Causality has always been the primary discussion fence when discussing climate change, whether on a fishing forum or in the political arena. And at that point does it even matter? As a coach once said, it is what it is.
If Americans went all in on living like monks with the most minimal carbon footprint possible, is that going to change the global impact of China with 1.5 Billion folks living and working in cities so polluted the air is in a permanent haze, driving over 300 million cars with zero emission requirements if made before 2019, using hundreds of millions a/c units that use flourocarbon refridgerants. Next door is India with the same population and problems.
And 3/4 of the worlds population lives in the Third World, wanting what the US takes for granted...running water, a car, and a/c, and why wouldn't they?
And as to massive game changing solutions requiring literally trillions in capitol investment, they will never be implemented until new generations mature, build power/capitol, and find concensus. We sure can't.
So for those in the US into the near future, it will come down to state and county problems/solutions, and the two biggest battles will be over water supply and sea rise.
The most immediate water problem is the dwindling Colorado and rapid shrinking Lakes Mead and Powell, a major lifeblood to seven claimants including Mexico, all currently battling over water allotment rights determined by previous water agreements/acts, with dozens of cases heading for the SC.
As to sea rise, New York has started on a 1.45 billion seawall, SF has adopted a managed retreat along it's 3.5 mile Ocean Beach, Miami is raising streets, building sea walls and installing transfer pumps, and the list continues to grow around the ocean facing states.
For a graphic example of local impact, swing by Bellingham and view their downtown sea rise exhibit, which clearly shows how damaging even a single foot of sea rise will be to the interior WA waterlines.
For a macro look at the US, the 2022 multi-agency effort led by NOAA graphically lays it out.
oceanservice.noaa.gov
If you don't want to read the report, here's the 4 key take-aways.
Four key takeaways from the report:
If Americans went all in on living like monks with the most minimal carbon footprint possible, is that going to change the global impact of China with 1.5 Billion folks living and working in cities so polluted the air is in a permanent haze, driving over 300 million cars with zero emission requirements if made before 2019, using hundreds of millions a/c units that use flourocarbon refridgerants. Next door is India with the same population and problems.
And 3/4 of the worlds population lives in the Third World, wanting what the US takes for granted...running water, a car, and a/c, and why wouldn't they?
And as to massive game changing solutions requiring literally trillions in capitol investment, they will never be implemented until new generations mature, build power/capitol, and find concensus. We sure can't.
So for those in the US into the near future, it will come down to state and county problems/solutions, and the two biggest battles will be over water supply and sea rise.
The most immediate water problem is the dwindling Colorado and rapid shrinking Lakes Mead and Powell, a major lifeblood to seven claimants including Mexico, all currently battling over water allotment rights determined by previous water agreements/acts, with dozens of cases heading for the SC.
As to sea rise, New York has started on a 1.45 billion seawall, SF has adopted a managed retreat along it's 3.5 mile Ocean Beach, Miami is raising streets, building sea walls and installing transfer pumps, and the list continues to grow around the ocean facing states.
For a graphic example of local impact, swing by Bellingham and view their downtown sea rise exhibit, which clearly shows how damaging even a single foot of sea rise will be to the interior WA waterlines.
For a macro look at the US, the 2022 multi-agency effort led by NOAA graphically lays it out.
2022 Technical Report | Resources – U.S. Sea Level Change
The Sea Level Rise Technical Report is a multi-agency effort providing the most up-to-date sea level rise projections available for all U.S. states and territories out to the year 2150.
If you don't want to read the report, here's the 4 key take-aways.