A sobering article published in The Guardian yesterday has gotten me thinking, not for the first time, about why, despite difficult odds and repeated disappointments, I and many others keep plugging away, doing all we can to drastically reduce the power of the fossil fuel industry and rapidly shift the world’s energy sources from fossil fuels to truly clean renewable energy like solar and wind.
The article “surveyed hundreds of the world’s leading climate experts and reported that
- 77% of respondents believe global temperatures will reach at least 2.5C above preindustrial levels, a devastating degree of heating;
- almost half — 42% — think it will be more than 3C;
- only 6% think the 1.5C limit will be achieved.
“The task climate researchers have dedicated themselves to is to paint a picture of the possible worlds ahead. From experts in the atmosphere and oceans, energy and agriculture, economics and politics, the mood of almost all those the Guardian heard from was grim. And the future many painted was harrowing: famines, mass migration, conflict. ‘I find it infuriating, distressing, overwhelming,’ said one expert, who chose not to be named. ‘I’m relieved that I do not have children, knowing what the future holds,’ said another.”
I first began having these kinds of thoughts and feelings about 20 years ago when I learned after study that the climate crisis was worse than I had known, which led to consciously taking steps to begin working on this issue. Ever since, it has been the primary issue that I have focused on, including for the last nine years since I retired from paid employment.
Often over those years I’ve been asked if I believe it is really possible that we can bring about the changes needed in enough time to prevent worldwide ecosystem and societal unraveling. Here’s what has become my answer to that question:
I don’t know if we are going to be able to avert climate catastrophe. The odds aren’t good. It is possible, maybe probable, that at least hundreds of millions, possibly billions of people will die prematurely in the 21st century as the atmosphere and oceans overheat. Maybe by halfway through this century world population will be on a decided and unplanned major downturn. But even if that’s what the future holds, even if the fossil fuel industry and mega-corporate capitalism maintain their murderous grip over most of the world’s governments, it is necessary that we build the strongest possible resistance movement to fight them, for two main reasons:
— The faster the shift off of fossil fuels the less damage will be done to ecosystems and human societies and the more likely it is that, after a long and difficult transitional period, the societies which emerge on the other side of that wrenching transition will be larger in number and qualitatively better than would be the case if the climate emergency goes on for a longer period of time.
— If it turns out that the human race is just not up to the task right now, if the power of the fossil fuelers, mega-corporatists and the neo-fascists cannot be reduced or, much better, broken, it is important that those who come after us know about and draw strength from our example. Just as we draw strength from the heroes and heroines of the fight to abolish chattel slavery in the 1800’s and all of the many other movements down through history for justice and human decency, those coming after us can draw strength from our refusal to give up, from our building of a culture grounded in love, service to others and determined, fearless resistance to evil.
Ted Glick has been a progressive activist, organizer and writer since 1968. He is the author of the recently published books, Burglar for Peace and 21st Century Revolution. More info can be found at https://tedglick.com.