Speaking specifically about climate change, the climatologists I speak with are not particularly hopeful about adopting the changes necessary to avoid permanent catastrophic effects. This Mother Jones article expresses similar concerns.
By my lights, the problem is bigger than anything a single individual can really grapple with. Namely, that industrial capitalism is a system based on unlimited growth and the planet has limited resources and ability to regenerate. Without some meaningful alternative that is universally adopted in a hurry, I’m not seeing any realistic prospect of preventing us from zooming past the tipping point.
I’m not saying that conservation efforts should be abandoned, but I do think that we should think seriously about a more palliative preparation and begin speculatively designing for what might be realistically possible in the Post-Anthropocene.
