#Climate

Open Thread: Thurs 09 Jan 2025 - The Decline of the Eastern Roman Empire

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 01/09/2025 - 5:00am

The Decline of the Eastern, aka Byzantine, Roman Empire

I happened across an article about the decline of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire a week or so ago and found it quite interesting. It's called 'What Brought the Decline of the Eastern Roman Empire - and What Can We Learn from It?' by Lev Cosijns and Haggai Olshanetsky.

Basically, the authors contend that the supposed decline does not seem to be a result of climate change. Yes, a volcano exploded in Iceland in 536 AD (and others erupted throughout the following decade) and the volcanic dust, etc, did block the sun in various places and perhaps caused a lowering of temperature - maybe around the world, maybe not. But there aren't any textual records of this happening (dust veils and extreme cold) in the Eastern (Byzantine) empire in the mid 500's.

The authors note that first instance of the Justinianic plague in the Eastern Empire happened from 541 to 544. This supposedly caused the death of millions of people in the Mediterranean (and other) areas. However, the authors of the paper don't think the plague started the decline of the Eastern Empire. In fact they see the 6th C as one of prosperity with economic stability for the Eastern Empire.


Detail of a contemporary portrait of Justinian I in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna. Nice earrings! From worldhistory.org

Open Thread - Thurs Feb 15 2024 - Climate Thoughts

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 02/15/2024 - 5:00am

Climate Thoughts

Like many people, I've been trying to come up with a 'plan' to get through the next year of election farce and all the fake 'concern' by TPTB about things that actually really do matter to me. But those things only matter to the politicians during election years.

For instance, the recent 'remarkable' action by the Biden administration to stop LNG... something, something mumble mumble. Ok, ok, the administration put a temporary pause on Department of Energy permits for LNG (liquified natural gas). It's a good action; but to me it seems to be a very small, very non-consequential, doesn't really mean a whole lot actually, action. It's a temporary pause, temporary. That means, to me, that as soon as the elections are done, it'll be revoked. It doesn't actually do anything to LNG sales, which will continue as before, and grow, perhaps double by 2028, because it doesn't stop the construction of the 10 new LNG ports already permitted. Yes, it temporarily halts the permits for 6 other facilities, and yes, that's a 'big' deal, in that it does halt a lot of emissions but... it doesn't do that much for things as they are right now.

So, what do we do about this? How do we deal with this feeling of ... I dunno, despair, disgust, resignation, whatever, in respect to climate? In respect to anything?


Climate Change: Flooding in California last March - image from this CNN article.

Open Thread - Thurs 27 April 2023: Climate Change - Entering a New Phase?

Submitted by Sima on Thu, 04/27/2023 - 5:00am

Climate Change - Entering a New Phase?

Bill McKibben, amongst others, has recently written about the next stage of climate change, one which we are rapidly entering. This isn't unexpected. It's going to take more, much more, work to even reduce, let alone stop, the steep and rapid progression of climate change. And we aren't at that level of 'work', and perhaps, unfortunately, never will be (says the pessimist in me).

Donald Trump Now The Hugest Climate Catalyst #OnePlanetSummit #Climate

Submitted by divineorder on Tue, 12/12/2017 - 5:18pm

20171211_164312-3096x1742.jpg. Thank Donald Trump For Today's #OnePlanetSummit #Paris #Macron #Climate

Okay now, who will admit to reading with passing interest reports on Trump’s campaign speeches about protecting US jobs, Social Security, Medicare, stopping TPP, and more populist words? Anyone?