Embracing science, innovation and progressive ideas gives us hope for a healthier future. It’s unfortunate that so many people, including government leaders in the U.S. and parts of Canada, are rejecting brilliant new ideas in favour of outdated and destructive ways of generating energy.
'In this “post-truth” era, with a climate-change-denying U.S. administration, those who want to keep humanity wedded to outdated, polluting technologies have been emboldened.'
'Science is the most useful tool we have to adapt to climate change and avoid its worst outcomes. But it requires critical thinking and a big-picture perspective to ensure we consider all available evidence.'
'A fundamental problem is that governments represent people, so ministers of forests, fisheries, oceans or the environment don’t act on behalf of forests, fish, oceans or the environment. They put human use of those resources first, seemingly blind to the bigger picture.'
A lot needs to be done to reform our economic systems and to address critical issues like pollution and climate change. Reducing work hours is one way to make substantial gains.
'Surely, with our knowledge and wisdom we can do better than rely on the primitive idea of burning things to stay warm and comfortable without regard for the consequences — pollution of air, water and land with its related impacts on health, as well as climate change, which is putting humanity’s survival at risk.'
The warning suggests five steps needed immediately. That was a generation ago. They can still help prevent the worst impacts. Here's how.
“Research coming from cognitive and brain science tells us if we want to be persuasive we must appeal to people’s values and speak from a moral position, rather than layering on more data and statistics.”
We can’t let fear and despair stop us from working to make the world a better place for everyone, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, physical appearance or limitations, country of origin, political leanings, education or social circumstance.
Slowing or stopping species extinctions and other human-caused crises are monumental challenges. But we’ve risen to meet major challenges before.
