> While you worry about the end of the world, the science/tech/engineering community is planning future research into the 30s, 40s, etc. Space flight into the 30s, 40s. Mega construction projects in the 30s, 40s, etc - some of which will last decades. Surely if the world was going to end, these highly intelligent people wouldn't be wasting time and resources on such projects.

I am part of the science/engineering community. I also know oceanographers (personally), a handful of climate scientists (indirectly), several biologists from several fields, physicists, and more. People usually leave this stuff to specialists -- a physicist usually won't delve deep into climate science. Everyone I know that is informed (i.e. that doesn't say "I haven't looked at the climate data and projections") is deeply worried, and the oceanographer and climate scientists I know are the least hopeful (which should be worrying). Engineers generally just assume it's going to be fine for practical purposes -- I know a handful of civil engineers and electrical engineers working on large projects. The electrical engineer is informed on climate change and doesn't know how it will impact the project long term.

Just look at the data. It's the ethical thing to do, at least I believe. If you don't, we're both wasting our times.

Where to start?

I recommend simply reading the wikipedia article in its entirety:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

paying special attention to this section: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming#Mitigation

Look at the emission pathway -- it demands massive, immediate action.

Also read this:

https://archive.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg3/ipcc_w...

again pay attention to page 11:

https://archive.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg3/ipcc_w...

again the emission targets. You can see if emissions keep increasing, i.e. pathways RCP6.0 and RCP8.5 are unlikely to keep warming under 3C (see table on page 13) -- likely to go to 4-5C of warming.

Finally, you can see some of the effects here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_global_warming

(note that no emission reduction, i.e. RCP>6.0, >3C warming isn't given much attention, given it's quite apocalyptic)

and also here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change_and_ecosystems#...

It's anyone's guess what would happen under this scenario, almost certainly mass extinction on ocean and land, the tropics become literally almost uninhabitable, effects on civilization anyone's guess in the range of catastrophe to collapse (imagine all of India and large parts of China trying to migrate).