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US Military Could Collapse Within 20 Years Due to Climate Change

posted by Fnord666 on Sunday October 27 2019, @11:07PM   
from the or-not dept.

coolgopher writes:

A story notes that

[...] according to a new U.S. Army report, Americans could face a horrifically grim future from climate change involving blackouts, disease, thirst, starvation and war. The study found that the US military itself might also collapse. This could all happen over the next two decades, the report notes.

[...] The report paints a frightening portrait of a country falling apart over the next 20 years due to the impacts of climate change on "natural systems such as oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, reefs, and forests.

Current infrastructure in the US, the report says, is woefully underprepared: "Most of the critical infrastructures identified by the Department of Homeland Security are not built to withstand these altered conditions."

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Original Submission

• Re:(sci)fiction becoming real Re:(sci)fiction becoming real (Score: 2) by BsAtHome on Monday October 28 2019, @01:15PM (1 child)

  by BsAtHome (889) on Monday October 28 2019, @01:15PM (#912768)

  The shared destiny myth again. Nope, I don't buy that the Developed World will have the same problems that Africa has. Countries with a much lower population density, greater wealth per capita, and more resources will do a lot better than the ones without.

  And where do you think all the resources come from we wealthy people use? Where are the raw materials coming from that make up your new shiny phone? The wealthy countries have outsourced their slaves to the poorer countries. When too many of the poor countries fall, then the wealthy will no longer be able to sustain their current consumption.

  The wealthy countries will most likely hold out longer than the poor. They do have some domestic production. But it is an illusion to think that wealth will have any meaning when the shit hits the fan. How many wealthy countries can actually produce food for all of their citizens? Many are utterly dependent on imports. Are the USA going to export the same amount of food throughout the world if you do not get anything in return? I think not. It is even questionable whether the food production rate can be sustained for many years longer, even in the wealthy countries. Just see the two very hot summers in Europe of 2018 and 2019. Five summers in succession like that and collapse starts from the bottom up.

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• Re:(sci)fiction becoming real (Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday October 29 2019, @02:17AM

  by khallow (3766) on Tuesday October 29 2019, @02:17AM (#913087) Journal

  And where do you think all the resources come from we wealthy people use?

  From all over. They come now from the poorer parts of the world because it's cheaper. We'd just get slightly more expensive resources from elsewhere.

  The wealthy countries will most likely hold out longer than the poor.

  Most which wouldn't actually have to "hold out", let us note. It takes a lot more than climate change to kill off the developed world's food and materials production, for example.

  But it is an illusion to think that wealth will have any meaning when the shit hits the fan.

  Then you don't know what wealth is.

  When too many of the poor countries fall, then the wealthy will no longer be able to sustain their current consumption.

  Then they'll have to tighten their belt a little and consume less.

  It is even questionable whether the food production rate can be sustained for many years longer, even in the wealthy countries.

  Everything can be questioned. What's the basis for your questioning?

  Just see the two very hot summers in Europe of 2018 and 2019. Five summers in succession like that and collapse starts from the bottom up.

  The "collapse" consisting of everyone getting A/C. Then it stops. That's what wealth does for you.

  Parent