CLIMATE CHANGE|ENVIRONMENT
Wonderfully Good News That Helped Soothe And Brighten My Whole Future
It just might make your outlook on the future a bit brighter as well…
When I opened my email today, it was mainly out of habit. I did not expect to see or read any good news.
Lo and behold, I saw and read two emails that made my whole day, if not my whole month!
First of all, after playing the waiting game for too long here in Germany, and jumping through countless hoops, I finally received a full-time job offer in my field (key phrase for my approval) that should (I think) allow me to be approved for my work permit.
I did a happy dance.
Then I opened another email which contained some positive developments on climate change!?
It’s a topic and reality that is near and dear to my heart which is why I’m devoting the bulk of this story to it.
The following are highlights I would love for you to read:
The report shows that today the average North American emits 16 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year from fossil fuel use, compared to just 2 tonnes for the average African. Consumption by the top 10% of households comprises over a third of global of greenhouse gases, compared to 15% of these gases for the bottom 50% of households.
Every government now agrees that the climate crisis is driven by how the world’s wealthy — which includes much of the UK’s population — currently live, consume and invest.
This is a major leap forward compared to previous reports. The last IPCC summary on solutions in 2014 labelled population growth as one of “the most important drivers of increases in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion”. Such dangerous misunderstandings are now gone. Seven years on, these old “blame the poor” arguments increasingly seem like a relic of a previous age.
The most heartening section of the report is on alternatives to fossil fuel use. The overarching solution to our energy needs is to electrify everything we can, from heating buildings to transport, and power everything using clean renewables and storage. We are getting a huge helping hand from great leaps forward in clean technology.
Between 2010 and 2019, the report says that the cost of solar energy plummeted by 85%, wind energy by 55% and lithium-ion batteries by 85%. These are staggering figures that point to a radically reshaped energy future. With the tsunami of suffering that is about to engulf UK households from soaring energy costs set by skyrocketing gas prices, everyone in government needs to see this message. There is a cheaper, cleaner way.
This report is essentially a manifesto for ending the fossil fuel age. It will help the growing mass of people fighting against the fossil fuel industry on many fronts — but especially those taking official channels, such as MPs lobbying government not to open new oil fields, lawyers and citizens taking countries or companies to court, or those justifying direct action to stop high-carbon infrastructure being built. The licence for climate action has never been stronger.
Each year that passes adds further reasons to stop using fossil fuels. Last year, it became clear that gas prices would rise sharply, affecting millions. This year, we can add that fossil fuels fund the Russian military and its atrocities. Add these to ending urban air pollution and avoiding hundreds of millions of people suffering heatwaves, drought and floods. And the price? Investing a few per cent of GDP and some new legislation.
Climate change can feel complex, but the IPCC has worked hard to make it simple for us. A path still exists to halve emissions by 2030 and get to net zero by 2050, which will probably meet the 1.5C goal. It is a hopeful message.
The task now is to make it real.
— Simon Lewis is professor of global change science at University College London and University of Leeds
…funnily, my job offer is working with children.
“I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside. Give them a sense of pride to make it easier…”
The cause of the vulnerability hangover I woke up with today:
A little backstory about my current transition here in Germany:
A big dose of cuteness:
Your $5 per month membership allows you to read unlimited stories, contributes to me earning half of that and opens the door to you earning money (I made almost $3,000 in 6 months) on Medium as well.
