Post 4 Sustainable systems.
The "climate change" the big bubble is experiencing, is a symptom.
What is the real issue?
Our systems processes, manufacturing, energy production/usage, are unsustainable. These processes, and associated outputs, are changing the environment, and the climate of the planet.
They are corrupting the very structures needed for life, and the conditions needed for the natural systems to function. 2030 is the point of no return.
sustain ~ verb to keep going, as an action or process; to supply with food, drink, and other necessities of life.
The human actions / processes are unsustainable, and the natural disasters that are occurring, are a result of these destructive processes.
Why is this so important?
The man made processes and materials, are corrupting the natural systems, that provide nourishment, and the air. How do you, know it is really happening?
There are five vital signs (available on the NASA and other climate change sites, that indicate the rate of "change" in the climate.
- Global surface temperature - increasing >>> bush fires are one outcome
- Ice sheet - decreasing >>> melting ice, increases likelihoods of flooding
- Arctic Sea Ice minimum >>> melting ice, causes damage to wildlife habitat.
- Sea Level >>> increasing >>> floods, less habitable land.
- Carbon dioxide >>> increases the temperature.
Here are some heat maps, where you can see a clear indication of changing vital signs.
Global surface temperature between 1884 and 2019 has increased significantly
Arctic Sea Ice Minimum 1986-2020 - decreased significantly
Amount of carbon dioxide - increasing 2007-2016
The denial is at a level far beyond a few people not believing climate change is not happening. In 2017 it was identified by scientists with the data, that 2030 was a point of no return, and that if we didn't adapt / change significantly before then, that there would be no reversing the damage. Recently, there have been a lot of targets set for 2050, and the denial is so far inset, that people believe that this is enough.
There are already increasing number of natural disasters, and these are all symptoms of the underlying issue, that the man-made processes / systems are destroying the natural ones. Air, water, energy need to flow, and the man made processes have destroyed the "flow" to cause excesses(increased sea level & floods) and shortages (famine, and habitat being destroyed).
What needs to be done urgently?
We need to open our eyes. Adapt. Mitigate. All at the same time. (Yesterday).
Open Your eyes.
The targets to reduce Carbon dioxide emissions, significantly by 2050 are misguided. Too little, too late.
Targets to reduce Carbon dioxide emissions, need to be brought forward to 2027. This is so that there is time to mitigate before 2030, the point of no return.
It sounds drastic, yet it could be a good catalyst, and could help speed up the economic recovery.
Adapt. Everything.
Every single time you buy, produce, use or throw away an item, you need to be asking what impact will this have on the earth?It is processes, resource usage, it is the very way we live, work and our behaviours, and attitudes that needs to change.
Great steps have already been taken, by governments, yet it is only the tip of the ice berg.
Mitigate
The number of natural disasters, like floods, and tsunamis, due to the ice sheets melting, will become more frequent. They are referred to as "tipping points", when the conditions can no longer be sustained, and something happens, like a flood. We can adapt, but the fact is that there will be more natural disasters, in the coming years. These need to be managed. There is a need to pre-empt them, all over the world, and act to make sure there are plans in place to reduce the impact on humans and wildlife.
What needs to be done in longer term?
Policies need to be devised so that organisations are incentivised to create sustainable products, and processes. This is not new. There are already incentives.
It is not only, incentives that are needed. It is a new ethos. A new way of thinking about the economy, about society, and the way we live.
Economy in the traditional sense, means movement of value, of goods, commodities, resources. The "value" we perceive for a product, does not include the value of the natural environment, always. The "economy of the natural world" needs to be taken into account when calculating the cost of the goods. Taxes have been the historic way to do this, however, that leads to organisations gaming the for the purpose of tax evasion.
There is a theory that, when pricing products, resources required, processing costs, waste value, impact on the environment, should be factored in. This way every item is optimised automatically. The systems thinking i mentioned previously is needed, to devise and guide these policies.
3 Take-aways: What can I do to help, in my bubble?
- Follow the vital signs yourself: https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/ If they aren't improving then the government isn't doing enough. Hold the politicians, accountable. Why aren't carbon dioxide emissions in your country being reduced faster? Will it be enough by 2030. Look it up, find out for yourself. Put it in the calendar every three months to check, for your children's sake.
- Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle in all your systems. As an item enters into your bubble, and you pay for it, ask yourself, what is the price on the environment? Is there a more sustainable alternative yet, affordable, in the long term, for my bubble?As it leaves your bubble, ask yourself, what can I reuse, or recycle, or someone else can reuse?During its time in your bubble, are your actions, and your usage, economical, and sustainable in your bubble?
- Mitigate / repair Do something to mitigate / repair the damage already done. There are many activities, where you can help wildlife recover, near you. Spend a day or two helping repair the damage.
Sustain is a verb. It's a doing word.
Climate change, is the symptom / impact, indicating that certain man-made systems are unsustainably damaging the big bubble.
healthy systems. healthy society. healthy big bubble.
A big bounce-back, or a big bounce forward?
Post 6:Discrimination and its impact on Prosperity
Post 2:Growth & Trade Challenges