"Adopting AI for business processes therefore looks good now (when its services are almost free), but companies and institutions (including universities) that depend on AI for core processes must anticipate significant cost growth later when venture capitalists seek a return on their investment."

The widespread danger of flood\drought cycles has been recognised for decades, and is one of the primary realities of climate change. Whole provinces of Iran have been evacuated as a consequence already.

The trick, he argues, is to STOP trying to be a 'good soldier': determine what your goals are and whether they are ethical, and then reorganize your world to serve those goals, rather than the other way round. Squeeze the demands of others into your life, not your life into the demands of others.

As with everyone else, I feel your pain in this one. Having tried to get my head around the Distraction Treadmill, I found Cal Newport's book, Deep Work, to be the best and most helpful take on this.

Well yes. The South China Sea, Greenland, the Panama Canal, border tensions between China and India over Tibetan water resources, the BRICS economic realignments. The geopolitical world IS adapting to climate change, because there remains no clear economic vision on how to achieve mitigation.

Similarly, it seems clear that both the Trump, Chinese and Russian administrations do understand the science. The message they get from it: "Bad times are coming; grab as much land and resources as possible if your nation is to survive". Land and sea are the most vital political resources now.

Climate activists need to realise that 'climate justice' arguments are clearly ineffective, and therefore irresponsible. The only message that many rich and powerful people - the ones that need to be persuaded - will get from your argument above is simple: "Don't be poor."

Yes, alas, while you can cut a deal ON the climate, you cannot cut a deal WITH the climate. The house always wins, and we ain’t the house any more.

Perhaps, but we're chewing up most of Inner Asia to do it. Solar energy isn't free, and neither is hydro: they both cost in terms of mining, land and water damage and seismic spillover. this isn't a question of injustice, just incompetent governance and poorly thought out economics.

Yes, organisations like the Beeb seem to have parallel tracks: “Oooh, isn’t climate change terrible” and “Oooh, isn’t growth and tech wonderful”. All on the same programme within minutes of one another.

“A very vicious outside world”?

The present polarisation of debate in the North Atlantic public sphere between “progressives” and “conservatives” is closing down genuine inquiry and debate, at precisely the time when we face some of our most serious challenges. We need to do better.

While it is clear that what you say is too often true, this is not higher education. Universities are meant to be places of inquiry, not political or cultural brand. I promise my students As if they change my mind on a topic, not for copying my views or the ‘school line’.

The present polarisation of debate between progressives and conservatives in the public sphere (media, politics, academia) is narrowing and shutting down inquiry or movement on some of our most serious global challenges. We need to do better.

While that is often the case, it constitutes precisely the kind of compromising of institutions that the original post was talking about. Universities are meant to be places of INQUIRY, not political or cultural brand. I give my students As for changing my mind, not copying me or ‘the school line’.

I agree...institutions need protecting from within and from without.

True. I was never taught to cook, but I saw that my parents & grandparents COULD cook. That was enough, so I taught myself, one recipe at a time. It was, y'know, fun.

Universities.