New Scientist Podcasts
CultureLab: Surviving the climate crisis – Michael Mann’s hopeful lessons from Earth’s deep history
Oct 2, 2023
Michael Mann, University of Pennsylvania climate scientist and activist, discusses how past climate events can teach us about our future and emphasizes the urgency of taking action to prevent further climate damage. Topics include extreme weather events in 2023, embracing uncertainty when discussing climate change, the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), the impacts of climate change throughout Earth's history, and insights from the paleoclimate record.
29:39
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Quick takeaways
- Taking rapid and collective action to address climate change is crucial to prevent the worst impacts and maintain stable conditions for human civilization.
- Studying past climate events like the PETM period reveals the importance of CO2 as the main driver of climate change and reinforces the urgency to reduce carbon emissions.
Deep dives
Climate extremes in 2023 highlight the urgency of addressing climate change
2023 has seen a series of extreme weather events, including record-breaking heatwaves, wildfires, and melting sea ice. These events are clear indications that climate change is not a distant threat, but a present reality. The urgency to take action is emphasized, as the devastating consequences of climate inaction are already evident. However, there is still agency to prevent the worst impacts. By examining lessons from Earth's climate history, the book 'Our Fragile Moment' demonstrates the importance of addressing climate change rapidly and collectively to maintain the stable conditions on which human civilization depends.
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