The last time I used the above image was in Record heat wave in Europe begins summer 2019, which was also the last time I wrote about climate change and the risks associated with it. I'm using it again because Hot Mess uploaded a video today that asked Climate Change: Are You Scared Enough?
Maybe if you’re not scared, you’re not paying attention…I liked David Wallace-Wells' insight that the Youth Climate Strikes, Sunrise Movement, Green New Deal, and candidates like Jay Inslee making climate change his signature issue have all developed after the release of the latest IPCC climate report, which described climate change and its effects in a more urgent tone. Scaring people seems to be working. I also agree with Wallace-Wells' emphasis on government action over individual action. Although I'm trying to reduce my driving to decrease my environmental impact, not only on the climate, but also on air pollution, energy consumption, and oil depletion, I know it's not enough by itself. I need more people to follow suit and politics is the best way to do so.
Climate change is scary, because it will negatively impact just about every part of our lives. But the conventional wisdom on how to talk about climate change and inspire people to do something about it has always been “don’t scare people”. At least until recently. In the past couple years climate scientists and climate journalists have started talking in scarier and more worst case terms than ever before. Why? And is this a good thing? I talked to author David Wallace-Wells, author of “The Uninhabitable Earth” to learn more.
So, dear reader, are you scared enough by climate change?
No comments:
Post a Comment