Can we Cure our Climate?

Summary

The article discusses the urgency of addressing climate change through a focus on inequality, suggesting that current efforts like recycling are insufficient and that societal transformation is necessary to prevent negative reinforcement loops.

Abstract

The article "Can We Cure Our Climate?" presents a sobering look at the current state of climate change, acknowledging the widespread feeling that we may be too late to effectively solve the crisis. It emphasizes that while individual actions like recycling are beneficial, they are not enough to combat the scale of the problem. The author argues that the real focus should be on tackling inequality, as it is both a cause and a consequence of overpopulation and environmental stress. The article predicts that the expected growth in the world's population over the next fifty years will exacerbate issues with water, food supplies, and financial markets, leading to increased inequality and potential societal unrest. It highlights the historical impact of inequality on societies, often resulting in war, famine, and revolution. The author calls for a reevaluation of our global society and a return to the principles of governance that prioritize the well-being of all citizens, warning that failure to address these systemic issues could lead to a negative spiral of environmental and social degradation.

Opinions

The author believes that while current efforts to fight climate change are commendable, they are not sufficient to address the scale of the problem.
There is a sense of urgency that we are running out of time to make significant changes to our approach to climate change.
Inequality is seen as a central issue that both contributes to and is exacerbated by climate change, potentially leading to a cycle of worsening conditions.
The author suggests that the growth in world population will put significant stress on resources and exacerbate existing inequalities, which could lead to societal instability.
Historical precedents indicate that inequality can lead to serious consequences such as war, famine, and revolution.
The article advocates for a societal revolution, akin to the principles of the American Revolution, to overhaul our current systems of governance that have failed to keep pace with modern society.
The author is actively engaging with these issues through self-published writing, indicating a personal commitment to inspiring change and raising awareness.

Or is it too late?

Let’s be honest.

Recycling, conserving energy, and limiting waste are all good ways that we can fight climate change. But doesn’t it feel like we should do more? I believe the focus should be on inequality.

For those of us that care about this issue, and some of those that don’t, climate change seems like a problem we are already too late to solve. I agree that it would take some sort of miracle to make this place presentable and for humans to applaud.

I am not the type to give up and go to sleep. I am too busy writing down my nightmares.

What can we do about climate change?

Don’t panic. There are things we can do. The change will come eventually and we might be too late to stop it. The questions we need to ask now are more nuanced. What unnatural things will happen to our planet as these things change? There are some very likely events that will happen in the next century that will guide us moving forward.

Population

Our world is getting more overpopulated every second. The world population is expected to grow for at least the next fifty years. This is going to put stress in the following places: World financial markets, water, and food supplies. Climate change is going to rapidly accelerate all of the issues we have in these areas. These deficits will lead to inequality. The largest cause of overpopulation is inequality. This could be a negative reinforcement loop if we are not careful.

Inequality

Inequality is the great leveler of societies. It has been the deciding factor in the fate of human empires since the dawn of their existence. When a population starts to struggle with inequality, we start to see the following things more often:

War: When world powers begin to shift, countries and their leaders can make mistakes. Things like trade wars, corruption, and unrest become more common as inequality spreads through a government. When a powerful country begins to weaken, bad things almost always happen. The US became a world leader in the 1950s after England had to borrow for two world wars… Learning the history of changing world orders should be a priority.

Famine: We are already facing issues with famine due to catastrophic weather events on a yearly basis. A more focused approach towards sustainable land use and farming is imperative not only for climate change but for other reasons as well.

Revolution: Inequality leads to violent revolutions almost every time. I see what is happening around me in the US today as a warning sign that is really frightening. When the American Revolution kicked off over two centuries ago, we made a promise to form a government by the people for the people. It seems we have moved away from that model.

Thomas Paine was a revolutionary that wrote essays. His goal was to turn the opinions of Americans towards a societal revolution. The goals of those founding fathers have faded now. I live in a country that has modernized at the speed of light while leaving our government in the dark ages. We need to overhaul our global society. This is easier said than done. I know.

I am self-publishing a book about choices one day at a time. Read my other work and an in-progress fiction book about my vision for change here.