CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE LACK OF VISION

Why We Don’t Care About Saving Our Grandchildren From Climate Change; A new study shows that human beings are too selfish to endure present pain to avert future climate change. That's why we need win-win solutions now

Bryan Walsh, October 21, 2013 (Time Magazine)

“…It will take decades before the carbon dioxide we emit now begins to have its full effect on the planet’s climate. And by the same token, it will take decades before we are able to enjoy the positive climate effects of reducing carbon-dioxide emissions now…But we will feel the economic effects of either emitting or restricting CO₂ right now…What that means, in effect, is that climate policy asks the present to sacrifice for the future. Human beings tend not to be very good at that…American and German researchers led by Jennifer Jacquet of New York University put together a collective-risk group experiment that is centered around climate change…Unsurprisingly, the more delayed the payout was, the less likely the experimental groups would put enough money away to meet the goal to stop climate change…[T]he results do not bode well for humanity’s ability to come together to stop climate change…” click here for more

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