The only thing we might be doing is ruining humanity's own long-term chances of survival. There's a distinct possibility that humans will undergo a mass extinction. That doesn't mean the planet is dead, though.
There is bacteria that can survive in extreme temperatures (for example, in extremely hot underwater volcanic plumes).
Worst case scenario, humans go extinct and some other life-form ends up evolving. You could be looking at some kind of sentient jellyfish taking over the planet in a billion years or whatever.
Sometimes it also means civilization, which encompasses a broad spectrum of things, but mostly a standard of living above subsistence farming/hunting/gathering, and being able to organize in groups larger than small tribes.
> Worst case scenario, humans go extinct
Sure, might take a while. I think the bigger immediate problem is that to survive in a global warming environment, traits will be selected for that aren't necessarily conducive to preservation of civilization (which is our main achievement as a species)
For example, the deforestation efforts in Amazon are putting tribes at risk every single day. Not to mention the loss of animals, plants and other wildlife. Is there anyone here on HN that has given actual thought to how this could be resolved?
And I am not talking about hoola hooping the government either. Clearly that is not an approach that is ever going to work.
