September 13, 2013 – There are now almost countless articles, scientific studies, and books about climate change, many of them dealing with how the world will have changed as a result of climate change. Many of them give reason for hope, perhaps even more reason for consternation. All are good at describing various causes and effects as if they were happening in isolation from one another. Very few bother to mention that, no matter what life is like in a climatically-changed world, it will be lived in the midst of utterly wretched weather. It’s not that some things will be harder to do. Everything will be much, much harder to do. When I get out my crystal ball and try to imagine what life will be like during the latter half of the twenty-first century, I feel pretty confident about one thing. While it should be a surprise to no one, it’s hard to put into words, due to its sheer awfulness. Millions of people will die. ...
Understanding the global-warming world: causes and ramifications.