Long-range (100+ years) forecast for the planet

[Eric]

What do y'all envision when you try to develop a long-range (100+ years into the future) forecast for life on earth? What do you think is going to happen with climate change, depletion and pollution of the planet's natural resources, human population dynamics, the economy, etc.? What similar past events in human or natural history might have something to suggest about the present situation?

[bae]

I read recently "The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming" by David Wallace-Wells, which may provide some ideas for folks,

[ApatheticNoMore]

See I don't know exactly how things will unfold. But basically I think it's bleak and hopeless, life will be increasingly miserable and deprived (horrible weather, less crops etc.). These aren't even properly predictions as they are already happening, crops are already failing. I suppose one might suggest growing crops indoors, but they have never found a way to do that without massive energy input have they?

Population will probably eventually crash on it's own just due to it not being sustainable especially given an increasingly harsh climate. But it also might decline some more naturally as well. There is no similar event in human history because CO2 has never been this high in human history. Now of course it has in planetary history. The IPCC has it's scenarios, the only problem is I don't know the meaning of the scenarios in real terms AND IPCC summaries are notoriously optimistic (ie it's worse than that).

The Supreme Rulers of Hell (that might be trite, but I don't know what to say about being completely ruled by 9 psychopaths, without any way to change it through democratic means*) will decide tomorrow that the EPA can't regulate greenhouse gasses, that's not only horrible on it's own terms, but it's likely to be used to limit the ability to regulate many/all forms of pollution and perhaps apply to other regulatory bodies as well (the USDA etc.).

*Not only do words fail me, cusswords fail me.

[catherine]

In 100 years my grandchildren may still be alive, which makes me afraid for them.

We may think we're clever and find a way maintain some sort of standard of living under extreme conditions, and maybe the planet's ecosystem will be replaced by fake temperatures, fake food, fake water, fake air to replace the ecological system, the microbes, birds, fish, insects, and natural, edible vegetation. "Pave Paradise and put up a parking lot" will have been, not just a satirical song, but a prophesy. We'll have some unrecognizable lifestyle.

We will have bartered heaven for 30 pieces of silver and mountains of plastic and steel--if we're still alive.

[sweetana3]

I sincerely worry about the population of China, global warming, and the resulting lack of food. Many things are happening to destabilize the system that China is operating under and cracks are showing.

[Yppej]

I doubt DS will ever have children, so it's moot for me. It's such a beautiful world, especially this time of year, but it will be regardless of whether anyone is here to appreciate it. Still it's sad to think of the potential demise of our species.

[Rogar]

A hundred plus years from now I think we will have already gone through some versions of tribulations over climate disasters and food and resource shortages. It will be an age of enlightenment and a leveling between the global haves and have nots. Before 100+ years, all bets are off.