Impossible Future

Clive Hamilton describes a conference from nine years ago that discussed the implications of climate change. Over the course of planning the event, the prospect of four degrees Celsius warmer evolved from an "alarmist" point of view to "realist".

And so a study by lead author Michelle Tigchelaar finds that corn yields under four degrees of warming could decline by 40 to 60 percent.

Increased warming leads to global crop failures because plants are not adapted to really high temperatures. Most of our crops are really well-adapted for our current climate. There is an optimum temperature at which they grow, and beyond that, their yields decline.

Meanwhile, the administration thinks it's fine to cut food stamps because we've "won" the war on poverty. And yet, even with low unemployment there has been no real gain in hourly wages this past year. Plus, administration policy could send oil prices soaring.

Also, multiple outbreaks of disease are happening simultaneously for probably the first time.

Several major factors are to blame for why the world is seeing more of these increasingly dangerous pathogens. The combination of massive widespread urbanization, explosive population growth, increased global travel, changing ecological factors, steady climate change and the exploitation of environments is driving an era of converging risk for outbreaks.

Despite some hopeful signs, politics is still dominated by "dark money" and the IRS just removed a rule requiring certain non-profit groups to identify large donors. Obviously the donor class can't be bothered with climate change or the economic problems of most people if doing something about it goes against their interests.

But Nicole Karlis suggests maybe there is some concern.

Many of the world's richest seem to earnestly believe that some kind of apocalyptic "event" is coming, and have prepared accordingly.

She cites Douglas Rushkoff who thought he was going to discuss the future of technology with some businesspeople.

Slowly but surely, however, they edged into their real topics of concern. Which region will be less impacted by the coming climate crisis: New Zealand or Alaska? Is Google really building Ray Kurzweil a home for his brain, and will his consciousness live through the transition, or will it die and be reborn as a whole new one? Finally, the CEO of a brokerage house explained that he had nearly completed building his own underground bunker system and asked, "How do I maintain authority over my security force after the event?"

The Event. That was their euphemism for the environmental collapse, social unrest, nuclear explosion, unstoppable virus, or Mr. Robot hack that takes everything down.

I guess most of the wealthy don't see themselves as responsible for anyone else but themselves. Maybe a few have a different idea.