[image by markus spiske on pexel]
The climate crisis; a terrifying yet incredibly real shift that can be seen with every wildfire, flood and change of season. It is very real yet just how seriously is it being taken by the people at the top? The people who could truly change the course of destruction being paved. Are Carbon Emissions actually being reduced, are CEO’s truly implementing change to combat their current climate-inducing ways of working? And what can be the answer to save the earth in the 10 short years it is predicted we have left?
These are all questions I am looking to debate on. In the following thought piece, I, of course, do not have the definitive answer, I am a girl who simply takes a strong interest in the Environment, but through news articles, documentaries and forming my own opinion on things, I’m looking to decipher whether the Climate Crisis and Sustainability will ever be taken as seriously as it should be – one can only wish for positivity…
I’m looking to decipher whether the Climate Crisis and Sustainability will ever be taken as seriously as it should be.
The climate crisis is centred around many occurrences, but one that could be deemed the most disastrous is the global temperature rising more than 2°C [1]. The results would see rising sea levels due to the decline of the arctic. Billions of people migrating due to unliveable heat as well as our bio-diversity decline beyond repair.
Currently, world leaders have varying opinions on the severity of this global rise in temperature. From Trump outright denying climate change even existing (less spoken of this obscene opinion the better) to New Zealand’s utterly phenomenal prime minister Jacinda Ardern passing ‘landmark’ climate legislation to drive her country to zero carbon [2].
With the US Election looming, one could be very nervous as to which way the result will lean. As well as what it’ll be mean for the climate crisis. As mentioned, current president Donald Trump has outright denied there has been any human impact on the environment. Continuing to fully support fossil fuels. In comparison, Biden’s climate objects, scientists say, give the planet a “fighting chance”, with climate tariffs as well as a bid to be zero carbon, a prospect. Action on the changing climate is very much in the hand of the US voter… [3]
Will action ever be truly taken to fight the climate crisis? I hope so, we all should. As the alternative is simply catastrophic.
Appearing on streaming service Netflix in the past weeks is David Attenborough’s latest offering “A Life on Our Planet”. Which is described as his ‘witness statement’. Offering a look at just how much our eco-system has declined in his 93 years on this earth. Within its breathtaking cinematography, is a very realistic outlook on the decline in species as well as our natural world. In conjunction, alongside Prince William, Attenborough has also launched “the biggest environmental prize in history’ named Earthshot. Its aim to urge people to develop the solutions to the earth “gravest environmental problems by 2030″[4]. With £50million at stake, questions can be posed if this could create a solid blueprint in tackling the issue. Urging the world’s most powerful to take note.
Finally, is the action and statements made by Activist Group, Extinction Rebellion. The group can be applauded for their mass protests causing headline news. For taking it to the people who matter to quite rightly, urge for immediate action on the climate issues. They have blocked roads, delaying the printing of Newspapers. Created mass protest outside Westminster. As well as digging up the lawn of Cambridge University. It is this form of extreme activism that demonstrates the scale now needed to create change, with change simply not coming quick enough as many other protests continuing to be planned.
So to conclude, and somehow make sense of the question posed: “Sustainability & The Climate Crisis: Will Action Ever Truly be Taken?” One, of course, can only hope the right leaders (I’m looking at you America) are elected, who truly care about the urgent need to combat carbon emissons and create a more Sustainable world system. It seems shift is starting to occur, but personally, I feel change is not happing as quickly. Our planet’s bio-diversity is in decline at a rapid rate, with temperatures only soaring year-on-year. Will action ever be truly taken? I hope so, we all should, as the alternative is simply catastrophic.
Further Reading:
How mobile technology can encourage sustainability
https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/16/is-it-too-late-to-prevent-climate-change/
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