The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is stark and alarming. Though the science and conclusions certainly come as no surprise, this is a reminder to us all of the dire consequences of inaction. Climate change is an existential threat, and burying our heads in the sand will not help.
As someone who has shouted this from the rooftops for many years, I understand as well as anyone that time is running out. This year is a crunch year for this crisis. Swift action can still curtail many of the worst climate impacts of global warming. But we really don’t have much time.
We cannot wait for politicians to do the right thing. We must all use our voices and make them heard. We must send clear messages to our leaders and to big business, as well as making the necessary sustainable choices in our own lives.
Innovations in sequestration and drawdown strategies will help. But unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond our reach.
It is easy to feel helpless in the face of the crises we face. But each of us has the power to make a positive difference. Remember, it is nearly too late. But there is still time to avert the worst case scenario, as long as we all think of this as what it is – a fight for survival – and do absolutely all we can.
EWSP Consultancy 