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Deep down, everyone knows climate change is real. Liberals and progressives know it, socialists and communists know it, centrists know it and even conservatives know it. President Joe Biden agrees and has talked a good game, and to be fair, he is better on climate change than his predecessor. But the climate emergency is here, and our emissions goals are gradually yet quickly slipping out of reach. No matter what we do, even if we cut all our emissions today, we will hit the critical warming threshold of 1.5° C. Millions will die and billions will be displaced, and we are in for a dire future. Frankly, our generation will be lucky to see the age of 60. I dread to think about the future for the children of today.
The evidence is undeniable. Wildfire smoke darkens the skies of Washington, Oregon and California every September. What’s more, smoke season has come to the Midwest and Northwest too; this past summer, wildfire smoke from Canada choked the skies of Minnesota and Wisconsin and turned New York orange. At the beginning of June 2021, temperatures in the Pacific Northwest rocketed to an unprecedented 115°F. Train lines melted. Streets buckled. 500 people died. Coral reefs are dying. The oceans are boiling and acidifying. This year, Lahaina, Hawai’i, was destroyed by a wildfire, torrential rains killed thousands in Libya and the oceans around Florida reached unprecedented temperatures. There was a hurricane in Los Angeles, Antarctic Sea ice is at a record low, and each month of the year is the hottest month on record — at least, until the next year.
So where are our leaders? Why is Biden not taking militant action to stop this right now? The acknowledgements are nice, but the Biden-Harris administration continues to approve new fossil fuel projects, locking in more carbon emissions for future generations. Coal baron and so-called Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) has effectively blocked all progress on climate change at the behest of his own wallet. While the Democratic Party acknowledges climate change, their lack of meaningful action makes these acknowledgements near meaningless.
Just this week, the Biden administration used its power to waive environmental regulations to continue former president Donald Trump’s work to build the wall. Ironically, these same environmental regulations often prevent cities from building out metro rail projects and dense housing, both of which reduce emissions greatly.
A common solution proposed by liberals and conservatives is that technology will save us, but it’s simply not true. The idea that we can dig ourselves out of this hole by carbon capture or dimming the sun is wishful, reckless and dangerous thinking. We are in this crisis because of our arrogant mindset that we, as one species, can control nature. To build a sustainable future, we need to give up that sense of control. We are not in charge here. The sooner we accept it, the better off we are.
Instead of waiting for future technology to save us, we already know how to decarbonize our economies. We need to rethink cities so that it’s easier to get around without a car than it is with one. We need intercity high-speed rail and an expanded Amtrak system. We need reliable metro rail in every city, with a connected bus and bike lane network. Even though buses often burn fossil fuels, if it takes even three cars off the road, it reduces emissions. We need to transition our energy systems rapidly away from fossil fuels. While I do not believe we need to expand nuclear energy, we should not seek to shut down nuclear power plants if they will be replaced with fossil fuels. Wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric and tidal energy are existing technologies that work.
In order to solve this problem, we need creativity, humility and a connection with the future and all living things. We don’t need grand proclamations with no follow through. We don’t need big city mayors like Seattle’s Bruce Harrell jetting off to Argentina to talk about all the things we ought to do about climate change while being unwilling to take meaningful action at home. We don’t need more fossil fuel infrastructure. We need to be serious and act boldly and decisively, with compassion as well as righteous anger at those who have profited from the destruction of our home.
But we also need to be honest: no matter what we do, we are in for a world of hurt. Even if we stopped all of our emissions today, the planet might still become uninhabitable. We are likely to heat the planet more and more as we are pushed into feedback loop after feedback loop. It’s still worth it, though, because small victories can save ecosystems, communities and species from fossil fuel destruction. And even if we lose, I think there is value in fighting for a better world no matter what the reality is.