Never heard about this lady before, happy to delve in.

The FT does these lunch-with segments that are often quite serious affairs, interspersed with commentary on the (high-end) food they're consuming. It's surreal but depending on the guest, very interesting.

We’re settling in for a conversation that will last for four hours, as Earle sets out what is at stake for the ocean and humanity, how the current global political class is failing us, and what we as individuals can do about it.

Ms Earle is apparently a 90-yo(!) active scientist and diver, deeply passionate about the ocean. She's done a bunch of important oceanic research, including running NOAA before I was born. Also in charge of something called Mission Blue and their Hope Spots, conservation efforts for local communities to designate certain areas as unique and receive some sort of vague protection

And instead of primarily talking about that, there's nonsense about Gulf of America and how Trumpman is bad.

What is it with these people and their obscene obsession with orange man? Yes, he's a clown; yes, he's a grifter. what did you expect? America has had clowny presidents for 50 years_ or more.

There was a lady at the game last night, when Mr. Trump came into view — a reasonable event, you know, World Cup host nation president attending, being in New York and all — who screamed, flipped him off and yelled FUCK OFF!! Mind you, we're in a small Icelandic village, 1500 miles from NYC.

why do you care? Why is this such a threat to your fragile sensibilities?why do you care? Why is this such a threat to your fragile sensibilities?

There was no screaming for Tom Cruise (who's a verifiable weirdo) or the pathetic Robin Williams performance.

I was similarly surprised when Jane Goodall had such an odd obsession over these horrid right-wing people. Dude, the nature you treasure so much has been destroyed by right-wing and left-wing ilk alike. (Moreso, on balance, the left, but who's counting...).

Anyway, Ms Earle:

The thoughtless devouring of nature, in Earle’s view, is an elemental wrong. “We have consumed so much of nature,” she says frankly. “Right now we are on the edge of being consumed by nature.”
In Earle’s view, empathy towards animals is something we have naturally as children. A formative early encounter with one can make all the difference. “We beat it out of kids,” she says. “We say to little boys, ‘We’re going to go hunting and it’s your turn to take the gun.’”

Kind of weird: I mean, yes? Babies and toddlers have a lot of intuitive responses, unguided by reason, that we need to teach. Nothing wrong or malicious about that

Earle points to research by Swedish scientist Johan Rockström warning that humanity may have a window of just five years to avoid a number of climate “tipping points” that, like falling dominoes, will bring catastrophic effects for human civilisation. It is “worth taking very seriously”, she says.

Another stupid "12-years-til-death" comment... can't wait.

Ah yes,. We're back to the same-as-ever Coasean transaction cost problem... If it truly were worth more alive than dead, there should be a way for you to amass funds and pay off the fishermen. I imagine that's even trickier a monitoring challenge than what Rosolie faces in the Amazon. The high seas?! Have fun, bruh. #1525478, #1525834

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