CLIMATE CRISIS
The Elephant Is in The Room
Let’s be honest with each other — the apocalypse is coming slowly, or maybe not at all
Let’s be honest
Honesty is the basis of everything we do that will serve our interests and our future. If we do not base our choices on information that is true and on reliable facts, we will lack what is needed to meet and solve the challenges facing the world.
To be honest, to tell the truth, to relate to facts, ie information that is true, reliable and correct — is among the most important things today.
The climate crisis and global warming are about ourselves, about our children and grandchildren and about our common future.
We must be honest when we talk about this topic and try together to influence the political system, governments and other international bodies.
We must encourage and help those who can take responsibility for planning and facilitating that the harmful effects of the climate crisis and global warming will be as small as possible.
The apocalypse is NOT coming
‘Apocalypse’ is an unreliable concept
We are not going to be hit by an apocalypse. Instead, the climate crisis and global warming are slowly evolving. And this is bad enough, because if the least pessimistic estimates come true, humans on earth will face great challenges with unbearable temperatures, higher sea levels and devastating storms for the next hundred years.
These major negative changes in climate and in nature can lead to many other major challenges, such as mass migration of climate refugees, wars over the right to control livable land and the establishment of fascist regimes in many countries.
All this draws disturbing perspectives for the living conditions of future generations.
I who write this am in no way a specialist or professional. I have no special qualifications to describe the situation. Still, I write this. Because when it comes to the climate crisis, I am in the same situation as hundreds of millions of other people on earth. I can, like everyone else, seek out information, reflect about the information I find, and present what I have found and what I have thought about what I have found.
All human beings on earth are entitled to opinions in these matters. Yes, in fact it is a duty as a human being on earth to obtain information about the situation, and to do something.
Evidence
The sciences have found evidence that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere around the globe has been stable below a certain level for the last 600,000–700,000 years. Around the middle of the last century, something dramatic happened. Around 1950, the curve that shows the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere changes dramatically. We see a steep climb.
All this is known. And it’s disturbing.
But it must be said. Thoughts about this must be thought. The matter must be discussed. Action must come.
We need to talk about the elephant in the room, this evolution, this phenomenon that is changing the state of the planet we live on.
For hundreds of thousands of years, humans have lived on earth. In the last six to seven hundred thousand years, there have been several periods of ice age and other periods of strong heat. But what we can see today is that major changes are underway in terms of climate and temperature on Earth. And this rise in temperature is something completely new.
Are you scared? Do you get depressed when you read about something like this?
Do you get anxious? Do you feel the panic growing? Do you think that everything is hopeless?
Then it is necessary to change focus. Find reliable information about the case, make your own realistic assessments based on facts and knowledge.
Not everyone knows much about the climate crisis and global warming. They will sooner or later have to get to know the facts.
We can help others, be honest with others, share knowledge and insights that help reduce fear and anxiety about the future.
We must take responsibility for this, among other things out of consideration for ourselves and our own integrity. We must act where we are, talk to those close to us:
— talk to our children, in ways that make them safer, and not insecure
— talk to adults, spouse / cohabitant, neighbor, friends and others; conversations that can strengthen us, reduce anxiety and fear of the future.
I feel that I can get very upset and down because of the knowledge I cannot ignore about global warming and the future. It helps no one — least of all me — that I get depressed. I have to find new ways to go and try to contribute what I can to help.
Not everything is black
There is hope. If humans want it, we can prevent the worst effects of global warming, and we can find ways to organize the future that give hope to all.
The biggest source of anxiety and passivity is not knowing. Through active use of knowledge and insight, we can gain knowledge of positive measures that will help, e.g. in reports like this:
Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2022
In relation to the climate crisis and global warming, the most important and best way to deal with this is to be active, obtain information, gain insight, understand more.
Positive vs negative thinking
People with positive thinking are generally empowered to act and achieve their goals.
On the contrary, negative thinking can paralyse us, bringing fears and doubts and preventing us from taking the actions that can get us closer to our goals.
The optimist’s credo
Focus on what is possible, not on what is hopeless.
The only viable way is to stand up for oneself, for fellow human beings and for our descendants.
There is no point in fighting for one’s own.
This is a joint match with a joint win.
Everyone will be a winner.
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Øivind H. Solheim — Norwegian author and nature photographer. Writes in Norwegian and in English: novels, short stories, creative short prose, poems, essays, and articles. Has since 2017 published stories on medium.com. He has published six novels, two non-fiction books, and a collection of poems.
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