Home » Sciences » Dystopian Climate Crisis Unfolds: How We Can Change the Ending Now!

Dystopian Climate Crisis Unfolds: How We Can Change the Ending Now!

Photo of author

By Cameron Aldridge

Dystopian Climate Crisis Unfolds: How We Can Change the Ending Now!

Photo of author

By Cameron Aldridge

The eerie landscapes of dystopian futures once confined to the realms of science fiction novels, movies, and TV series have ominously shifted into our reality. Current events such as devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, alongside widespread floods, droughts, and storms, serve as a harsh reminder. Our persistent neglect in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not a looming threat for the distant future; it has become our immediate crisis.

Now is the crucial moment to reject climate change denial and push forward with enhancing our resilience to disasters in our urban and residential areas.

It’s not as if we haven’t been cautioned. For decades, climate scientists have been alerting us to the escalating dangers posed by climate change. Despite these frequent alarms, our efforts to lessen or adjust to these changes have been insufficient. As often expressed humorously online, we are experiencing the world’s longest, most disappointing, and agonizing ‘I told you so’.


Supporting Science Journalism

If you find value in this discussion, please consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. Your subscription helps sustain the future of journalism that brings attention to critical issues and ideas that shape our society.


In 1969, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan alerted President Nixon to the dire risks of climate change with a memo predicting a catastrophic 10-foot rise in sea levels, ominously titling it “Goodbye New York.” Yet, he was disregarded. In 1977, Frank Press, then science advisor to President Carter, emphasized the urgent and enormous impact of rapid climate shifts, advocating for a highly significant and challenging impact assessment.

See also  Los Angeles Wildfires: Impending Rain Threatens New Dangers!

By the release of the fourth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report in 2007, which summarized the latest findings in climate science, John Holdren of Harvard (later advisor to President Barack Obama) outlined our three choices: mitigation, adaptation, and suffering. He posited that the balance of these strategies would determine the extent of our future suffering, advocating for substantial mitigation to minimize the need for adaptation and suffering.

Perhaps you, like me, enjoy the various portrayals of dystopian futures in TV shows and movies, where alien invasions or extreme natural disasters devastate societies. Frequently these narratives feature Los Angeles, a city emblematic of Hollywood itself. The city faced destruction in the 1974 movie Earthquake and was engulfed by lava in the 1997 film Volcano. The 2004 movie The Day After Tomorrow depicted tornadoes destroying famous L.A. landmarks, while more recent productions like Blade Runner 2049 and the Syfy series The Expanse portray massive seawalls defending cities from the rising seas brought by climate change.

Despite what some politicians may claim, the scenes of disaster we witness today are not mere fiction but are unfolding around us in real life.

Alarmingly, key policymakers and commentators continue to dismiss scientific facts. In 2020, amid devastating wildfires, former President Donald Trump downplayed climate concerns, asserting to a California official that “I don’t think science knows” about global warming. He optimistically claimed things would cool down. Yet, five years later, with temperatures rising and Trump still disregarding scientific consensus, he blames California’s water policies and other non-relevant factors for ongoing disasters. His major campaign supporter, Elon Musk, has also publicly dismissed climate change’s role with unscientific views.

See also  2024's Top Science-Backed Sleep Tips for Better Snooze!

Such denial is dangerous. It obstructs crucial efforts needed to cut harmful emissions and delays enhancing our adaptative capacities to face inevitable climate impacts, exacerbating human suffering in the face of escalating disasters.

We are aware of what the future holds, and we know what actions are necessary. Beyond rapidly transitioning away from fossil fuels, we must change individual behaviors and reduce carbon emissions from other sources. Furthermore, we need to bolster our resilience against unavoidable consequences.

This involves strategies like improving wildfire resilience through better land management and policy changes, such as constructing with fire-resistant materials, reducing surrounding vegetation, and limiting development in vulnerable areas. Our communities must also strengthen water systems by upgrading infrastructure, diversifying water sources, and enhancing firefighting capabilities. Properties at risk from rising sea levels and more severe storms must be protected, relocated, or abandoned. New development in hazardous zones must be stopped, despite development pressures, and any rebuilding should adhere to higher, safer standards.

It’s time to heed the science, ignore the deniers, and strive to make our potentially dystopian future merely fictional once more.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

Similar Posts

See also  Why Do We Catch More Colds in Winter? Unveiling the Seasonal Mystery!

Rate this post
Share this :

Leave a Comment