The battle to keep global warming within 1.5C has been a rallying cry for #climate action for nearly a decade. Now, with the planet almost certain to blow past the target, many people at #COP29 have found themselves awkwardly clinging to a goal that no longer makes sense. My latest @bloomberg.com: - ThreadSky

zhirji.bsky.social • 105 days ago

The battle to keep global warming within 1.5C has been a rallying cry for #climate action for nearly a decade. Now, with the planet almost certain to blow past the target, many people at #COP29 have found themselves awkwardly clinging to a goal that no longer makes sense.

My latest @bloomberg.com:

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martykearns.bsky.social•102 days ago

“No matter what the odds, a man does not pin his last hope for survival on something and then expect that it will fail.”
Alfred Lansing, Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

iandjbrown2.bsky.social•105 days ago

1.5 is just a number, a very important one, but it’s the concept of stopping the increasing climb and impacts

internethuman.bsky.social•105 days ago

I understand what you mean, that we shouldn't stop fighting for every last bit of ground we gain. +1.7 is better than +2 and so on. But the fact that Governments and corporations utterly failed to meet the moment should be a HUGE deal, it's not just a number it was a promise, an obligation.

bellacaledonia.bsky.social•105 days ago

Not sure what your arguing in the piece Zahra. Is it we should abandon it because its not in any way achievable?

zhirji.bsky.social•105 days ago

I'm not arguing anything. It's more a look at whether 1.5C has outlived its usefulness the closer we get to it, and pointing out the yawning gap between how scientists talk about it (the goal being dead) and how politicians, others talk about it (clinging to it)

jonathanchurch.bsky.social•105 days ago

I think it’s an important point to make. We should be asking ourselves whether these temperature goals are the best way to motivate action.

bellacaledonia.bsky.social•105 days ago

Sure, but it feels like abandonment

jonathanchurch.bsky.social•105 days ago

Maybe that’s the problem

ddhurley.bsky.social•105 days ago

If science cannot deliver on its promises, aka hope of a better tomorrow, then fatalism will take its place, and its already began.

Politicians are only interested in the next election cycle, and the scientists who aligned themselves to them was a very bad move...the bus is having a bumpy ride.

internethuman.bsky.social•105 days ago

the burden here isn't on Science though. Scientists have been EXTREMELY clear on what needs to happen to meet these goals. stop using fossil fuels.

The burden is on politicians to actually do what is needed.

jonathanchurch.bsky.social•105 days ago

Exactly. It’s not on the scientists. That said, it’s not obvious that it’s on the politicians either. After all, they need to get re-elected.

ddhurley.bsky.social•105 days ago

Taxing cryptocurrencies to fund research into technologies to improve clean energy alternatives would be a good start...but did that conversation even come up this last election?...if it did I missed it...everybody was too busy making fun of Donald Trump, IMO.

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