“Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility” – Edited by Rebecca Solnit & Thelma Young Lutunatabua
Climate is an issue that touches everything. As a subject of study, it involves almost everything, too: history, culture, eco- nomics, law and justice issues, race and gender politics, and so many branches of science—plus, the state of the climate movement, the shift to renewables, and the policy issues being decided and/or implemented at every level from local to global. No one knows everything about climate. There are great specialists and great generalists, and there are newcomers trying to find a point of entry. Where should someone start with climate?
We at Not Too Late try to strike a balance between defeatism (it’s too late, we don’t have the solutions) and overconfi- dence (the amazing movements and technologies will make it all fall into place somehow). We think people should know a bit about
the science—notably, that the single greatest cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuel, and how that emits carbon that goes up into the upper atmosphere, thickening the insulating layer that holds heat, unleashing climate chaos. . .
and technology—with wind and solar, we have the capacity to leave the age of fossil fuels behind. . .
and complexity and intersectionality—fossil fuel isn’t the only problem, and renewables aren’t the only solution. We need to think about how climate is connect- ed with racial justice, gender justice, decolonial movements, and more. How we produce and consume food and durable goods, design our communities and transportation, protect wild places and wildlife are among the many other things that matter.
so does culture—because, for the great majority of us to do what the climate needs, we have to understand the situation and care about the big picture—collective well-being, long-term thriving, our inseparability from nature—so, rethinking what constitutes wealth, health, and security also matters, which is a cultural ques- tion, and, of course, culture also gives rise to—
politics, which also matters immensely—because, right now, the main obstacles to do- ing what the climate needs for a stable future are po- litical: a small percentage of humanity is slowing and stop- ping what the great majority of humanity wants: a healthy, thriving planet for us all, now and for the long- term future. That small (but wealthy!) percentage includes fossil fuel investors, owners, shareholders, and other beneficiaries including oil companies and oil-rich nations, along with politicians and other de- cisionmakers who are either directly benefiting or can’t imagine the scale of the crisis and the possibilities. And the crisis has impacted the
emotional life of many—which is why Not Too Late brought in wise voices to talk about that impact and the tools to address it.
Meeting ID: 926 2795 7489
Passcode: NYRocks
