3 ms·
The situation looks dire, as people will resist changes to address this at every level. At the very top, there's nations. Whom are meeting as we speak at the c
by fleddr 5y ago
The situation looks dire, as people will resist changes to address this at every level.
At the very top, there's nations. Whom are meeting as we speak at the climate summit. China and Russia aren't even there. For other participants, they're all eye balling each other to find the sweet spot where they do the least possible whilst not embarrassing themselves. There's the additional complexity of developing nations still using a lot of fossil fuels and feeling they have the right to continue this for a little longer, for historical reasons and due to wealth inequality. Which is a fair moral point, but the planet doesn't care. It's the tragedy of the commons.
At the national level, we bash political leaders for ignoring the issue for decades but our anger is misplaced. As soon as any of these politicians propose meaningful reform, we vote them out. Because the measures obviously will be unpopular. Democracy is voting for what is popular for the coming 4 years, not for what is needed for the coming 10, 20, 50. We simply don't have the political system for that.
At the people/individual level, group A full on denies the issue in the same way you can deny COVID or the earth being spherical. Group B deep down knows what's up yet still is unwilling to make a change, instead just wants to ride it out. Group C is on board with the issue and tries to live better, but it's still questionable if it's enough.
Not at any level do we seem capable to solve a problem of this nature, as evidenced by decades of doing nothing regarding any ecological issue.
A depressing personal example. One of my friends is the chair of a committee of apartment owners in an apartment complex. In this building live rich senior citizens. The committee votes on shared investments regarding the building.
The building is old, poorly isolated and heating uses a lot of fossil energy. Its energy system clearly has to be redesigned at one point, hence my friend put months of work into a plan. Through government subsidy and very favorable capital lending, it would basically mean that the service fee would increase by a mere 120 euros per month for a fixed number of years (I think it was 5-10 years). This would completely redesign the energy system to not use any fossil energy at all, increase isolation whilst improving ventilation.
The inhabitants massively rejected the proposal. These people are rich and already retired, with 100% economic security (government pension + private pension). It's a financial non-sacrifice. And still they reject it.
They reject it still when explained that due to the rising fossil fuel prices, their monthly fee will soon be upped enough to match this investment fee.
So in light of doing some tiny good for the future, part of which you will even live to see, at no meaningful personal sacrifice...the answer is still NO. We will continue our ways, and whatever problem comes from it, is for somebody else.
This isn't some specific group of evil old people. These are lovely grandparents, people you admire and believe are kind and good hearted. Which means its me and you. It's typical of our species.
The way I see it, we can't wait for any of the above people dynamics. Just print 100T$ in new money and get to work. Today. We'll figure it out along the way. It doesn't matter if its "not conventional". Conventional got us into this situation.