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A comment on CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first time in human history. Parent comment

Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by ikeboy on Monday May 13, 2019 @01:30PM (#19901569)
>Even if climate change would be a hoax (which it is not), then why would it be a bad thing to make changes to prevent it from happening anyway?

Because those come at significant cost, and if there's nothing to worry about then why spend tens of trillions of dollars to stop it?

I mean you might as well use Pascal's wager to argue for religion if you're only looking at potential benefits and ignoring costs.

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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by deadmik3 on Monday May 13, 2019 @01:56PM (#19901869)
it's also the imbalance of cost, where western countries get shamed and blamed if they don't agree to costly restrictions while places like China and India cause most of the world's pollution and don't care
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by ivalm on Monday May 13, 2019 @03:21PM (#19902919)
Per capita US produces more CO2 than China right now.
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by rezeroed on Monday May 13, 2019 @01:38PM (#19901651)
But renewables are more decentralised. I can't stick a coal plant on my roof. Decentralisation means less corrupt monopoly, less need to regulate.
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by ikeboy on Monday May 13, 2019 @01:47PM (#19901767)
Are you trying to make an argument that regulations on carbon would pay for themselves due to decentralization? I don't think economists would agree with that.
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by rezeroed on Tuesday May 14, 2019 @07:19AM (#19908490)
No.
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by deadmik3 on Monday May 13, 2019 @01:58PM (#19901894)
Yeah sunlight and air are more decentralized but how many companies make solar panels and windmills?
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by rezeroed on Tuesday May 14, 2019 @07:19AM (#19908493)
Countless?
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by thebokehwokeh2 on Monday May 13, 2019 @01:39PM (#19901665)
> if there's nothing to worry about then why spend tens of trillions of dollars to stop it?

Extremely shortsighted thinking. If we're talking about cost, this should be the argument: tens of trillions < the future of humanity.

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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by ikeboy on Monday May 13, 2019 @01:42PM (#19901700)
Remember, the hypothetical being discussed is that climate change is a hoax. In that scenario, inaction doesn't lead to any harmful consequences.
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by Nuzzerino on Monday May 13, 2019 @03:23PM (#19902937)
Maybe the strategy should have been to maintain trustworthiness and condemn hoaxes on all sides of the isle, such as the type that have been talked about on Capitol Hill lately. Who can blame them at this point?
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Re:CO2 in the atmosphere just exceeded 415ppm for the first ... by rezeroed on Tuesday May 14, 2019 @07:21AM (#19908509)
Nor does it improve the situation.
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