Hi, I’m Rick Barron, your host, and welcome to That’s Life, I Swear

Our world leaders are pledging to reduce the level of emissions by the year 2030, no, make that 2040, 2050, 2060…

When I see worldwide climate conferences like the one that happened in Glasgow in November of 2021, my faith in the world is restored. For a moment I see the world actually working together to solve climate issues that are impacting our mothership, planet earth. Yes, for a moment

Let’s jump into this

While I want to hold to this optimism, I can’t help by shrug my shoulders. Call me a cynic

The Glasgow conference conveyed promise from leaders worldwide, collaborating with conviction to finally take a stand. While it makes for great press headlines, I can't help but think about human nature, being what it is, and that is we have short memories. 

We've been here before, haven’t we? I say this because the Glasgow conference held in 2021 was the 26th conference, and are we any closer to seeing climate change as the priority it should be?

We hear the top brass pledging to reduce emissions, start new climate control processes, place a halt on coal usage, move to electric vehicles, blah, blah, blah. It’s nothing but on-going platitudes.

What is extremely sad, is that the target dates to achieve these lofty goals of climate control, are scheduled to happen by the year 2040, or 2050, or 2060. When will we ever pound that stake into the ground and just do it! What’s that expression, “show me the money”?

Did we not hear these pledges from world leaders 10, 20, 30 years ago? 

We’re forever kicking the climate control tin can down the road? News alert, people, we’re running out of road, if not already.

Every day we hear and see the ongoing erosion of planet earth. Rising seawater due in part to the warming of the planet, wildfires that are becoming more the norm rather than the exception, droughts, or just the opposite, floods happening in parts of the world that never existed before, and on and on.

Citizens worldwide are frustrated and stage demonstrations to shout their anger and disgust. So why do our world leaders not take the same attitude? What is wrong with them?  

Climate studies reveal that to keep the warming of the earth under 1.5°c [or 34.7 degrees Fahrenheit], nations worldwide would need to collectively reduce their CO2 emissions to at least 45 percent below 2010 levels by the year 2030…quick math tip…that’s only 8 years away. 

This is not to mention reaching net-zero approximately by 2050…28 years away. It's great we still have time, but when we hear we 'have time,' we get lazy in our thinking, which eventually leads to inaction. 

Going beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius will magnify droughts, heatwaves, increase the risk of rising sea levels, storms that will intensify even more than we have experienced in the past. 

But why worry, we still have until, what was it, 2040, or 2050, 

At the Glasgow conference, world leaders expressed firm commitments to curb greenhouse-gas emissions. It's time for these leaders and companies to show their cards. 

For too long, we've heard too many political platitudes from leaders saying 'this time' we will address the dangers that come with ignoring climate change. 

But unfortunately, and apologizes for being repetitive, we have run out of time to say we still have time. 

The United Nations provides ongoing reports dealing with climate change. A recent report called out that should countries collectively not take constructive steps, there could be severe consequences around early 2040. 

In short, the information called out that our indifference to deal with climate change head-on, could lead to a world of worsening food shortages, wildfires, and a mass die-off of coral reefs. 

Coral reefs disappearing? You say so what. Well, here’s the significance of the ‘what’.

Should climate change continue with its intensity and strength, large portions of coral reefs worldwide could be gone within a human generation.

The ‘so what’ will hit hard against fisheries that support millions of poor people, leading to widespread hunger and poverty. 

When a coral reef dies, it’s pretty much lights out. The loss of coral reefs goes beyond the ecosystem itself. Tropical fish populations will decrease. 

Think of this: approximately half the fish supplied to the world come from areas where the coral reefs are of key importance. 

A data point to bear in mind is that about 1 billion people in the Asian region, need tropical fisheries for their food supply and, more importantly, their livelihoods.

We're currently coming out of the covid crisis and hopefully seeing an end. It's fair to say we all got burnt out with the constant lockdowns and disruptions to our lives. 

People worldwide were motivated to avoid threats to their existence by taking the COVID vaccines. If we were motivated to take the vaccines to increase our survival chances, why is it so difficult to have the same motivation to tackle climate change

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for dealing with climate change. 

Dealing with the ongoing changes disrupting our climate involves many factors that cause people not to get motivated.

So, what are those factors?

Number one. Stop thinking we can resolve the problem at hand in a piecemeal manner. 

Many take the notion it’s no big deal if it takes us 30-50 years to get our house, that being planet earth, in order. We want to live the good life now and don’t want to disrupt our lives with making hard corrective adjustments. That said, chill out they tell us.

Number two. Climate change happens around the world happen but not rapidly. 

We’re facing rising ocean waters due to arctic sea ice having quickly declined over the last several decades, the last two decades being the worse. Most of the global temperature change has occurred in the past 40 years, with the seven most recent years being the warmest. 

The years 2016 and 2020 are tied for being the warmest years on record. In short, the changes to our world environment have taken small steps in the beginning, however those changes are now accelerating and not slowing down.

An analogy to provide a picture is someone who smokes cigarettes. Having a few cigarettes won't kill you, but the consequences of such a habit catches up on you over time. What may have been a fun habit creeps up on you, and your health problems become significant.

Well, it’s no different from what we're seeing every day. What started as one-offs with climate change, has now mushroomed to what is becoming catastrophic happenings, the likes of which we never thought would develop.

Human nature expects threats to be obvious and not something that escalates slowly like a dripping faucet.

Number three. When we see the impact of climate changes, those of us not in the immediate zone of the problem, feel a sense of empathy but not so much as to understand the deeper ramifications of what is happening. 

It's a 'well, it's their problem and not mine, hope things get better for them. Flash bulletin, it is our problem. It's like the smoking of cigarettes analogy. Sooner or later the zone of impact will be us.

Number four. For whatever reason, our society wants to live in the present and not look over the horizon. For some reason we take this notion, that whatever climate problems coming our way will be addressed by the next generation. 

That's almost like you giving the finger and wishing those that follow, all the best and good luck with what I left you. It amounts to a wild party where guests [us] tear up the place and leave to the owners [next generation] to clean up. 

We could let the next generation take on the increasing wave of climate change. Another approach is to telegraph to the next generation that we screwed up. We made a mess of things. We got selfish enjoying the good life and not paying heed to our throwing trach out the car window as we kept driving down the road.

Is this how we want the next generation to remember us?

It's time to meet this climate dilemma now. Take it by the throat and deal with it. This is no longer a test; the fox is in the hen house, Houston we have a problem, whatever you want to call it, but face it now, we must.

We will continue to have skeptics out there who take the stance that people's activity has absolutely nothing to do with what is happening to the climate, or that climate change is fake news. 

We cannot continue to kid ourselves that we can invest tomorrow to address the climate change issues, rather than making that investment today, or more like yesterday. 

Look at your children and other members of their generation and those to come. Do you seriously want to look them in the eye and tell them that if you're so anxious to fix this thing, do it on your time and money? 

Consider what you’re willing to forgo today, knowing that in one generation, there will be severe, catastrophic consequences because of inaction…our inaction. 

What's the lesson learned here? What's the takeaway from this story I just walked you through?

The need, I mean urgent need, to not just reduce but end fossil fuel burning must be top of mind. 

Unless we made some hard decisions, we're on a trajectory to blow past 1.5 degrees Celsius within two decades…another math tip, think 2042.

Ignorance is no protection from the consequences of inaction. I like that quote. It captures all manner of what is obvious, and yet we turn a blind eye.

Eventually, it will happen; planet earth and its residents will face the music. Yes, even the self-doubters will stop blabbing and see what's before them. But hopefully, it won't be too late.

We can continue to live in the present and let the ‘other guy’ take care of our mess in the next 10-20 years, or we take a novel approach and slam the breaks to tell ourselves, planet earth, we have a problem! The problem is us!

A lot has been said here, but the bigger question is, what can you do. Here are a few suggestions:

1.     For starters take the time to learn more about climate change. What is it, what's the impact, how did we get here, and more can be learned by research, various climate organizations, YouTube, etc. 

2.     For example, do a Google search on the term 'climate change organizations,' and you'll see an extensive list of places you can read for information. 

3.     Listen and read from those who have paved a path alerting us to the climate crisis we face today. A great example of someone who has deep roots in climate change is Al Gore.

He’s written two books about this topic: An Inconvenient Truth and An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. Both books expose how humankind has aided in destroying our planet and deliver hope through groundbreaking information on what you can do now. Both are good reads.

4.     While it may sound like a waste of time, contact your congressional representatives and other government leaders to support their leadership in combating the climate crisis and how they can/should join your efforts to support the cause. 

 If your government officials are not involved, find out why. In short, embarrass them for being slackers. Let them know we voted them in, we can vote them out. If you think the climate crisis won't be a bone of contention in future presidential campaigns, think again.
 
 Yes, it will take time, but there we are. Getting to this lofty goal will not happen overnight, but desperation can lead to inspiration they say.

There is no planet earth rev. 2. You can't ignore what is happening right this minute. Silence is not an option, and running away from the problem is not victory

Well, there you go. That’s life, I swear.

For further information regarding the material covered in this episode, I invite you to visit my website that you can find on either Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts, for show notes calling out key pieces of content mentioned, and the episode transcript.

As always, I thank you for listening. 

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