Getting It Together on the Climate Crisis

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change has issued a call and a plan for action now. In the Executive Summary, the Report outlines 15 steps that need to be taken now, to both cope with the inevitable effects of the Climate Crisis (Develop a national adaptation strategy through the Climate Change Science Program and Climate Change Technology Program, and fund development of early-warning systems for related threats) and to possibly forestall even more catastrophic heating and its effects in the future which threaten human civilization and life on earth as we know it.

In the Overview, the Report states: Meeting the challenge of global warming will require sustained effort over decades - on the part of governments, who must establish the rules and modify them as we learn more of the science, and as technological solutions begin to manifest themselves; on the part of industry, who must innovate, manufacture, and operate under a new paradigm where climate change will drive many decisions; and on the part of the public, who must also switch to a more climate-friendly path in their purchases and lifestyles.

A comprehensive action-oriented approach is a major contribution, as are the blend of economic, social and environmental considerations. The report assumes more significance because it comes from such a reputable source as Pew.

It's a policy piece, though, and doesn't attempt to be terribly eloquent on the need for action now. That case has to continue to be made, and the broad outlines of what may happen, what the stakes are, and what realistically can be done in various time frames, has to be made as clearly and as often as possible. And every individual and organization with any size megaphone needs to keep blaring this message it until it gets through.

Because until the Climate Crisis is seen as a moral issue, and then the central moral/political/economic/environmental issue of our time, challenging our civilization to be as smart as it thinks it is, those who stick with refining policy are going to large ly be talking only to each other.

Mind you, we're all going to be damn glad they have been talking to each other when we all wake up, as we also should be extremely grateful to everyone who has endured ridicule and penury to develop alternative energy systems and physical, biological, chemical, etc. approaches, large and small, to the problems that rapidly confront us.