The Climate Report #372 | AI & Climate Change, Part Two

AI & CLIMATE CHANGE, PART TWO

Let's take a further look at "What AI is saying about Climate Change."

This is a counterpoint to a video scripted by AI. The makers of the video (good people, I'm sure) asked AI to scour the internet and come back with answers as to the bad things that will continue to happen if climate change continues.

the prevailing analysis of climate change lies on the spectrum between false and misleading. We misunderstand the true causes of the problem, and therefore, we misunderstand the true solutions.

We are told that "climate change" causes extreme weather events. No, extreme weather event ARE climate change. And not all such events are caused primarily by carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a cause, but, in my view, not the primary cause.

Flooding has multiple causes other than CO2. Flooding is caused not just by excess rainfall, but by excess runoff. Excess runoff is caused primarily by deforestation and by poor soil.

Similarly, heat waves and wildfires occur primarily because of what we do to the land. Desertification results in hot plates that heat up the air. Bad forestry practices, such as “fuel reduction” and the use of pesticides result in dry, degraded forests which are more prone to extreme wildfires.

The sooner we understand the true nature of the problems we are dealing with, the sooner we will be able to solve them. Unfortunately CO2 has become a scapegoat and an excuse for inaction. The most effective actions we can take are much closer to home than we are led to believe.

When we restore ecosystems locally, on our farms, in our forests and in our landscapes, then we will be getting at the root causes of extreme weather events and their worst effects.

Please click on the link to listen to the recording.