GDP growth will continue year-after-year in the 21st century seems very remote there are constraints on that growth, not just cheap energy.

Ongoing climate debate just doesn't matter, whether it comes from deniers or environmentalists. Why?
1. For humans, the economy is everything, trying to grow the economy is everything, regardless of the consequences of the expansion. This has become the purpose of life in the 21st century.
2. To expand human economies, you must increase energy consumption.
3. To increase energy consumption humans will have to burn more fossil fuels. But the question then becomes where is all that oil, natural gas and coal going to come from?

So go ahead, worry about water, food, energy, climate, species loss until you're blue in the face. It won't make any difference in the end.

I thought this was a profound article written by somebody with a caring and thoughtful nature. The sheer stupidity of what we humans are currently up to will become apparent to future generations but unfortunately many people today are unable and unwilling to see it. This article really exposes that stupidity.

Geoff,

You proffer a rather fatalistic outlook, methinks, condemning humankind to dumb perseverance with a broken model, eyes half closed, brain in neutral, until too late to avoid the inevitable implosion. Many elsewhere on this forum have on occasion heaped scorn upon this ever-voracious capitalistic growth model, and with considerable justification. However, most disturbing in your proposition is the stark indifference to environment, to other species, and to those of humankind excluded from the luxury liner. Gen X or Y thinking, perhaps? Mind you, you are far from alone in your fully equipped lifeboat.

Dr Bayley,

Nice piece, compelling imagery, though a little heavy on the campaign-speak, and you set an almost impossibly high bar, worthy though it is. Unfortunately, as you have identified, those enjoying the magic ride are increasingly unwilling to put on the brakes, as the ride is just so hypnotic - as long as one does not take a wider view and so risk breaking the spell.

This article is pushing it rather heavily uphill, of course, butting heads with so many 'pet' confrontational topics on this forum - the AGW debate, sustainable energy (replete with base-load bugbear), population growth vs freedom of choice, unbridled capital 'C' Capitalism and Consumerism, CSG vs agriculture, fossil fuel depletion, environment and species protection vs jobs and living standards, and even compassion vs world over-population, and finally an appeal to the almighty for guidance. Tough row to hoe. Mind you, I'm on your side Sandra, if that's any solace, and my hopes are also for the fulfillment of your worthy objectives.

"a broken model, eyes half closed, brain in neutral, until too late to avoid the inevitable implosion".....David Bozzy....a great think-tank, who had closed all other minds just to suit the dogma with-in a broken mind its self.( A nice change of in-turnal gearing ).......\Yee of such major fault, thats not your doings:).....belief is just....."The best of times or the worst of times"....so help me GOD.

"and finally an appeal to the almighty for guidance"

One hope is better than NO hope at all.

I'll pay that one:)

CACTUS