Renowned scientist James Lovelock gave a powerful speech in Toronto today. Lovelock argues persuasively that we are already headed to huge, irreversible temperature changes, which will massively disrupt human society and populations. These changes will be far greater and faster than those predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, just as actual changes in sea level, temperature and ice have repeatedly outstripped those predicted by the IPCC. And much, much greater than those predicted by Al Gore. How will people react? (Gwyn Dyer says, “Climate Wars”.)
In the face of this crisis, Lovelock calls for an urgent shift to energy conservation, renewables and nuclear energy, less meat consumption and a huge effort to create and bury charcoal. But even if we do all of these things, disruptive temperature rises are inevitable, likely in sharp jumps. Lovelock predicts food shortages and huge migrations to northern regions, such as Canada. It’s like the “phony war” in 1939, he says; everyone knows the disasters are coming, but no one is doing anything effective about it. When we do decide to act, we will bitterly regret these lost years.
The speech was organized by Corporate Knights.