Reversing the Climate Emergency
I’ve been following the climate emergency for many years now. What I consistently hear, from many reliable sources, is that to avoid catastrophic climate change (a hotter world with worse storms, flooding, drought, sea level rise, wildfires, and so on) our governments and industries must take drastic steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in the next three to five years.
If these steps aren’t taken, temperature increases could trigger big changes, making much of the Earth uninhabitable. Insufficient action now could lead to the extinction of the human species (not likely in my lifetime or yours; it may take a while for the effects to get bad enough—though they are plenty bad already!). It is good that enough people have paid enough attention to the situation that we have this information.
When I realized the seriousness of the climate emergency several years ago, I decided to do everything I could. I assumed that I, together with many other people, could act intelligently and effectively enough to keep the worst from happening. Since then I have led on the climate—both inside and outside of RC—and have made many changes in my personal life.
If we act quickly, we still have time to avert the worst impacts of the rising temperature. But we haven’t yet built enough strength to turn the tide [reverse the direction of events]. What else can we do? What would make the most difference? Who else can join us in the effort? Over the years as I’ve thought about these questions, I’ve pursued the following ideas:
- As a white person, I can work to end racism and other oppressions in the climate movement. I can work with and back [support] Indigenous and Global Majority people and influence organizations I am part of to do the same. (That has been the largest part of my work in non-RC climate organizations.)
- I can work to build the largest, most inclusive movement possible, reaching out to people in all the different groups. This includes building a close, personal network of people committed to doing this work.
- I can take visible stands that help people understand the issues and stop irrational policies and actions.
- I can lead RC classes, support groups, and workshops on the climate emergency. I can use my role, of International Commonality Reference Person for Care of the Environment, to back younger, Global Majority, and Indigenous people and others to lead on the climate in RC and develop ever-larger networks of increasingly effective leaders.
- I can keep learning better ways to take the tools of RC—especially what we understand about oppression, listening and discharge, the importance of relationships, and building unity—to others working on the climate emergency.
- I can hold out good perspectives and counsel people well on the situation.
- I can encourage the worldwide RC Community to make our climate goal a central part of each Community and each person’s life.
- I can help people to make the connections between oppression, capitalism, genocide, and climate change and to address all of them simultaneously.
- I can build the RC Community as a whole. I think we are an important part of the solution. I am glad to get to do this with you!
- I can use my focus on the climate crisis to keep my re-emergence moving forward (so much fear and early discouragement becomes available for discharge!). I want to get smarter all the time about what to prioritize and how to lead.
- I can write my best thoughts and encourage others to do the same.
- I can get others to share what they are thinking and doing. We can keep moving forward together.
- Militarization and war must be stopped to avert a worsening climate emergency—I can act on that fact, too.
What else can we do to reverse the climate emergency? Who else can we bring with us? How do you think about this?
Shoreline, Washington, USA
(Present Time 208, July 2022)