The Fatal Climate: Radical Problems require Radical Solutions

 

On the 3rd of June this year, at Roland Garros, one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world, a climate activist entered the court during a widely televised match and chained herself to net. She turned towards the cameras so they could capture exactly what the words on her shirt said: “WE HAVE 1028 DAYS LEFT”. Her efforts, although radical, were valiant. It takes courage to make a vehement statement when the world around us seems to go about daily life with a distinct placidity. Her actions exuded the enormous fear inside of her and were reflective of the fatalistic attitude that large numbers of climate activists propound, that we are close to a point of no return. Radical acts of climate fatalism, like this, emphasize the urgency of taking action. It’s now or never. Although, how true is this notion? Are we almost too far down the cliff to climb back up? This attitude of climate fatalism is silly and yet, oddly necessary.

 Susan Joy Hassol, the director of the non-profit Climate Communication and Michael E. Mann, professor of atmospheric science at Penn State, released the article “Now Is Not the Time To Give in to Climate Fatalism” earlier this year on Time magazine. While they acknowledge the urgency of acting against climate change, they stress the fact that “there is agency too”, a refreshingly optimistic message! We are constantly bombarded with updates on increasing atmospheric temperatures, higher sea levels and CO2 emissions that we forget that there is something we can do about it. Oil companies can use their enormous resources to push the progress of renewable energy. Hassol and Mann state that “their experience in geology can be turned to geothermal energy…(and) offshore oil can be turned to offshore wind.” The extensive lands that these companies own can also be used for solar farms. Clearly, we have the resources to make a strong push towards positive climate trends.

However, most of us are aware that a lack of resources isn’t holding us back. The true foe is avarice. It drives wealthy businessmen and politicians with the largest capacity for positive influence to make a quick buck instead. Hassol and Mann point out that the fossil fuel industry continues to draw out monumental investments, the largest of which come from American banks including JPMorgan Chase and Citi. Unfortunately, the decisions of those with large sums of money impact the rest of the world and often, their decisions are rooted in making more money. What a surprise! Climate fatalism may well be an effective method to combat the greed of the affluent. If morality has no value, instilling fear might be the most potent way to get them to take necessary action.

Despite this, it is still an ambitious goal to be able to meet the energy demands of the world with solely clean energy, especially if the technological push towards cleaner energy is in constant conflict with the monetary aims of the rich. I find myself thinking that we must come to the paradoxical yet insightful realization that less is more. A more effective solution than just investing in renewable energy to match our ever-increasing demands is to disillusion ourselves from the capitalist ideas of constant expansion. By taking less from the Earth, we may become more primitive and experience technological regression, but this may be necessary and not entirely bad.

The value in certain aspects of ‘primitive’ life is becoming more blatant. Organic farming, for example, is becoming increasingly valued not only for health benefits but for environmental benefits as well. It sequesters more carbon in the soil, eliminates the fossil fuels required to produce pesticides and yet it is partially a technological regression of farming practices to that of centuries ago when there were no known inorganic practices! Similarly, we may be able to synthesize our scientific understanding of the environment to realize the value in more conservative and regenerative habits of our ancestors.

The creeping fate of climate change is a necessary consequence of our collective disregard for the Earth. However, we still have the capacity to learn a great deal from the past and live less industrialized and more self-sufficient lives. Or maybe, the climate fatalists will succeed and force a tremendous revolution! Rather than my unorthodox proposal of technological regression, a technological progression may actually bear fruit and clean energy can effectively run the whole world. Great! Regardless of what solution we discover (or don’t), I am extremely curious to witness the course of humanity over the century. We may persevere, we may not. I will do my part to protect the Earth and as for the rest, I intend on accepting our fate with peace.

                                                                                                                        Aashutosh Kulakarni


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