The evolution of societies is affected by the unpredictability of human behavior, by sudden shifts of long-lasting historical trajectories, by the rise and fall of nations, and is accompanied by our ability to enact meaningful changes. These realities affect many inherently complex (and far from satisfactorily understood) biospheric processes. And because they elicit often contradictory natural responses, such as forests being both sinks and sources of carbon, it is impossible to say with confidence where we will be—in terms of fossil fuel consumption, the pace of decarbonization, or
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