Nearly half of the respondents have a grim view of our civilization being able to overcome the risks of climate change. Only about a quarter of respondents are optimistic about civilization being able to adapt or correct the problems of climate change.
Climate change comments are grouped into four parts: Healthier, Degrees of Worse, Challenges, and Make it Better.
Healthier
Here we talk about a positive view of the future, but slowly and gradually, a step at a time.
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I’m starting here with some of the more optimistic comments. Some feel that “mankind always finds a way”, and some think the powers of business can be applied for improvement. And, again, some are counting on the younger generations to help us out.
Again I am an incurable romantic, who believes that mankind will find ways for a better and a healthier living. Deutschland
I’m an optimist – we’ll find solutions. United States
Currently the amount of sustainable energy is increasing rapidly. It might be possible to turn the tide. Netherlands
Net zero emission footprints will continue into the future. Nigeria
We will definitely find ways to make the earth better. Many individuals and organizations are already taking the lead in solving the issues, though a lot still needs to be done in terms of advocacy. Nigeria
We are going to find ways to be conscious of our environment and nature. We are going to consume, you can already see a whole movement in this, and many more people are going to find this okay. People are going to look up to people who are more conscious about this and learn from it. Netherlands
I do trust the human being’s ability to adapt the changing environment. China
I believe we will find ways to largely adapt to the more prominent elements of climate change, until true society change comes around. United Kingdom
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Of course we will find ways to make things better. maybe not a healthier place to live but certainly ‘less bad’ than we are currently approaching it. at bare minimum, businesses main prerogative, beyond financial achievements, is survival. If civilization is destroyed they don’t survive. from a purely selfish perspective business will find solutions. United States
I don’t believe that the climate issue is as bad as it is made out. Controls should be put in place similar to the 1980’s effort on CO2 and the ozone layer, but the incessant trope about “stop oil” and “go vegan” to save the planet is misplaced and overhyped. Teens in the 80’s/90’s were those companies who do not “show willing” to get behind the green initiative/agenda. United Kingdom hyped about oil spills and saving the whales, but the movement was less organized than it is now. Social media has taken this to a hyper state that it is an amplified voice compared to the counterparts of 30 years ago. Overall I think things will improve, because cancel culture will penalize those companies who do not “show willing” to get behind the green initiative/agenda. United Kingdom
We are already late with working on the health of the world. It will be challenging to make sure that the world will be healthier, but organizations will try due to the impact of society on them. Netherlands
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The current generation have a keen focus in this area always looking for ways to make earth better. Australia
Sustainability is such an important topic today and the youth of today are the changemakers for tomorrow. It will look different in 20 years. United States
Undecided. I have hope talking to younger generations. Australia
Degrees of “Worse”
These comments show a more pessimistic view of our future. Worst case is, it’s too late to change. Best case is, it will be worse before it gets better.
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We will make the world a better and healthier place to live. The only real question is if we have been quick enough, and if not which regions will be worst affected by the impact of changing conditions. United Kingdom
We have to make the world better or face mass extinction events. It’s becoming more and more clear with the passing of each year. even to those who would like to stick their heads in the sand and ignore it. can we do this in time is the question. will technology save the day? I am hopeful on this one. United States
I am concerned that humanity is not acting on climate change with the urgency necessary. It might be a problem of too little, too late. India
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By 2043, climate change will not have destroyed civilization as we know it, but it will continue its march in that direction. We will not be able to make it a healthier place by then either. United States
After decades of lack of commitment, and thanks to popular mobilization as well as an unexpected combination of technological breakthroughs and resurgence of old traditional ways, we will finally manage to limit climate change’s speed and impact. Inversion is yet unlikely. United Arab Emirates
It will worsen our lives but not destroy civilization. Austria
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Jury is still out. We have already crossed over to catastrophe in a lot of areas regarding climate from what I have read. Canada
The planet will survive. Humanity as we know it won’t. At least not in the state we are in now. I firmly believe that it will get better after a deep dive into misery for a large portion of humanity. The Club of Rome predicted a population peak around 2050 and a slow decrease down to 3 billion around 2100. Climate change might accelerate and exacerbate the decline. Canada
Too late to redeem – our NextGen will live is a far harsher world India
We will find ways to improve it but in the long run we will be destroyed. Brazil
Within the next 20 years everything Will just get worse. Unfortunately probably causing irreversible change to so many systems. We Will not act fast enough. Sweden
I believe there will be places that will be too hot live at. And that there will be regions under water. Netherlands
I am pessimistic, I think we will follow the dinosaur, but the Earth will live on Ireland
People are dumb. We will focus on the short term. Not the long term. Governments are still fighting, and it will only get worse as we are heading into multi crisis. Netherlands
We’ll find solutions but I think ultimately, we will only create short-term solutions to delay the inevitable. United States
Severe climate impacts will undermine agriculture and other crucial civilisation bases Australia
Narrow self-interest worries me. United Kingdom
Challenges
In this group of comments, respondents have a more positive outlook on the future of our civilization and they point out specific problem areas.
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Scientists will find ways to get around climate change and also humans and animals will adapt to the new climates as it changes slowly and hence give chance for adaptation (micro evolution). This question will be answered completely different by the masses again as their ignorance and susceptibility to be influenced by others and media and social media will dictate their thinking process. South Africa
Our consciousness will grow with our need for true information. Netherlands
Seeing more movement as things are getting worse. We will figure out a way to slow down or cope with it. It is not healthy, but we can figure out ways to live with challenges. Singapore
Hard to stay positive. We people are a destructive lifeform, and the majority is very reactive. Something terrible will need to happen in order to get people to move. The proactive group is outnumbered until then. Netherlands
We can change the climate by bringing nuclear power into play. And when we realize that the sun and wind cannot help us when the wind is not blowing, and the sun is not shining. But it will only happen once we are forced to do it. Denmark
By 2043, massive disruptions due to climate disasters, climate migration, economic decline in carbon producing economies have put civilization on the brink. However, the rapidity with which some regions have shifted to a clean energy economy has managed to slow somewhat the rising temperatures of the world. The African and South American and South Asian continents have endured profound suffering due to climate, mass migration to the north has left northern hemispheric countries coping with their own climate events and with integrating migrating masses from the south. United States
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Climate change will not destroy us, and we will find ways around. Nevertheless, the cost will be high and it will increase further the diferences among social classes and countries. Brazil
It will progressively chip away at previous lifestyles and standards of living, creating significant flow-on effects that we can’t even imagine, yet. The concentration of wealth will continue to see people with power and influence ignoring the problems that people from the most disadvantaged areas are facing, limiting our ability to restrict damage in the coming decades. Australia
By 2043, widespread destruction with pockets of human collectives agreeing to live better, healthier. India
We’re probably fucked. The privileged few might survive the worst of it and perhaps even see humanity survive to beyond the point the planet starts to become more habitable. Netherlands
If you have the money you’ll be able to live comfortably off grid. Greed will destroy mankind, climate change is a consequence. Switzerland
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Not better, but considered livable to the new generation, that never knew the world as we (and our parents) knew it. Belgium
We will adapt but it won’t be better or worse. There will be a newer definition of what “better” and “worse” mean. Netherlands
Climate change will not destroy civilization but climate change will modify it. Climate and ecology are the biggest problems of the nearest future. Armenia
It will change society. We will adapt. Many people will die. Canada
The climate change and its increasing impacts may definitively change our civilization because we are not able to stop/slow concretely the progress. Our deep nature to adapt ourselves will tend at the end to build a better, healthier place to live but it will unfortunately imply also a lot of loss, issues and even a gap for some people. So I don’t believe we will destroy everything at the end but we will try to accommodate as much as possible and correct when it is possible. France
I think we are more likely to look outside of the Earth than to fix what we have Australia
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Some destruction will occur, some has already occurred. We have to make our environment better and healthier. I am optimistic and believe that we will find solutions to make our planet cleaner and safer. United States
It will be work in progress. India
I believe we could do more and hopefully we will have by 2043. Australia
We cannot undo the past but hopefully find ways to work around the inevitable implications of our behaviors that create destruction United States
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AI could help solve the current trajectory. United Kingdom
Environment management will be much better thanks to government policies, people and organizational support. Hong Kong
Climate change is creating a point where governments are forced into action, this will create an ongoing generation that understands the fragility of the planet and governments (in democracies) will be selected with a more sustainable approach to the globe. I also see economics creating drivers to improve the world. Australia
I do not think we will have a choice. Even the worst deniers will eventually have their homes flooded or swept away in a tornado. If nothing else, insurance companies will lead this charge, or face being wiped out. That’s a bit facetious but I do see that some of these sectors will bring it upon themselves to lead the charge. Canada
We will live in a world where massive geo-engineering projects protect city-states from flooding from the stagnant oceans United States
Climate change isn’t a unidimensional phenomenon. There are many local manifestations. And it will require community-based action to save the planet from the effects of climate change. India
This depends strongly on whether battery technology can be improved significantly. Pay attention to China on this, since I don’t expect the west to focus enough on it. United States
It’s possible to make it better, I think we will make progress but there needs to be serious intervention and taxing for people that destroy and pollute the world. EG packaging, mass production of one-use items (still cannot wrap my head around the junk that is created today) United Kingdom
I am a utopist and hope that humans will be getting to some form of better distribution of wealth than today and that a collective mindset of more sharing (ex : car) will help a bit moderate overall consumption. France
We have to be very cautious. It will on our top priority. You can’t afford to neglect it, and to take all the necessary action to reduce carbon emission and carbon foot prints. Reduce global warming, more electric vehicles. Rapid transport systems. Need global monitoring and global doctering. Make the Earth a better place and give it to our future generation. India
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We’re not even sure why the climate change is happening. There’s a lot confusion in attributing correlation to causation. Uncertain in outcomes Canada
The planet will change, what we don’t fully know is are we causing this, can we really change it or is this just how planets evolve? United States
