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We have all seen movies like Mad Max and Water World; films that explore a grisly dystopian world of our own careless creation. While the action in these movies is thrilling, the premise always seems absurd. Human civilization is too complex, our scientific knowledge too advanced, for such a total breakdown to take place. Or is it?
After looking at the threats of population growth, dwindling resources, and rapid climate change, some contemporary scientists have predicted that a radical transformation could take place by the end of the century. John Holdrens, a climate scientist at Wood's Hole and professor at Harvard University, explained that:
| We really have less than a decade to start getting this right. If we're still dragging our feet in 2015 I think it really becomes at that point almost impossible for the world to avert a degree of climate change that we simply will not be able to manage without intolerable cost and consequences. |
And he is not alone. In a special two-hour ABC News special, Bob Woodruff talks with scientists from around the world who help imagine what this disastrous, though not impossible, future might look like. Earth 2100 presents several scenarios but also asks viewers for their ideas. The best of these video submissions will be played during the special.
The message, however, is not one of certain doom. Instead, the special is intended to serve as a call to action, a means of motivating people to begin fighting the problems that threaten our future. As New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman tells Bob Woodruff, "We will be able to create a world that will be a livable planet for our kids and their kids. That is our opportunity. That is our obligation."
Don't miss Earth 2100 on Tuesday, June 2 from 9:00-11:00 PM. on ABC News.
Interested in the environment and politics? Check out Planet Green's Focus Earth issues archive.
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How To Create Massive Change When It Comes to Climate Change
How Many Americans Want the Government to Fight Global Warming
Human Activity Warmed the Planet, Could it Cool it too?
Use Your Brain to Fight Climate Change?Even Though Your Brain Doesn't Want You To
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Citizen Scientists Needed for Studying Climate Change
