Climate change is real, but we’ll be OK ... eventually
So since no one knows what the hell they’re talking about when it comes to climate change, I’ve decided to come down on the side of science. Yep. I’m going crazy here and letting the scientists tell me what to think.
So with that in mind, know this: According to a NASA study, 97 percent of climate scientists believe humankind is responsible for global warming and climate change.
Oops!
OK. So now that we know we’re the cause, is there a solution? Is it too late? Will we all come to a boil?
I mean … I’m not exactly confident this is a problem we’re going to defeat. Even if America does the right thing, will China? Brazil? Russia? Everyone else? This isn’t an American problem, it’s a world problem. And while America usually comes around on most social and environmental issues - thus making America a better place to be the world isn’t always on board.
So unless we change immediately, and somehow convince the rest of the world to change immediately, yeah, we’re pretty well screwed. Ice melts, oceans rise, weird weather, bad stuff.
But … and this is a big but … I think humankind will be OK. Taking the longview here. Sure, a 100 years from now might be all “Mad Max” and stuff, but long term? We’ll figure it out. We’re figure-outers. Sure, maybe New Brunswick will be on the coast and peanut farming becomes New Jersey’s number one cash crop, but whatever.
Civilizations come and go, y’know? Things will probably be a lot different in the future as a result of climate change, but I’m sure once the dust settles (permanently, and on a vast portion of the American southwest) we’ll come out of it OK. I mean, that’s assuming we all survive the Water War of 2095.
Jeff Edelstein is a columnist for The Trentonian. He can be reached at jedelstein@ trentonian.com, facebook. com/jeffreyedelstein and @ jeffedelstein on Twitter.