Does Climate Change really matter if it won't affect me personally in my lifetime?

Question

I am 44 this year, I live in the UK, I am female. My life expectancy is about 80 years.

When are the effects of Climate Change going to be significant enough to change my current lifestyle?

Does Climate Change really matter if it wont affect me personally in my lifetime?

Answer 1

Yes it matters.



"No man is an island, entire of itself;

every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less,

as well as if a promontory were,

as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were.

Any man's death diminishes me,

because I am involved in mankind;

and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;

it tolls for thee."



John Donne

Answer 2

What does it matter?

Hasn't all Science now been proved a tax raising, one world govt. fraud?

You do realize that all Science is so intertwined, and interdependent, that if one area of Science is "fake" , or a "fraud" , it would be like having an engine with wooden pistons.

What area of Science is being faked?

Is it just the Atmospheric Scientists?

Are the Climatologists in on the world wide US tax scam?

How many Marine Biologists do you think are faking data to suck up grant money?

How long has this fraud been going on?

What did they do with the real data before the scam was started?

Do they have a secret convention every year to indoctrinate the recently graduated Scientists?

Do they have a secret handshake to identify fellow tax conspirators?

Is the current money shortage being caused by the phony Scientists hoarding all their ill gotten gains under their mattresses?

With all Science being denied because of those stolen e-mails, will common sense finally prevail? I mean, any fool can easily see that it's the Sun warming the Earth.

Nobody actually needs an elitist Scientist to know that the Sun moves across the sky, as the Earth stands still.

Answer 3

With reference to Meadow, "These doomsday scenarios all assume a simple linear continuation of trends."



Unfortunately, this is not the case. Global modelling includes several positive feedback mechanisms which are far from linear. Since the future time span over which they can project is short, the non-linear growth is balanced by first derivative damping mechanisms, so the most objective analysis will take the mean of many concurrent models, which happens to be quasi-linear in the short to mid term.



We have only just passed the point of no return for the model based on the "business-as-usual" approach to future policy, so for the time being the accelerants balance the deccelerants to give apparently linear growth which is easy for the fossil junkies to explain away. We need to change now, cos soon the damping will not be enough to contain the positive feedback and the growth curve will steepen up at an increasing rate. 10 to 15 years from now, when Climate Change is undeniable by even the most intransigent, it will be too late.



Edit: You'll be complaining about your pension when the babes-in-arms of today are trying to deal with the mess you've wilfully contributed to, and are trying to abdicate responsibility for. Don't expect them to look after you.

Answer 4

It does depend which country you are in. UK may well be colder and in a shorter time.



The earth will continue for millions more years but human life WILL NOT be for ever and that is for sure. Whether it is global warming or another ice age that wipes the last man/woman out. Does it matter? Probably not as none of us know the grand scheme of things

Answer 5

An example of climate change is global warming.Global warming is causing the Arctic to melt at a fast rate. If the arctic melts, it's going to cause tons of severe weather..

Answer 6

It's very hard to say how soon climate change will significantly impact the day-to-day life of those of us living in industrialized countries. The impacts to undeveloped countries will be greater (an unfortunate reality, since they didn't cause the problem), but we may not see particularly significant impacts in your lifetime.



There will be increased heat waves and floods and such, which will impact some people, but perhaps not you specifically.



As for whether it matters if it won't impact you, my reaction to that question whenever it's asked is that if people in the past didn't care about future generations, we wouldn't be enjoying the relatively comfortable life that we're able to live. As a society, we have a responsibility to do what we can to allow future generations to enjoy the same prosperity that we do.



To act otherwise is selfish, and I know you're not a selfish person :-)

Answer 7

you wont notice any difference in your lifetime but your grand kids might have a slightly easier life & a more pleasant climate to live in if the worst IPCC warming predictions for the next hundred years come true.

your grand kids wont notice any change during their lifetimes either because the change is too slow & gradual.

of course if the worst happens & we start into the next ice age everyone will suffer. because the end of warm interglacial periods have always experienced very rapid drops just like the extremely rapid rise at their beginnings.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/abrupt/data2.html

in either case theres no point in worrying about things we have no control over is there.

Answer 8

No, i wouldn't worry about it. Remember "The Ecologist" magazine? It's 1972 issue "blueprint for survival" said that by 2000 we would all be on the edge of famine, that most metals would of run out by now, oil would be all but gone, etc, etc, etc. Wrong, wrong, wrong.



I think that - sadly - some people get off on predicting a doomsday future but look at the facts rather then all the scary predicitions: the world has got so much better for so many people.



These doomsday scenarios all assume a simple linear continuation of trends. They rely on facile extrapolation and the world isn't like that. But somehow they never seem to get tired of being wrong.



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EDIT - @ BELLA:



Notice how all the people that say it will don't say what they have done to help future generations but instead attack you personally, even though they don't know you at all. I think it says something about the kind of person who is too ready to judge others rather than looking at themselves.

.

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Answer 9

During 2010 some 6 million people will die as a result of climate change caused by, Crop failure, flooding, pollution , drought and much more. If just one child who had the potential to grow up and find a cure for cancer was to die then that may have an effect on you. But given the fact that millions of children will die perhaps we are all better off not knowing what effect it will have. The native American Indian once believed that, for the brief time we are on this Earth we are only custodians and therefore we must protected and care for it.The planet is a living thing and like all living things if its hurt it will defend its self.

Answer 10

To you it does not matter. To many others it does not matter because it is a lie we are being repeatedly fed so that when we have to pay more tax we swallow the lie. So you should just die in peace knowing you have added nothing to climate change.

Answer 11

There is nothing you can do about climate change, the real threat is from those who want to use it as a way of controlling your life. Where you go, what you do and how you do it..Its all about control

Answer 12

Think about all the problems that were solved and diseases that were eradicated before you were born!



OK, Imagine what would be of you if past generations thought just like you

Have you pictured yourself in a casket? Cause of death: Smallpox? Skin Cancer caused by UV rays because of ozone layer depletion?



Yeah, now imagine this, what if it's your kid?

Or if you don't have kids, imagine that beautiful little girl who lives across the street...



Selfishness... IT SUCKS!

Answer 13

climate change is already starting to affect us! also, think of the future generations, people are depending on us.. we have to help them. God bless x

Answer 14

Well I guess if you're selfish enough to only care about your life, then it doesn't matter. But for most of us who care about future generations, it does.



By 2025, 1/3 of the world's projected 8.3 billion people will suffer from water shortages. Do you plan on living until then?

Answer 15

even now you can be affected. what about your family to come, what about your relatives that u ll be leaving behind after your life expectancy? join the cause.

Answer 16

Sorry babe, you've got 24 years of massive taxation to pay. There is no escape !!

Answer 17

It's already taking affect and by the time you're 80 it will probably be much worse.

And if you have kids then it'll affect them so i guess it affects you indirectly.

Sort of a selfish way to look at it :/

Answer 18

What about your grand kids?

It will cost you more to live comfortably as you get older.

Answer 19

Try looking out the window once in a while or watching the news.

Answer 20

does a bear sh#t in the woods ..does a tree make a sound when it falls and there is no one there to hear it?

Do YOU really matter in the grand scheme of things?..i doubt it not with that attitude towards the rest of the human race



It matters a hell of a lot to future generations...not that you care obviously

Answer 21

Here is how a leftist thinks

Asteroid to destroy planet tomorrow. The poor will be hardest hit.



That is how the Dana's sees the world. The poor will hardest hit. Please spare me

Answer 22

Naw don't worry about it let our grand kids take care of it. I'll buy them a PS3 and tell them sorry for whats going to happen in your near future we got you into this mess now heres a PS3 to make up for destroying your future and planet

Answer 23

I agree with a previous answer. Do not reproduce.

Answer 24

if you are comfortably off, have no offspring, don't live in the Fens and don't care about anybody else, it doesn't matter to you. But I'm left wondering what does.

Answer 25

me me me me me - nothing matters that doesn't affect YOU!

Answer 26

Why not.

Answer 27

No, just don't have kids.