Climate change and our grandchildren’s future

I agree septimea I feel confident that mother earth will survive whatever we humans do to try to destroy her. Moths too

undines

Climate change is a scam and a very sinister one that is destroying the future for our children - not because of what is happening to the planet but because of the depression, fear and despair induced. 'Climate change denier' has become an insulting label, and an excuse to reject all those (and there are many of them) genuine scientists who dispute the 'evidence' for human-caused climate change. Yes, there is always climate change, always has been, but global warming is in dispute and certainly the role of fossil fuels has been distorted. Why? As always, follow the money. The net zero nonsense is also a handy way to frighten and control people. We need carbon in the atmosphere, it makes things grow. What we do not need are greedy corporations and cynical governments who put forward a scary myth, silence debate and meanwhile ignore REAL environmental concerns, such as pollution. Check out 'Climate Change, the Cold Truth' on youtube

YouTube? Must be true then. We are seeing climate change in action already. Floods and wildfires, the polar ice caps melting. I watch Explore.org videos and the people working at the coal face (excuse the pun) are very well aware and knowledgeable about the climate emergency. Climate change deniers like you are just ostriches with your heads in the sand who don’t want to change their behaviour because it’s an inconvenient truth.

I do worry about the future it’s not just global warming to worry about. But I can’t help getting fed up with these celebrities and politicians plus the royals preaching to Jo public to do their bit while they jump on planes and travel the world adding to the problems

If people don't have children and bring them up to care about the planet, then the future is indeed bleak for humankind. Of course, overpopulation is not good either.

On the other hand, when you see how quickly nature takes over when humans stop using areas (including weeds in the garden!) it's heartening to think that something will survive despite us!

I am glad I made a decision never to have children. At least I dont have it on my conscience that I brought more consumers and producers of waste into the world.

Freya5
Yet they (China) keep belching out co2 like there is no tomorrow.
Yes, to keep the rest of the world supplied with goods their own climate restrictions won’t allow to be made.

I feel not having children because of climate change is very defeatist. Children are the future, who knows how many scientists and green energy experts are being lost because of "climate change". I see someone says China is very advanced re this, are they sharing, no of course not. Yet they keep belching out co2 like there is no tomorrow. Along with India and Azerbijhan and Germany, in fact us with the lowest CO2 output, seem to be doing more than others and we'll all have to give up an awful lot if we are to achieve Nil carbon output. Starmer will see to that. Anyone prepared for what that will mean. Having no children will not stop it but maybe deprive the world of the skills to do so. In some ways it's like saying "Im not going out because something bad may happen to me".

There has always been a looming disaster. We think we are special now, but we are not. What HAS changed is that we privileged have choice about reproduction. Most people have no choice and just do as they fancy.

Some of my parents' contempories chose not to have children because of Hiroshima and the threat of atomic bombs being used in future warfare.

Some of my grandparents' contempories chose not to have a family because of the horrors of the First World War.

If a young woman who is concerned about climate change, and rightly so, decides not to bring children into the world, that is her choice and her right, but she might want to consider the fact that without children she will not be in a good position to influence the coming generation, and those who deny climate change have no reason not to have families, and will probably bring them up to believe that all this talk of climate change destroying the , is just so much bally-hoo.earth

We know it is dangerous, so does your daughter. Perhaps she should be one of those who do have children.

I grew up under the real threat of a nuclear war . It hasn't happened yet, thank god but is still real. It didn't prevent me from having children, who all have children of their own.

Now they worry about the future but one thing is certain: we shall all die some day.
It's the thought of climate disaster
and wars in our lifetime which is scary.

I also try to keep my own impact as low as possible. I could do better. We all could.

There has always been an argument as to how much of our changing climate is natural evolution vs how much is caused directly by humans.
I think it is a combination of both although humans may be exacerbating the situation.

While some countries are working to lessen their carbon footprint, until countries like USA, India, China, etc. get on board, the rest are just 'spitting in the wind.'

There have always been reasons in the past [wars, famines, the economy, etc.] that some have used to not reproduce...... Whatever works for them.

Thank goodness women in many countries have the choice!!

LaCrepescule

My 24 year old daughter has always wanted children but I was sad to hear last night that she’s not sure anymore because of what climate change is doing to the planet. Without China, India and probably now the US (we all know Trump’s view) being on board, what hope is there that we can stop destroying the world?
I won’t see the end of the world and probably neither will she but is she right in being so worried about this?
We can all do our bit but without world leaders taking this seriously, I fear she’s right…

As Hellsbelles said, your daughter is still very young. Many women in their 20's are simply not ready to have children and she may yet change her mind.

China is a particular worry, but we are not without guilt.
We are pressing ahead with solar panels, which is good, because they work even in Britain where there’s not that much sun but we are buying them from countries where they’re created using massive amounts of fossil fuels. Reaching our net zero doesn’t include the impact of our requirements on those other countries.
Creating wind turbines, is another way forward, which is proving successful, but they need huge amounts of steel. 90% of the raw materials required to make virgin steel are imported – from countries such as Japan, Brazil, and Australia, impacting the climate.
The increasing use of arc furnaces which use a lot of scrap metal is greener, but needs fewer workers so means loss of jobs, a bit like the introduction of self check outs.

I can see the point of having fewer children, not just because of the environment, but because there will be fewer ways of earning money to live on, pay tax from, etc.
The danger is moving from no children by choice, whatever the reason for that choice, to no children because of government control.

It fills me with fear, the thought of human life on this planet ceasing to exist which is a very real threat.
We do what we can: recycling, we don't take overseas holidays or cruises, we make the most economical use of power and water that we can. We do still drive petrol cars as we remain to be convinced that the total carbon footprint of electric cars is truthfully presented, ie production and later recycling of EVs. Also production of the electricity used to recharge batteries, particularly as the batteries age.
We had four children and have four grandchildren, but two of these are adopted so we have only "created" two!

I’ve never regretted not having kid- state of this country, glad!

I have 4 grandchildren all under teenage years and I worry about their future and those of that generation.
Not having children in today's climate is understandable . However , she is still very young and whilst it is her sensible head talking now , once she sees all her friends and those around her still producing children then perhaps it will turn to only having one.

The low birth rate and aging population is going to be a more immediate problem, there will be employment shortages,slower economic growth,rising pension and healthcare costs which means higher taxes and reduced services for younger generations.

A lot of misinformation here about climate change. CC is real and manmade. We need governments to address it, not deny it or waste time. The UK is doing it's bit but will have only a marginal direct effect: China may be moving in the right direction but the USA under Trump will add to the problem.

LaCrepescule

My 24 year old daughter has always wanted children but I was sad to hear last night that she’s not sure anymore because of what climate change is doing to the planet. Without China, India and probably now the US (we all know Trump’s view) being on board, what hope is there that we can stop destroying the world?
I won’t see the end of the world and probably neither will she but is she right in being so worried about this?
We can all do our bit but without world leaders taking this seriously, I fear she’s right…

Such a thoughtful young woman could be the mother of a child who might go on to invent the technology to save our planet.

The climate is changing - quite a lot by the look of it.

But the question imo is why:
1. Is it down to us?
2. Is it deliberately being altered by Governments and the like?
3. Is it Mother Nature having one of the upheavals she has had over the centuries?

Personally - I'm pretty much convinced it's a combination of nos. 2 and 3. If it did turn out to have a personal element =- I've not had more than 2 children and indeed haven't had any and so "I've done my bit and more". I did one of those environmental quizzes some time back as to "How many planets are you using?" and thought "How on earth are they telling me I use two planets worth? No children, no car, very little plane travel, etc, etc" and then realised and re-did that exact same quiz with the exact same answer and put in that mine is a two-person household (not the one-person one it actually is) and came out with I'm actually really using my fair one planet worth - if I were married or living together - and obviously people shouldnt be penalised for being single. So I'm doing what I can and I'm blowed if I'm getting married to satisfy their ideas of "Budge up and share your house".

I think we're probably talking a lot nearer in time than our grandchildren copping for it. I think there's a good chance that we personally are going to cop for it - eg I gather there are scientists saying our Gulf Stream we depend upon might change drastically and could be as early as next year and cue for Britain becoming much worse weather and maybe rationing electric use to only 3 hours per day (to which I thought "Nothing like being told the exact year I might die - ie next year !!!!!"). We can only wait and see what is going to happen to "our" climate here.

Time will tell - and further info. leaking out about the deliberate changes being made to our weather (all for the worse by the look of it).

Good grief

My DD who died 5 years ago aged 47, when marrying at 35, decided she did not want children as there were too many people on earth and far too many in UK already. That was nearly 20 years ago and situation hasn't improved.

undines

Climate change is a scam and a very sinister one that is destroying the future for our children - not because of what is happening to the planet but because of the depression, fear and despair induced. 'Climate change denier' has become an insulting label, and an excuse to reject all those (and there are many of them) genuine scientists who dispute the 'evidence' for human-caused climate change. Yes, there is always climate change, always has been, but global warming is in dispute and certainly the role of fossil fuels has been distorted. Why? As always, follow the money. The net zero nonsense is also a handy way to frighten and control people. We need carbon in the atmosphere, it makes things grow. What we do not need are greedy corporations and cynical governments who put forward a scary myth, silence debate and meanwhile ignore REAL environmental concerns, such as pollution. Check out 'Climate Change, the Cold Truth' on youtube

That is just not true. Almost 100% of Scientists accept that there is a climate catastrophe. It is only just beginning to impact on lucky us in the global North but it is already devastating parts of the planet. The ice caps are melting.
OK there have been extreme climate changes, naturally occurring in history which led to species extinctions but this is happening quickly so if we refuse to act now the world will inevitably be unable to support life.
So yes, I can understand why people are choosing not to create more humans.

I think we need to remember that the children born today will be the ones that will be looking after the world when we have moved on, so in my opinion what we need is to produce responsible adults for the future, that have respect for the world that we live in.

These big countries don't seem to be bothered. We are a very tiny country trying our best, but not big enough to make a big impact. We have loads of restrictive dates against us but other countries don't seem to!!!