<
https://theconversation.com/climate-change-can-drive-social-tipping-points-for-better-or-for-worse-210641>
"It’s impossible to turn on the TV, listen to the radio or scroll social media
without hearing about real-world climate impacts. July is the hottest month on
record. The United Nations has declared an era of global boiling. Europe and
North America are experiencing record-breaking heat waves while Antarctic sea
ice levels have fallen to record lows.
Scientists are concerned changes such as these are rapid and irreversible. If
heating continues, the climate could reach tipping points and enter new,
dangerous states.
Such upheaval can also lead to marked changes in society. As our new research
shows, climate change is causing social tipping points: fast, fundamental
changes in human values, behaviours, relationships, technologies and
institutions that are hard to undo.
We need to use this knowledge to overcome our long dependency on fossil fuels
before climate change causes irreversible social upheavals.
Social science shows we’re more likely to be concerned about an issue when we
have experienced it, such as being directly affected by fires or floods. But
until then, we’re often unlikely to support policies which may radically change
everyday life. We can see this in planning for sea-level rise. Coastal
communities that have experienced significant coastal erosion are much more
supportive of coastal protection policies than those that haven’t."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
