On the climate crisis: Facing down disaster moment by moment

Moments of learning

Absorbing knowledge. Taking in notions, being aware of their importance. Then returning to unpack the information later in the comfort of one’s own mind. Moments of revelation, moments of growth. I’m casting my mind back to such moments during chemistry lessons with one fine teacher. I will remember him well into the future for two revelatory explanations he gave to me. One was folding a piece of paper to demonstrate the Mobius Strip, basically making a shape that loops to itself. This was a handy representation that the universe will always send you back to where you come from.

The other thing that stands out in my memory was his description of why the hottest part of the flame is blue. At that point of the flame, complete combustion occurs as there is sufficient oxygen present to react with the fuel. The very high temperature excites the molecules, causing them to emit light in the blue part of the spectrum. Basically, blue photons have more energy than the photons from the cooler, orange and yellow parts of the flame. I remembered this being outlined to me for some reason as I surveyed the deep red of the onscreen heatwave maps in present day Southern Europe.

Our collective journey into the unknown

Globally we have been passing the tipping points. Like a lost truck driver stuck on a narrow winding road through a high mountain pass. Having neglected the truck’s break discs and pads for years, they are now ignoring warning signs that are getting bunched closer and closer together. Instead of slowing down the driver puts his foot on the pedal. Any outside observer would think they are heavily intoxicated or outright insane.

That driver is humanity. The truck represents our planet. The worn out brakes symbolize our collective inaction and inadequate climate response. The roadside warnings are the scientific evidence and climate models urging us to change direction or slow down. Any passenger would be terrified! Each moment could be their last.

Clearly, most of Europe is hot right now. Italy has got severe heat warnings in place for sixteen of its highly populated cities. According to TikTok news creator Dylan Page there have already been heat related fatalities. And it’s going to get hotter. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that by 2050, around half of the European population may face high or very high risk of heat stress in summer.

How can we have hope?

It just seems so overwhelming. What can the average person do when so many factors are pulling us towards the seeming breakdown of everything? I had once thought it would be bittersweet to have seen the peak and fall of global civilization. Now though I am more concerned that myself and family have increased risk of death as a result of a climate related disaster, global heating or starving to death following the breakdown of global food supplies.

Yet I take refuge in the idea that we can have hope. Hope is powerful. Hope improves situations. In every moment we have to find hope that we can survive this looming catastrophe. We have to believe we can stop the truck before it veers off the cliff. I have hope for humanity for a number of reasons:

1. Increased Awareness

Primarily, more people are becoming aware of the realities of climate change and the importance of sustainable living. This awareness is the first step towards making significant changes. In every moment the newer generations are coming through. As each moment passes there is more education on the issues. The messages filter through and the grander narratives take shape. There’s misinformation and disinformation for sure. These are plentiful and ever-present issues of the information age we live in. Yet the climate science is finally cutting through.

2. Technological Advancements

Take a look around. Despite the fact that everything is on fire, we are in an era of rapid technological advancement. It would be glorious if we weren’t constantly told how dystopian the world is. Innovations in renewable energy, especially solar and wind power, are becoming more efficient and affordable. Electric vehicles are becoming more mainstream, and although they have problems with rare-earth mineral sourcing (as I mention here) battery technology may improve further to make them widely and ethically available.

3. Opportunities for Economic Growth

The transition to a green economy offers numerous opportunities for economic growth and job creation. Industries such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green construction are all areas with significant potential. In a world where seemingly every industry is being disrupted by the emergence of AI, this sector offers chances to make gains and open up new areas for incentives. If there’s anything that really motivate human’s to get together and solve issues, its an economic desire. Capitalism has heated up the planet, it would be fitting if it drove the temperature back down too.

4. Policy Changes

As people are waking up to the realities they are putting more pressure on their leaders. Governments in many different contexts are beginning to take action. Policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions are being implemented, and more countries are committing to net-zero emission targets. The pushback here could be that these are just empty promises. However, they do tend to be backed by concrete action plans and regulatory measures. From imposing stricter regulations on industries with high carbon footprints to incentivizing renewable energy solutions, governments are actively reshaping their economies towards sustainability.

5. Nature’s Resilience

Nature has an incredible ability to heal itself. With concerted efforts to reduce pollution and protect natural habitats, ecosystems can recover. Now this is a long shot, but there is hope that at some moment the Earth could spring into a different reaction. Who knows what chain of events the future holds? Who is to say that the natural order won’t work its way of out of this great extinction event we have brought about? Even if it can’t or won’t there will still be a planet Earth after global civilization has collapsed. Life will propagate again. There will be a something after.

My take on this global moment

There are many sayings about hope. The idea that ‘hope springs eternal’ comes to mind. There is always something next. Human beings have an innate capacity to wonder, to dream and to conceive of something better. I salute this ability. I am grateful for this moment where we actually may well be on the precipice. This is a collective opportunity to get ourselves through the mess we’ve made. What riches lie on the other side?

It is important to have hope in each moment and especially at a time like this. While the news each day is grim and things may go from bad to worse in the short term, we should aim to work hard at our crafts and enjoy what we have. We should also strive to make the difference for the betterment of the environment any way we can. I’ve given some reasons for hope here. They aren’t trivial.

Finally, we really don’t have the whole picture and should certainly not give in to negative thinking or any brand of doomerism. Just like most of the burning in a gas flame happens where you almost can’t see it. We think of flames as orange or red, but the change is mostly happening where the flame is clear-blue. Whilst the images on the screens may get worse, take heart in that what you’re seeing is probably not the end of the world.