While the planet burns our politicians fiddle

[Zealotux]

This is the main reason I'm more than skeptical of our ability to even limit the effects of climate change in a foreseeable future, I'll admit it's a cynical view, but even if tomorrow every world leaders agreed that climate is indeed our top priority it'd still be a challenge to tackle it. Instead of that we have endless debates, as if we had time for partisanship, and short-sighted "patching" solutions.

I've been told repetitively that I'm wrong to "believe" in climate change, I hope I am, at that point: being wrong is our only way for salvation.

[sebazzz]

In the end everything comes down on money, especially in the USA where the election system depends so much on the candidates getting enough (mostly corporate) donations (or friendly bribing, however you want to call it).

[watmough]

We are already suffering from severe austerity after the collapse in 2008. Pay for the bottom 70% of people in the Western World falls further and further behind.

The present political mess, including in the US and in the UK, and across Europe is clear fall-out from these problems.

In this context, imposing further high-taxes to restrict energy use is political suicide, and simply won't happen.

In the longer-term, moving to wind and solar will help, especially as energy storage technologies improve. Countries such as Spain and Portugal are showing us the way in this respect.

[root_axis]

It's not just politicians; the citizenry does not really care and many are openly hostile to the idea of taking firm steps to reduce emissions since that has an economic cost and they view the economic cost as a bigger threat than whatever impact emissions have on the environment.

[gthaman]

The citizenry in the USA (im assuming you are being specific to) are a good deal worse off than in the 1950s in regard to household families and being overtly manipulated and jerked around in regards to the political process with whatever little time they have to engage with it.

The governments (its actors, known or unknown) are the ones with considerable resources and power consolidated in a few hands and intelligence agencies leaders who write books about deceiving their own people saying "we'll know our job is complete when everything the american people believe is a lie".

USA is mired in military action in 76 countries that we know of - USA was at war for every single day of all 8 years of Obama's presidencies - Drone Strikes, Mass Heroin overdoses, San Francisco homeless & human feces poop map's but we finally got those plastic straws replaced with good old american democracy and know how.

What a contrast. What prioritizing.

With every passing day, more and more people are starting to realize it's not ineptitude, it's deceit. And the more heed paid to the government, the more reliance on and guidance from the government - the worse.

[decebalus1]

Does this article violate HN terms or something? It got flagged in less than an hour and most comments are downvoted.

[mhneu]

Not sure but it’s important to remember that silence on issues like climate change benefits the status quo- the companies that wish to keep up the current situation. Avoiding conversations like this is the same as taking a side - the companies’ side. Too bad it’s not discussed more.

[root_axis]

I didn't flag and I think the discussion is worthwhile, but any U.S. political topic that isn't directly related to tech is usually flagged.

[sebazzz]

This makes you think that maybe not individual humans, but a human society is destined to cause enough damage to eventually eradicate itself.

The problems we cause "take too long" to become an problem in the influencial lifetime of the most powerful people in our society, so it is always the problem of someone else until it is too late.

[zackmorris]

I live in Boise, ID and this is the worst smoke I've seen in my lifetime. I fully agree that global climate change is a huge problem and that politicians are doing little to stop it. Most seem to be making it worse.

Is there a technology-based solution to this? I don't know, but maybe technology could be used to improve the tragedy of the commons issues that are wrecking the planet. Please unflag this post.

[geoka9]

I'm in Vancouver and it's pretty terrible. It's the 3rd summer in a row and this one is by far the worst.

+1 Please unflag this post.

[Analemma_]

The air quality index in Seattle is 185 right now, which is unheard of; I could barely see the sun yesterday. Last year there was extreme air pollution due to wildfire smoke for the first time that I can remember, and I thought then maybe it was a anomalous event, but now that it's twice in two years it's probably time to think of this as the new normal.

And as much as I want to blame politicians as an easy target, it's still a democracy and they are ultimately just reflecting the views of the public. The Seattle Times is running stories on the wildfire smoke, and their comment section is depressingly filled to the brim with nonsense like "ACTUALLY this is because the environmentalists clear out underbrush and create more forest fires, CHECKMATE LIBRULZ". We're going to sink under the waves still screaming culture war nonsense with our last breaths.

[nostromo]

Most scientists agree that the uptick in serious fires in the west is primarily from decades of bad forrest management, not climate change.

Climate change obviously plays a role, but it's not the primary driver.

I think some activist groups and the media are purposefully muddying the water on this issue.

http://mjr.jour.umt.edu/how-journalists-fan-the-flames-of-wi...

http://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2018/08/western-washington-smo...

[mhneu]

There is a large domestic disinformation machine in the US. The disinformation media has for decades used identity politics to get Americans to vote for policies that benefit the 0.01%. Nowhere is this clearer than with climate change.

In my experience, many of those in the disinformation bubble have no idea that climate change denial benefits oil and gas companies and is heavily funded by them.

If you’re interested in disinformation and how it affects climate change policy, the book and movie Merchants of Doubt is really great- it explains some of the strategies used.

[wu-ikkyu]

>still a democracy and they are ultimately just reflecting the views of the public

Seems more like a reflection of the views of corporations than the public

[yourbandsucks]

The problem, as you pointed out, is that it has nothing to do with thinking and everything to do with hating.

You could give conservatives great environmental solutions for free, and they'd still reject them, because they know liberals would like it. They hate wind power, hate solar power, and it's got nothing to do with economics. Yet they like nuclear power. Why? Hippies don't like it.

And I don't think the politicians are close to blameless. They've cultivated this for 25 years. They're not just reflecting the will of the people, they're shaping it.

[mdekkers]

funny, the poor guy believes politicians can actually make these kinds of changes. As long as polluting is more profitable than not polluting, our corporate overlords will keep pumping that shit into the air. And as a general populace, we all _think_ something should be done, as long as it doesn't affect us.

[sremani]

Its not just about corporations. If the sinners are a dozen of "them", the solutions are easy. If you have good standard of living in a middle/lower income country or if you are not homeless in a developed country, You Sir! are responsible for a lot, than you are willing to accept.