Quote:
Originally Posted by chemgear
For all this talk about changing vehicles, avoiding flights, recycling, etc. the world needs acknowledge that sheer numbers and population growth is outstripping it all.
Literally dozens of people can buy a new Tesla for the rest of their lives or get rid of their cars forever only to have their contribution be completely offset and wiped out by just a single person having another kid.
Forget recycling, is the world ready to have that conversation? To limit reproductive ability?
https://www.theguardian.com/environm...fewer-children |
Quote:
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The figure was calculated by totting up the emissions of the child and all their descendants, then dividing this total by the parent’s lifespan. Each parent was ascribed 50% of the child’s emissions, 25% of their grandchildren’s emissions and so on.
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That seems to be a very odd way to do this, and one which doesn't really factor in the pressing importance of short-term reductions, as it's essentially applying future generations' climate impact right now. How much we reduce emissions in the next 10/20/50 years is more important than how much we reduce emissions 120 years down the road.
I'm not arguing that limiting the number of kids you have is a good, ethically responsible choice. But I think the way they've chosen to calculate those generational effects in a way that maximizes them and undersells the importance of other actions that can also be taken.