What the #MeToo Movement Can Teach Us
A climate-just world is only possible if we don't appeal to the status quo
I want to keep it simple this week. We cannot give into the status quo. We cannot settle for the middle road. We must change the status quo and pave a new path forward. The world we’re heading towards will have to look very different than what we know today and we won’t get there in time unless we are firm in our beliefs and bold in our actions.
I hope this newsletter can help that reminder set in.
Inspiration for this newsletter came from this Twitter feed from last year that my friend just brought to my attention. And it hit home in so many ways.
The author of the thread, George Monbiot, points out how finding the “middle road” by trying to also appeal to conservatives in the rich world is a dangerous approach we can’t afford. “If conservatism here means anything, it means sustaining the power and dominance of the rich nations, and of rich people within the rich nations.” He compares this thinking with the #MeToo movement which, he says, wouldn’t have been as successful in trying to appeal to the status quo.
This struck a chord with me because although we obviously want to have as many people on board as possible (and where rich people pushing agendas can provide a lot of power), we need to not sway in our beliefs of what we think ought to get done.
We are at 416 ppm right now (a yearly increase of 4.44%). The Paris Agreement has a goal for the world to reach Net-Zero by 2050 and to bring carbon levels down to 350 ppm. But studies have shown that no human life has extended for a longer period of time above 300 ppm so even this target is not enough. If we want to actually to live and thrive on this planet, we can’t settle for a 350 ppm world.
In his book, Climate Restoration, Peter Fiekowsky stresses how we need to move the world back down to under 300 ppm (the only future that will sustain human life), and his book is filled with solutions to reach so-called “climate restoration.” I’m yet to finish the book but one thing is clear — we cannot be meek. If we want to sustain life on Earth and not live in a constant war zone, our goals have to be bold and our actions even bolder.
We have to ask big and bold questions. Lead with authority and intention. Listen to all the voices. But stay clear on what we know is the only right way forward.
However, there’s a difference
…between settling for the status quo and finding common grounds. No matter how conservative or liberal you might be, you’re still a human being, and I believe that deep inside, we still act from the same human values and beliefs. So before we start canceling people out (because cancel culture doesn’t work), we should be intentional and smart about how we communicate climate action to different groups of people.
That’s where climate optimism comes in. You can fight for a climate-just world and still be inspiring in your messaging. We can take on this surmountable challenge and still be excited and curious in our pursuits.
That means that climate goals can be met with financial incentives leading the way, which I truly think is the only way forward. For a better world to take form, the market will have to speak its language and entice people to choose the better path forward. Not just because it’ll be good for the environment and people, but because it makes sense from a money aspect too.
The road to that world is not a fight, it’s a journey. The fight is what we’re experiencing right now as the world continues to wake up in shock to the extreme weather and climate disasters across the globe. (Below is a list of shocking events we should be aware of.) THIS is the fight, THIS is the war we’re experiencing. The way forward will be tough, and it will take a lot of courage, but it doesn’t have to be a war.
We’re not fighting one another, we’re coming together to let a very different world take form. That’s what we have to remember but we should not sway in our visions and beliefs. Many old systems will have to go to enable this shift and sometimes, that will look messy. However, remember that true change cannot be had by appealing to the status quo so be steadfast in your vision and bold in your words and actions.
A new world will emerge as long as we keep believing and speak up for those beliefs.
Climate Reality
Instead of climate optimism this week, I'm giving you a dose of climate reality. Being aware of what’s going on is just as important as fueling yourself with reasons to believe. A true climate optimist lives in the balance of grounded awareness and sometimes we need a reminder of what we don’t want so we can recommit to the journey we’re chosen to take on.
Probably No-One Has Missed What’s Happening n Pakistan:
Other Current World Events as Shared by We Don’t Have Time:
The drought in Europe is now the worst in 500 years, affecting two-thirds of the continent.
China is suffering from an unprecedented 70-day heat streak.
The Horn of Africa faces its worst climate-related emergency for decades – affecting 10 million children.
In the US, extreme droughts are driving farmers to kill their own crops and sell off their animals.
In Afghanistan, water shortages and ruined crops have left millions in humanitarian need.
The Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic is heating up seven times faster than the rest of the world, affecting livelihoods and leading to glaciers going extinct. Read this excellent first-hand report from a recent expedition in the area.
All these extreme events are in turn causing a global energy crisis. In Europe alone, water power has gone down by 20 percent. At the same time, nuclear power plants are being shut down because the water is too hot to cool the reactors.
I’m honored to have you here. It means that there is hope. It means that there are people out there who are willing to challenge the status quo. Let’s keep challenging and bring a roar to the world we want to see moving forward. Change is only as possible as we make it!
See you back here next week!