As Thousands of Scientists Issue “Warning to Humanity” of Looming Ecological Disaster... Trump/Pence Regime Gives a Big “Fuck You” to the World
November 15, 2017 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
A just-published statement signed by over 15,000 scientists around the world raises an urgent “warning to humanity”: if climate change and other severe harm now being inflicted on the environment are not stopped or significantly slowed very quickly, the consequences will be extremely dire. They warn, “Soon it will be too late to shift course away from our failing trajectory and time is running out.”
The scientists call their statement “A Second Notice.” The first was issued 25 years ago by more than 1,700 scientists, including the majority of living Nobel laureates, who said environmental destruction by human society was pushing ecosystems beyond their capacity to sustain the web of life on the planet, and that major changes were needed “if vast human misery is to be avoided.”
Now, 25 years later—the new statement says that in terms of the key ecological damages, “alarmingly, most of them are getting far worse.” The scientists say, “Especially troubling is the current trajectory of potentially catastrophic climate change”—caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (produced by the burning of oil, gas, and coal) as well as deforestation and industrialized agriculture. Indeed, also in the news recently were reports by scientific organizations that the levels of carbon dioxide—the main greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere—was up 50 percent in 2016 from the average of the last ten years.
Just in the recent months, we’ve see horrific effects that climate change is already having on human and other life: “monster storms”—fed by warmer air and seas—destroying the lives and homes of millions in South Asia, the Caribbean and Mexico's Gulf Coast... vast wildfires in the western U.S.... continuing flow of millions of refugees, many forced out of where they lived in Africa and Middle East by effects of climate change... worsening irreversible destruction of coral reefs and other sea life... All this and more will get much, much worse if climate change keeps on its current course.
As thousands of scientists issued their warning for the future of humanity, the American fascist regime carried out yet another criminal act. At the international conference on climate change being held in Germany, with delegates from nearly 200 countries, the only official appearance by the U.S. was at a panel on energy where Trump/Pence representatives made a big pitch for the use of fossil fuels, in particular coal—a major producer of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. This conference in Germany was part of moving on the 2016 Paris climate accords—and, as Revolution/revcom.us has analyzed, the goals for greenhouse gas emission cuts in the Paris agreement fell far short of what scientists say is actually needed to deal with climate change in a real way. And the fact is that even those insufficient goals are not on target to be met (“Here’s How Far the World Is From Meeting Its Climate Goals,” NY Times, 11/6/17).
But for the Trump/Pence regime to go to an international climate conference in order to promote coal is a cold-blooded “FUCK YOU” to humanity and all life on the planet. It’s a message that what they deem to be good for the American empire trumps whatever harm that unfettered burning of oil and coal may cause to people and ecosystems around the world.
If further accelerating global climate change was the only nightmare that the Trump/Pence regime was responsible for—and, in fact, there are many more—that alone should be reason enough for millions upon millions of people to pour into the streets and town squares to say “Enough!” and act on the demand: In the Name of Humanity, the Trump/Pence Regime Must GO!
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