''The global view is that most populations couldn't give a toss - just look at the number of coal fired power stations being built in mainly Asian countries.''
there is probably a lot of truth in what you wrote
there is one thing that one instantly notices in many Asian cultures ---------- pragmatism. Adaptation to problems that are in front of one's nose
it is a wonderful human characteristic --------- however, it has a big downside, and that is that it is detrimental to longer term thinking
when the heat comes - they feel it then, when the floods come, they feel it then - when the ocean encroaches, they feel it then ---------- and they again, fall to pragmatism
it is more so in their nature or culture than looking far ahead.
Many nations do have more long term views - but, not, oddly enough in all areas.
I think that most nations, Asian or Western - in actual practice - don't really accept climate change -
they kind of do - they kind of can intellectualise it - but, it's almost impossible for humans to emotionally grasp the danger of climate change -
it's either invisible - or difficult to see, because we are so used to things like -'it's raining' - well - it's always rained
it's hot - well, in one's life in warm places - there's always been hot weather
it's a huge mental shift to grasp that today - it's hot - because of some planetary shift
it's even more difficult to grasp mmcc - where somehow, some people we call scientists tell us that something invisible 'up there' which we are making from doing things in chimneys ----------- is creating the whole thing - which means - it's hot today
those with a good imagination can sit and intellectualise it - but, it's very difficult to emotionalise it - to really get an understanding of it
take the example of western consumerism --------- so, women mainly, but women and men - we intellectually know that industrialisation is the cause of planetary damage and degradation - that's abundantly clear --------------- BUT - we still go to the shopping mall and buy carloads of unnecessary shit - and we buy bigger houses so we can put all that mass of shit somewhere -
we just do NOT back what we know - we just don't, we continue on with wilful irresponsibility
what will it take? ---------- well, I think there are two things - a massive death toll from some extreme extreme weather event - and something rapid and monstrous - like the AMOC stalling
something that gives Hollywood style immediacy to hugely damaging events
will either happen? ----- probably. When is the question. It's always been the question
