News Flash - We Are Not Doomed!

We’ve all seen enough images of forest fires, floods, droughts, and turtles dying of plastic pollution and at this point, these images have started to lose their shock value. As an ex-climate activist myself, I can tell that climate activism (not slacktivism) is not ill-intentioned, in fact, those peers are some of the most passionate folks I’ve ever worked with. But that short stint as an activist made me realize that there is something wrong with the way we sell climate change.

Here’s the thing - humans are suckers for happy endings. Be it religion or politics, what drives one to invest their time and energy in a certain ritual or their vote during an election is the hope for a better future. We toil at school to land a well-paying job and we toil at work to invest in a better retirement but what remains constant throughout, is optimism - the belief that a future exists. Now the doomsday narrative surrounding climate change is probably true and definitely more likely but it also makes one feel weak. It gives the impression that climate is a lost cause. If there’s little chance of us winning against melting icebergs, we might as well live off our lives in peace without worrying about the future generations, who are doomed to suffer anyway, right? This article is an attempt to turn the narrative around and give a voice to the less documented chance of us fighting climate change and winning against it. It’ll be a tough way ahead but the end reward will more than compensate for the struggle endured!

First things first, climate change is real. Global temperatures are indeed increasing at an unprecedented pace and the frequency of extreme weather events is at an all-time high. The effects of a warming planet and rising sea levels are being felt across geographies, as we speak, more so in the more vulnerable regions. This is no longer a dystopian future in question, but a living reality for billions of humans and gazillions of non-human species. The good news is that we have started to act on it. Be it research in environmental sciences or the inclusion of indigenous folks and other marginalized populations in mainstream climate discourses, we are heading towards a better understanding of climate change and the solutions we need to act on it. International cooperation in this space has grown manyfold since the 70s and the 80s when climate-related summits had just started to take form. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are taking shape in high stake countries with several of them now committed to net-zero emissions in varying time frames. Businesses and corporations have started to act on their own emissions for a variety of reasons (Read more about how sustainability strengthens the bottom line here). All in all, things are certainly looking up!

What we are racing against, however, is time. In order to curb global warming and avoid the worst climate-induced damages, carbon dioxide emissions need to drop down to net-zero by 2050. This would require rapid deployment of technology and business solutions that address climate change and aid climate mitigation. Be it renewable energy sources, improved agriculture techniques, ecosystem restoration activities, more efficient and environment-friendly mobility solutions, disruption is what we need. This can only be made possible by channeling large-scale human, financial and socio-political capital into cleaner solutions, rapidly and at scale. Another challenge to address is that of greenwashing. Our commitments on the ground have to mirror those on paper. Big corporations, banks, politicians, countries, and every entity of power that evades its climate obligations has to be held to account and pressured into using its power for the good. As consumers, voters, employees, we all have the capacity to induce some degree of this pressure. Needless to mention, some of us have more power and hence a greater responsibility towards society and the planet. It's all about acknowledging and using our privilege for good.

But what is all this effort for? Addressing climate change is not just about protecting the planet. It’s about creating a better world. Pollution, global warming, deforestation, ecosystem degradation, and the likes are problems that stem from the existing imbalance in power structures. Systemic racism, casteism, sexism, disregard for diversity, lack of inclusion in academia, workplaces, boardrooms, and policy-making bodies have led us to an unequal world where capitalism proliferates. Solving climate change will require these structures to change. The large-scale disruption mentioned before will give us an opportunity to change these power structures for the better. Fighting climate change isn’t just an environmental issue, it’s a social justice issue too. Apart from improving society, fighting climate change will also improve the physical environment around us. Cleaner energy sources, circular economic systems, efficient public transport, cleverly designed urban spaces, etc. will reduce our need to exploit natural resources. This will translate to cleaner air, water, and living spaces for all. At the same time, this will give our heritage ecosystems a breather and time to revive from the historical damages. As communities become more and more self-sufficient in terms of energy and resources, our dependence on big corporations will also reduce, giving more power to smaller, local businesses and communities.

Solving climate change will be difficult and will require a whole generation of people to transition from life, as we know it, to a newer and better world order. It will require immense effort, motivation, and passion but the end reward will more than compensate for this effort.