WHY CLIMATE CHANGE DOESN’T FEEL AS URGENT AS IT SHOULD
The coronavirus brought probably one good thing we can all agree on: it reduced global carbon emissions. However, a minor 6% CO2 reduction is hardly an equal trade-off for the massive death toll, the absolute shock to normal life and the insurmountable global economic and societal tolls.
We’ve been in a global crisis lasting far longer than the coronavirus, however: climate change. Deniers argue that there is little or no human correlation to the accelerated climate change rate, but that makes no difference. Energy consumption and material production will only increase, and they will continue to create waste and use finite resources.
Luckily, progress does seem to be on the horizon. President Biden introduced a nearly $2 trillion plan that addresses climate issues. This past Earth Day, there was also a Global Summit gathering world leaders to make a climate change plan. It’s refreshing to see talks towards making the world greener. But of course, the action to take place will be gradual. With climate scientists giving us looming benchmarks of irreversible damage by 2030, 2050 and beyond, is this time that we have?
And why doesn’t this seem more urgent than it should?
First, let’s look at the issues that climate change creates. We are not going to notice an average global temperature that rises by a few degrees over a ten-year span or slowly rising sea levels. The toll on the human race caused by changing migration patterns, food and water shortages, conflicts over fuel and energy, economic turmoil, and death are all abstract issues. Even the rise and severity in natural disasters are up for contention to some people: “Is this climate change in action?” “No, we’re just having a bad hurricane season!”
Humans are wired with the “fight or flight” response when it comes to threats. If it’s not concrete and immediate, it’s hard for us to have a sense of urgency about the situation. When looking at the threat of climate change, it’s hard for it to follow the PAIN acronym:
P: Is it personal?
A: Is it abrupt?
I: Is it immoral?
N: Is it now?
Frankly, it’s not a bad thing that this threat doesn’t feel “immediate”. We’re not living in a Mad Max-type world where everyone living has to scourge for water and materials.
This morning, I used electricity for my stove, bean grinder and water kettle to make coffee and eggs while letting an episode of Doctor Who run on my TV. I took a heated shower without once having to think about how much water I’m using. I’m writing this on a laptop by lamp light. Overnight, I let my dishwasher and laundry machine run, and I put my washed clothes in my dryer for an hour. We use a great deal of energy on a daily basis, and we’re fortunate enough to not have to think about it.
That said, of course we have to be careful. Of course the threat doesn’t have to feel urgent, personal and concrete for it to be severe.
We can do our bit-by-bit part. Recycling, not letting energy run if we’re not using it, bringing our own bag to the store, changing how we commute, living sustainably, and educating ourselves will all bring us closer collectively to a healthier world. We also have policy makers that are making efforts to reduce waste and energy consumption.
Still, this change is gradual. How can we still care?
Comedian George Carlin said:
“The planet has been through a lot worse than us. Been through earthquakes, volcanoes, plate tectonics, continental drift, solar flares, sun spots, magnetic storms, the magnetic reversal of the poles … hundreds of thousands of years of bombardment by comets and asteroids and meteors, worldwide floods, tidal waves, worldwide fires, erosion, cosmic rays, recurring ice ages … And we think some plastic bags and some aluminum cans are going to make a difference? The planet isn’t going anywhere. WE are!”
At this point, it’s fair to feel like we’re trying to turn an eighteen-wheeler around. There has and will be irreversible damage. This creates a sense of near-complacency, even a near-hopelessness. Species also become endangered and go extinct often, with the UN predicting 1,000,000 species alone currently facing extinction. Why not the human race? We’ve only been around for the past 300,000 years.
That said…
We’ve also faced plagues. We’ve faced resource shortages. We’ve faced changing environments and invaders that challenged our survival. We’ve faced catastrophic wars. We’ve survived countless “doomsday scenarios”. In fact, our Doomsday Clock is currently at 100 seconds — less than 2 minutes, which makes for a less catchy Iron Maiden song. However, in every scenario where humans have faced near extinction, our ingenuity and spirit kept us going. We’re spread out across the world, not limited to one biome unlike many species. We know how to adapt, building inventions and environments that help us thrive. We are also aware of our problems and know that we need to address issues before they get too severe.
We’ve dug ourselves in deep on this climate change situation — but there’s no doubt that we’ll dig ourselves out of it, too.
Keep conserving, keep learning, keep recycling, keep believing…and keep fighting.
