Still no closer to point of no more headlines saying we’ve passed the point of no return

The point of no return. Robin McKie, The Guardian, December 2:

As the UN sits down for its annual climate conference this week, many experts believe we have passed the point of no return …

Wasn’t this it? Amitabh Avasthi, Science, March 17, 2005:

Climate’s Point of No Return … Models suggest that, regardless of human intervention, the oceans will keep fuel­ling global warming and sea levels will continue to rise … (for) 100 years.

Or this? Mich­ael McCarthy, The Indepen­dent, January 16, 2006:

The world has already passed the point of no return for climate change, and civilisation as we know it is now unlikely to survive …

Or this? Ross Gelbspan, Grist, Decem­ber 11, 2007:

Beyond the Point of No Return. It’s too late to stop climate change … Leading scientists — including Raj­endra Pachauri, head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, British ecologist James Lovelock and NASA scientist James Hansen — have declared that hum­anity is about to pass or already has passed a “tipping point” … (for) global warming.

Or this? Gwynne Dyer, Straight.com, July 27, 2010:

We are passing the point of no return on climate change.

Or this? Brad Plumer, The Washington Post, November 10, 2011:

When do we hit the point of no return for climate change? … Around 2017.

Or this? David Perlman, sfgate.com, June 7, 2012:

Warming nears point of no return

Or this? Peter Walker, The Independent, December 1, 2016:

Climate change escalating so fast it is “beyond point of no return”. New study rewrites two decades of research and author says we are “beyond point of no return”.

Sorry, folks. You can expect alarmist headlines for at least 17 more years. Science Daily, August 30:

If governments don’t act decisively by 2035 to fight climate change, hum­anity could cross a point of no return after which limiting global warming below 2C in 2100 will be unlikely …

Criticism incredibly unfair. Eliza Goetze, ABC News, December 5:

As Queensland recovers from its bushfire crisis, farmers and volunteer firefighters … (say) not enough is being done to stop bushfires spreading from National Parks … Central Queensland grazier Darcy Ward … claimed it was the fifth fire to escape from the National Park on to his property in 14 years … Bloomsbury Rural Fire Brigade president Gary Considone … (said) “They don’t seem to do anything to control fires or do early burns (in parks and forests) … The management seems to come from Brisbane … and it’s mostly wrong.” … Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch … (said the criticism was) “incredibly unfair”.

Is this fair? Luke Henriques-Gomes, Guardian Australia, December 1:

A central Queensland man has died … after being hit by a falling tree while clearing a firebreak on his family’s property south of Emerald.

Is this fair? James Nason, beef­central.com, March 23 last year:

Michael Vincent Baker … of Eidsvold was this week found guilty … (on charges) relating to the width of clearing associated with firebreaks … (with the fine and costs totalling $999,780) … He contacted 32 … government employees seeking advice on the acceptable width of firebreaks and received conflicting results.