Posted on 30 September 2023 by John Hartz

Story of the Week

We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation

The renowned US scientist’s new book examines 4bn years of climate history to conclude we are in a ‘fragile moment’ but there is still time to act

“We haven’t yet exceeded the bounds of viable human civilisation, but we’re getting close,” says Prof Michael Mann. “If we keep going [with carbon emissions], then all bets are off.”

The climate crisis, already bringing devastating extreme weather around the world, has delivered a “fragile moment”, says the eminent climate scientist and communicator in his latest book, titled Our Fragile Moment. Taming the climate crisis still remains possible, but faces huge political obstacles, he says.

Mann, at Penn State university in the US, has been among the most high-profile climate scientists since publishing the famous hockey stick chart in 1999, showing how global temperatures rocketed over the last century.

To understand our predicament today, Mann has trawled back through the Earth’s climate history in order to see our potential futures more clearly. “We’ve got 4 bn years to learn from,” he told the Guardian in an interview. 

Click here to access the entire article as originally posted on The Guardian website.

We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation, Interview by Damian Carrington, Environment, The Guardian, Sep 30, 2023

Articles posted on Facebook

Sunday, Sep 24, 2023

• Climate change impeding fight against AIDS, TB and malaria by Jennifer Rigby, Business, Reuters, Sep 25, 2023
• Why September’s record-warm temperatures have scientists so worried by Scott Dance, Weather, Washington Post, Sep 23, 2023
• A climate scientist on how to recognize the new climate change denial Delay, deflect, downplay, and other ways fossil fuel companies block climate action. by Avishay Artsy, Climate, Vox, Sep 22, 2023
• ‘Climate villain’: scientists say Rupert Murdoch wielded his media empire to sow confusion and doubt The tycoon, who is stepping down from News Corp and Fox, has used his outlets to promote denial and delay action, experts say by Graham Readfearn, Media, The Guardian, Sep 22, 2023
• Will sweat help us survive climate change? It's gross. It's sticky. And it's already saved your life. by Kate Yoder, Culture, Grist Magazine, Dec 15, 2023& [This story is part of Record High, a Grist series examining extreme heat and its impact on how — and where — we live.]
• Big Oil, Big Lies and Big Al... by Dave Borlace, ""Just have a think"" on YouTube, Sep 24, 2023

Monday, Sep 25, 2023

• Extreme weather shows need for early warning systems, says Spanish minister Teresa Ribera calls for alert systems in every country by 2027 after spate of natural disasters across the world by Sam Jones, Environment, The Guardian, Sep 20, 2023
• Many US schools aren't teaching about climate change. Students aren't happy about that by Alia Wong, Education, USA TODAY, Sep 24, 2023
• The media need to cover the climate crisis as seriously as it covered Covid With some exceptions, the news industry is still not responding to the true scale and danger of global heating, Opinion by Mark Hertsgaard & Kyle Pope*, Comment is Free, The Guardian, Sep 20, 2023 *Founder's of Covering Climate Now
• From Jane to the Octonauts, Children’s TV Is Taking on the Climate Crisis Experts say these shows can help parents talk about a thorny subject — and inspire hope. by Bridget Shirvell, Nexus Media News, Sep 22, 2023
• Visualizing a summer of extremes in 7 charts The past four months of 2023 have shattered all prior records by a truly staggering margin Zeke Hausfather, The Climate Brink, Sep 25, 2023

Tuesday, Sep 26, 2023

• Yes, there was global warming in prehistoric times. But nothing in millions of years compares with what we see today, Opinion by Michael E Mann, Los Angeles Times, Sep 24, 2023
• ‘Whatever it takes’: students at 50 US high schools launch climate initiative Green New Deal for Schools demands districts teach climate justice, update buildings and plan for extreme weather by Maanvi Singh, Environment, The Guardian, Sep 25, 2023
• Antarctica just hit a record low in sea ice — by a lot Sea ice extent around Arctic was the sixth lowest on record as well by Kasha Patel, Environment, Washington Post, Sep 25, 2023
• At a glance - How do human CO2 emissions compare to natural CO2 emissions? by John Mason & Baerbel Winkler, Skeptical Science, Sep 26,2023
• Florida's coastal homes may lose value as climate-fueled storms intensify insurance risk by Kate Cimini, Money USA TODAY, Sep 25, 2023
• After summer’s extreme weather, more Americans see climate change as a culprit, AP-NORC poll shows by Tammy Webber & Linely Sanders, Climate, AP News, Sep 25, 2023

Wednesday, Sep 27, 2023

• Peak Oil Is Near, Energy Agency Says, but Climate Change Is Far From Solved Despite the growth of electric vehicles and solar power, other efforts to tackle warming are lagging, according to the International Energy Agency. by Brad Plumer, Climate, New York Times, Sep 26, 2023
• A Known Risk: How Carbon Stored Underground Could Find Its Way Back Into the Atmosphere Other concerns include the potential for earthquakes and contamination of groundwater. by Terry L. Jones & Pam Radtke, Floodlight/Inside Climate News, Sep 26, 2023
• One of the most intense El Niños ever observed could be forming An experimental forecast from scientists at the by  National Center for Atmospheric Research calls for a ‘super’ El Niño by winter by Scott Dance, Weather, Washington Post, Sep 26, 2023
• Lessons from California on how to adapt to sea level rise by Hilary McQuilkin & Meghna Chakrabarti, On Point, WBUR/NPR, Sep 26, 2023
• The Mysterious ‘Warming Hole’ in the Middleof the US The world is rapidly heating. So why has the central US been weirdly cool compared to the rest of the country? by Matt Simon, WIRED Magazine, Sep 28, 2023
• Implementing climate literacy in schools — what to teach our teachers? by Anna-Kathryn Leve, Hanno Michel & Ute Harms, Open Access, Journal of Climate Change, Sep 26, 2023

Thursday, Sep 28, 2023

• Six young people sue 32 nations for climate inaction at European Court of Human Rights by Mared Gwyn Jones & Isabel Marques da Silva, My Europe News, eurovision, Sep 27, 2023
• How Long Can America’s Climate Hypocrisy Last?, Opinion by David Wallace-Wells, New York Times, Sep 27, 2023
• Crucial for a Clean Energy Economy, the Aluminum Industry’s Carbon Footprint Is Enormous A new report finds aluminum manufacturing worldwide emits more than a billion tons of carbon dioxide annually, as well as chemicals called perfluorocarbons that warm the planet for 50,000 years. by Phil Mckenna, Politics & Policy, Inside Climate News, Sep 27, 2023
• More aid money spent on clean air than fossil fuels for first time Clean Air Fund says despite increased spending on air pollution, projects still receive less than 1% of funding by Ajit Niranjan, Environment, The Guardian, Sep 2023 
• For US Energy Storage, Record Growth Is Still a Slog Despite a new high for growth, too many projects are being delayed by a multitude of challenges. by Dan Gearino, Inside Clean Energy, Inside Climate News, Sep 28, 2023
• Big European insurers ‘underwrite 30% of US coal despite net zero pledges’ Lloyd’s of London, Zurich and Swiss Re among top 10 insurers of largest US coalmines, study finds by Julia Kollewe, Environment, The Guardian, Sep 28, 2023

Friday, Sep 29, 2023

• Exclusive: Shell CEO comes under pressure from within on renewables shift by Ron Buosso, Sustainability, Reuters, Sep 27, 2023
• Analysis: How some of the world’s largest companies rely on carbon offsets to ‘reach net-zero’ by Josh Gabbatiss, Carbon Offsets, Carbon Brief, Sep 27, 2023
• White House defines ‘zero-emission’ buildings, hoping more get built It comes as states and cities set their own standards for cutting climate pollution from buildings nationwide by Maxine Joselow, Climate Solutions, Washington Post, Sep 28, 2023
• Feeling the Heat Researchers struggle to convey the complex impacts of climate warming on infectious disease by Kai Kupperschmidt, Science, Sep 26, 2023
• Global warming: Why focusing on 1.5C is flawed Limiting global heating to 1.5C will not make the world safe. Instead, we should decide on the tipping points we wish to avoid by Henry Throp & Laurie Laybour, The World Today, Chatham House, Sep 29, 2023
• As Waters Rise, a Community Must Decide: Do We Stay or Go? Faced with more frequent flooding and worse to come, the Philadelphia environmental justice community of Eastwick is grappling with difficult questions about its future: Will levees and flood walls protect them, or should residents abandon their homes and move to higher ground? by John Hurdle, Environmental Justice, Yale Environment 360, Sep 28, 2023

Saturday, Sep 30, 2023

• In Brazil's Amazon, drought affects locals' access to food and water by Bruno Kelly & Steven Grattan, World, Reuters, Sep 28, 202
• Flooding in New York, Rain Eases, but Officials Warn Flood Risks Remain Heavy rain caused serious flooding across the region on Friday, leading Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare a state of emergency as rising waters disrupted travel and stranded people in cars and homes. by Michael Wilson & Hurubie Meko, Live, New York Times, Sep 30, 2023
• New York Needs to Get Spongier—or Get Used to More Floods Devastating deluges around the world point to the metropolis of tomorrow: the “sponge city.” Think more parks and fewer parking lots. by Matt Simon, Science, Wired Magazine, Sep 29, 2023
• We’re not doomed yet’: climate scientist Michael Mann on our last chance to save human civilisation, Interview by Damian Carrington, Environment, The Guardian, Sep 30, 2023
• For Sanibel, the Recovery from Hurricane Ian Will Be Years in the Making Thousands of residents of this barrier island remain displaced a year after the costliest hurricane in state history. by Amy Green, Justice, Inside Climate News, Sep28, 2023
• The Mississippi River’s saltwater intrusion problem, explained President Biden this week approved an emergency declaration for four parishes dealing with the potential impacts along the drought-stricken river. by Brady Dennis, Climate, Washington Post, Sep 29, 2023