UP #115: Climate Emergency in a New World Order with Paul Beckwith

Abrupt anthropogenic climate change is here and has now taken on a life of its own. It’s no longer a question of if or when, it’s a question of how to cope in a rapidly collapsing world where the masses just don’t give a damn.

Despite increasing episodes of epic flooding, drought, wildfire, earthquakes, Arctic sea ice melt, and the frightening rise of methane and CO2 in our radically altered climate system, business-as-usual arrogantly plods along. Abrupt climate change is not to be taken lightly however. As it now stands, planet Earth may become totally uninhabitable in a matter of months or years (single digit) rather than decades or centuries. Many scientists are deeply alarmed by the accelerating changes that are becoming increasingly unpredictable. One of these scientists is Paul Beckwith.

Paul is a climatologist and part-time professor at the University of Ottawa in my hometown of Ottawa, Canada. After months of trying to connect for this podcast, Paul and I finally made it work only days after Donald Trump was crowned king of the USA. Needless to say, the conversation I originally planned to have with Paul was tossed out the window in favor of a spirited discussion about the beginning of a very dark new world order—including the very real possibility of expedited biosphere collapse.

Paul is well known for his comprehensive Youtube videos of sometimes daunting subjects, especially in relation to the climate, weather, oceanography and Earth Sciences. He has a knack for explaining complex issues in language that is easily understood.

Paul is a proponent of geoengineering, of which I’m not because I feel that we’ve already tampered with the Earth more than enough. Despite my beliefs however, Paul offers many nuggets of wisdom about the state of emergency we are now in with our climate, along with some interesting thoughts about the uncertain direction of the world with Donald Trump at the helm.

This week, we chat about:

* The uncertainty of Trumpism.

* Why we should be concerned about record low levels of Arctic sea ice.

* How the swing to the far right is a desperate attempt to revive the familiar in deeply troubling times.

* How the turn towards nationalism creates racism.

* The twilight zone of climate change denial.

* How Trump manipulated the media to destabilize the country.

* How climate change is a threat multiplier.

* How we are now living in a climate emergency.

* The oceans are sick with acidity and warming.

* What is a blue ocean event?

* What is biomimicry and geoengineering?

* The problem with human overpopulation.

With his extensive scientific knowledge and profound critical thinking skills, Paul Beckwith offers a sobering perspective that can no longer be denied: we are living in a climate emergency in deeply troubling times.

SHOW NOTES:

* Paul Beckwith’s website.

* Paul’s prolific Youtube channel.

* Paul on Twitter.

* Farewell to Ice by Peter Wadhams.

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