‘We haven’t faced anything like climate change before’ - Gaia Vince

Gaia Vince is a science and environment journalist and author who has written extensively about the impact of human activity on our planet and climate.

In this episode, she joins Krishnan to talk about her new book, Nomad Century, in which she takes a look at how migration could be the solution to the climate crisis.

Produced by : Joe Lord-Jones

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[damienadama]

Not going to bother watching left wing bias.

Just a question though? Did you forget mankind (oh dirty word) has faced and survived climate change before? Does the last Ice Age not ring a bell?

[michaelrch]

29:30 aaaargh what is this nonsense!! There is tons of protein in plants!! Ask cows, and pigs and chickens, and VEGANS!!
We don't have to eat insects and algae. Just eat beans and tofu FFS!!

[ninetalesxyo]

Natural migrations in our history worked because it was in tens of thousands at the most. Not tens of millions. It's an over population/carrying capacity issue today.

[ninemoonplanet]

Odd thing about the UK, most of the land available for farming or any food production is owned by very few people. The old aristocracy has kept thousands of hectares of land all in private ownership. The Royal Family has a huge mass of lands, but very few people work on those lands or live on them. They're basically extremely large parks. Same goes for other large wealthy people who have large tracts of land, but essentially left to tenants and renters for housing, small towns owned by a single family.
Much the same is true, now in North America, where corporations own huge tracts of land or lease, rent farms to people who produce specific crops, animals. Cargill is one.
How does this get changed so people can live in places that do have productive soils, land, and access to markets?

[ezilyyi]

THE RICH AND BIG INDUSTRY POLLUTE MORE THAN BILLIONS OF POOR PEOPLE EVER WILL !!!

[l-oiseau]

Gaia, do you address the overpopulation issues in your book?

[DrinkTheKoolAid]

Well, humans have migrated across the planet multiple times and geological evidence shows great sea level variations over the last 200, 000 years alone (not to mention the climactic change our evolutionary precursors went through) and there was the whole younger Dryas thing - doesn't any of that count? Yes, climate change will have an extraordinary effect on our existence but let's not pretend that humanity has not dealt with these issues before.

[davebirch]

We were dealing with it in the late 80s when we found out about the hole in the ozone layer. Why are people going on about it as if it's only just been discovered?

[LewisJGreyson]

I wrote a draft on solutions around migration and current global outlook months ago. I think I can tick most of the areas addressed.

The energy and resource reality has led to wars past/ present but now it’s more evident that instigators of conflict are finding it harder to succeed.
You have countries like Russia and China who desire to reclaim historical lands because they predict new future demands with the emergence of sustainable market places. Despite this the two nations are unlikely to transition at the same pace as the rest of the world using time-sensitive methods. We know another reason for expanding is to maintain and to grow their own global influence.

If Russia accomplishes its ‘military operation’ in Ukraine and China achieves reunification with Taiwan then both countries have successfully filled economic gaps (in the long term). To tap into the potential of new work forces, technology and land could mean both are set to outperform the strongest democracies while going unaffected by the cost of
Developing sustainably.

The issue here is making sustainability competitive and equitable as competition is what world markets thrive on.
If the green revolution is forecast to succeed in developed democracies then the current strategy of feeding into conflicts will deepen global inequalities. In the long-term we will see wealthier nations move ahead with their own sustainable initiatives leaving less developed nations behind.

Developed nations can afford access to supply despite current disruptions. For instance, Less developed nations are affected most by the disruptions in Ukraine's grain supply. In the long-term funds are likely to be redirected to secure food rather than funding new infrastructure projects and the facilities needed for a sustainable transition.

Wind, solar, and nuclear energy are not competitive because once you build the facilities to produce you no longer need to continue purchasing it from other parties.
No one country has access to sustainable supplies of oil, gas and coal, that's what makes them competitive/ expensive.

Many nations will be at a disadvantage because of outdated pricing systems for tech in combination with global climate vulnerabilities. Nations will likely be less able to trade with the same efficiencies, in the same quantity and at affordable costs. (supply disruptions).

Leaders must introduce mutually beneficial trading solutions in order to route the latest sustainable initiatives to developing nations. Understanding regional infrastructure needs, next prioritising implementation moving us forward as a global community.

Laying the necessary foundations for the first part of this new era will ease market competition however continued innovation and further technological advancement can reignite competition.

The Solution

Continuing to innovate with efficiency, speed and sustainability in an ethical way will allow world markets to remain competitive.

Back to the Drawing board(er):
Retrofitting regions is a sustainable idea but if history has taught us anything, maps change. If parts of the planet become uninhabitable due to climate change then nations may need to gradually and strategically change their national geographies. Partial migration from old-infrastructure to new climate resilient developments should also encourage moving populations to return a fraction of used and abused land back to the environment.
Sustainable Transformation and Impact 100:
Launching a Sustainable transformation index, presenting data which measures and identifies top sustainable performances from business to state.

Young Pensions:
Secured investor proposals targeted at the desired age bracket, analysts can predict and estimate the average monthly cost of energy per household for pensioners by 2050. The estimate can then be made into an investment for the development of renewable energy facilities. This service can also be used to gain a deeper insight into the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy (forecasting bills and savings).
Harnessing the capital of young investors should influence our target demographic on two ideals - To invest in the future & To Retire into a Sustainable Society.

Revising Land Value:
I would suggest wholesale prices of products remain the same but company profits should be reinvested back into the land. We also need to rethink international infrastructure debts as this does not take into account climate vulnerabilities.

Lifting all sanctions globally, exclusively for trading commerce categorised by SDG. This will reaffirm the commitment of no one being left behind when it comes to sustainable development.

Reparations in the form of development pathways in the CW:
Britain must address reparations within the Commonwealth. This should come in the form of a renewed commitment to collectively move forward with all member states into a prosperous and sustainable future.

The Blue Economy:
Using tech to predict areas that will likely experience repeat severe weather patterns. It's crucial to continue making sure infrastructure is in place to divert, collect and harness resources.
Furthermore, strategically placed dams for future water retention, planting trees, new waterways or reservoirs will aid in the northern hemisphere whilst retrofitting distillation pipelines will see new lines of clean water entering the southern.

The Green Revolution in Phases:
'The time period of the industrial revolution was 1750 to 1914. The industrial revolution occurred in two distinct phases: the first industrial revolution, between 1750 and 1850, and the second industrial revolution, between 1850 and 1914.'
The green revolution may need to come in two or three phases:
Phase 1: Transitioning/ up-scaling/ investing in sustainable business, products and services... This also includes retrofitting factories and manufacturing plants as a matter of urgency.
Phase 2: Using all resources from Phase 1 to invent new communities and developments.
Phase 3: Perfecting Reclamation and Restoration process.

[jerrygunn]

Very very good
Wonder if religion helps or hinders humanity mixing and getting on.
New internationalist have no tribe?

[davidfellowes]

Brilliant and so important. We have so much to thank Angela Merkel for!

[justinbeaulieu]

There's no such thing as climate change there is such thing as ignorance though

[billjones]

Great interview. I recently finished the book and it is terrifying and uplifting. Thanks.

[sivarojchatthannithes]

I also confirmed that I solved the problem of global warming. If anyone thinks that I can't fix this problem to the end, I don't mind.
From what I have researched and analyzed The violence is increasing than it has been every year.
If the UN approves me to solve the global warming problem, I will quickly fix the problem. I have enough information to prove to everyone that there is a solution and a solution to the problem of global warming to return to normal.

[abrahamdecruz]

Really? The climate has been changing for centuries. It changed violently once and we were told the dinosaurs became extinct through failure to adapt. Every year the climate changes in incremental ways.

[kevcalms]

And we’ll never face anything like it again

[princesshassim]

The bigger problem is Mankind coming together and working together because that's what's gonna be needed to bring this off and to be honest i cannot see it. Man will always be Man and so many will rather fight and be selfish and just outright stupid than get this will be nothing but trouble, i can see it.

[wilfredsterling]

I think it is great when people imagine and explore possibilities for transforming the societies we live in. There is real soul in doing so. While to transform from and avert the other scenario's that are becoming increasingly threatening will require lots of human spirit. I hope to read the book at some point because it appears to be a history of human cultural evolution to understand how the world of people can transform to ultimately save us from a sickening future.

I have always felt a despair that while oil and gas pipelines are laid across continents, there has never been the will to put safe and life saving fresh water pipelines across continents. There are solutions to many of the existential problems facing man kind. Although it seems the more humanity pushes the climate and ecological systems to destruction, the harder it will become to put these solutions into action.

[paulsnow]

Heat waves are not global warming. 1 C doesn't tip the scales. The tropics are surrounded by water more so than Asia, North America, South America. So they won't be at the extremes.

[katvs]

Fascinating!! do listen to this. A very sensible look at immigration and climate change now and future.