The Post Climate Debate: Is It Too Late?

As part of Questions That Matter’s participation in the exciting Wamotopia Conference ( https://app.sola.day/group/wamo2026 ) for tonight’s Questions That Matter, we’ll be exploring The Post Climate Debate.

For the last thirty to forty years, the message was simpler: We have to stop this.

We attended summits, signed accords and turned towards electric vehicles. We argued about data models, hockey stick graphs, and 1.5-degree targets. But the 1.5°C target is gone. The ice sheets are destabilizing and it certainly appears the 'Debate' didn't save us.

Have we moved past the era of talk about prevention? Has debate on the topic become a form of denial?

What if we’re seeing a kind of 'Scale Paralysis: Where when a human sees a tiger, they fight. When they see a tsunami, they freeze. Has the climate crisis become so cognitively massive that our survival instinct has simply short-circuited?

For tonight’s Questions that Matter some of our themes and prompts for the evening are:

1. Could "giving up" on stopping climate change actually be a form of rational maturity while "hope" is potentially dangerous now? And does believing we can still turn this around prevent us from taking the drastic measures needed to survive what seems inevitable?

2. Climate change skeptics seem to have discovered that climate doomerism is better than climate denial. 'We can't fix it' requires less evidence than 'it's not happening'—and it's just as paralyzing. What is the counter argument to climate defeatism?

3. We know animal agriculture is a leading cause of the crisis. If we aren't willing to give up burgers, should we just end the evening's discussion now?

4. If a heatwave is killing millions in one country and they unilaterally decide to spray sulfur to cool the planet—potentially freezing crops on another continent—is that potentially a humanitarian rescue mission, or an act of nuclear-scale aggression that justifies a military response?

5. During WWII, the US and UK effectively suspended free markets, seized industries, and rationed food to defeat fascism. We claim we are in a 'War for Survival,' yet we treat wartime measures as taboo. Would you accept or do we need an "Eco-Dictator" who suspended civil liberties to force the world to decarbonize instantly?

6. Dark Ecology suggests humans act like a pathogen on the earth. If humanity is indeed a virus and the Earth's immune system is kicking in to fight off the infection, are our efforts to “Save The Planet” really just prolonging its illness in order to save our own asses?

7. In a post-climate world, is having children an act of hope, or an act of cruelty? Could the ultimate "carbon footprint" reduction simply be ending your own genetic line?

As usual, the goal of the night isn’t simply to agree, disagree, or learn. It’s also to connect through genuine, lively, interactive discussion and, potentially, to go to some of the unexpected and uncharted places that deep and free conversation can take us.

When we wrap up, around 8 p.m., we hope you’ll mingle, exchange numbers, and head out with some of us for something to eat or drink. As polarized as the world is right now, one of the deepest connections still available to human beings is a shared meal or drink.

Whether you’re in Chiang Mai for a short visit or you’re a longer-term expat or resident, we hope you can join us, not only in exploring the deeper questions but in making new connections and friendships through the discussions.

If possible, please support the venue, 4seas, by purchasing a beverage or a snack. They are kindly providing the space to us at no charge.

We look forward to meeting you!