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Comment by sidcool | Hacker News Reader

What? Why? I am genuinely curious. I am not an American, so can't vote or have a strong opinion. Trump is weird, but does it spell doom?

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It probably does in terms of averting climate change. Of course he might indulge Elon and remove all nuclear restrictions and save the world, who knows. But the chance of persuading the globe towards collective action seems ludicrously out of reach in time to avert pretty severe outcomes.

The world needs to build over 400 nuclear plants starting right now to replace fossil fuel energy needs, even with about a 33% reduction in global energy consumption.

That means a new plant starting up every 3 days. Any slower and it's not enough. This was data from a couple of years ago as well. We're never going to get close, even if Elon himself is modern jesus.

Wasn't this number flawed, because it mapped the energy needs 1:1? Like, the efficiency of a heat pump or a battery is vastly better than current motors or burning oil.

I don't know, but I doubt it, and what you're stating is essentially the opposite, fossil fuels are far more energy dense than any other form of energy, you can't run long haul diesel trucks on batteries, not without an insane network of battery swap stations. The grid infrastructure alone needs to grow at least 4x to manage this.

I can't find the source, but it was in a video presentation by Kevin Anderson, a senior research fellow at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

400 nuclear plants isn't actually that many in terms of numbers, but constructing them is an enormous task.

From a European perspective, many here are very worried that Trump is going to end support for Ukraine and that Putin will be allowed free reign.

Leaving aside what Trump can do. It is sad to realize that a person with so many character faults documented in public can reach the presidency of such powerful country. You loose hope on humanity and wonder if liberal democracies can actually last.

The entire world will be affected. Trade wars against China and Europe, the loss of Ukraine, the end of Palestine, war with Iran, potential dissolution of NATO and that's only what's likely. Who knows what other shit is coming down the sewer.

Not talk of basically losing all prospective of doing something against climate change.

Most people already believed climate change won't be mitigated.

I'm not American either, but I see a war going on between authoritarian states and democratic ones, and Trump supporting the wrong side.

It deeply concerns me from a human rights perspective and also on a personal security level because I live near Taiwan.

I've also felt the impact of disinformation and conspiration theories spreading from the US to my country and I fear it's only going to get worse.

> deeply concerns me from a human rights perspective

What should concern you is your singular belief in propaganda that powerful entities care about human rights over their own interests.

I don't find this kind of cynicism accurate or particularly helpful as a life philosophy. I've personally had the luck to meet people and be a member of organizations that do care and have power to make some difference.

> I don't find this kind of cynicism accurate or particularly helpful

For me, living amidst riots and have friends/family caught up in war zones has swiftly altered my views. There's goodness no doubt, but the powers that be, once they breach, won't be mucking about.

Fair enough!

>I've also felt the impact of disinformation and conspiration theories spreading from the US to my country and I fear it's only going to get worse.

Examples?

I've received unhinged antivax leaflets twice at home, in Japan.

Blue brain washing. I am not holding my hopes high but with Trump we will probably have less wars, less trade wars, less inflation and a better economy.

How exactly will tariffs lead to less inflation?

Most economists agree that with the policies he’s proposed, inflation will increase massively.

He was the one that started the trade wars with China and promised to tariff everything. Why do you think there will be less trade war?

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