Confessions of a reluctant climate optimist | Dr. Matthew LaPlante | TEDxSaltLakeCity

Climate Change & Data Analysis - Global greenhouse emissions are plateauing and projected to fall, driven by wind, solar energy, carbon capture, and nature-based solutions [2] - Climate science uses data to build mathematical models of weather trends, tested against real-world outcomes, improving predictions [3][4] - Climate models have become more accurate due to increased data from sensors, radar, aircraft, balloons, and satellites, enhancing temporal, spatial, and quantitative accuracy [8][9] Food Security - Climate change is making current farming locations less suitable, but predictive models can help farmers adapt planting decisions [10][14] - Models can predict wheat harvest yields more than a year in advance, as demonstrated by a model predicting a low harvest in Kansas in 2023 and a rebound in 2024 [12][13] Water Resource Management - Climate change is altering water distribution patterns, necessitating renegotiation of water sharing agreements based on predictive models [16][17] - Predictive models can forecast river flows years in advance, enabling proactive water management and storage strategies [17][18] Environmental Justice - Climate science can now trace carbon pollution to its source and consequences, removing plausible deniability for those responsible for environmental damage [20][21][22] - Researchers can demonstrate the impact of carbon emissions on specific regions, such as the impact of agricultural fires in India on Nepal, and on vulnerable nations [21][22]