Greta Thunberg delivered heated opening remarks at the United Nations climate summit this week, scolding leaders for their lack of action in the face of climate change. She stood out, a fiery beacon in a pink tunic among a sea of black-suited, glassy-eyed politicians.
Fear and frustration for the future of this planet has driven millions onto the streets in a series of protests asking for substantial action in the face of human-driven climate change. Youth-led demonstrations have been going on in over 150 countries worldwide as world leaders gather to discuss climate action.
Around the world, governments have responded to the calls from their citizens by twiddling their thumbs, tepidly dipping their toes in renewables, carbon taxes, and insufficient promises. At the summit, the top two emitters of work greenhouse gasses (GHG) worldwide, the U.S. and China, were silent on their planned actions.
It is clear that the need for immediate action is urgent. Extreme weather events linked to climate change — tropical storms, heatwaves, and droughts — have been increasing. Wildfires worldwide have been increasing; here in B.C. summer has become synonymous with wildfire season. Mosquitos and ticks are thriving in the warming climate, increasing the risk of viral infections in at-risk populations. The world is in the middle of the sixth mass extinction in history; we have lost half of individual animals on the planet over the last few decades.
For too long corporations and governments have been allowed to pass the blame and responsibility of climate change to consumers. If we choose what to purchase more wisely, if we picked ethical companies with our wallets, if we install energy efficient light bulbs and buy fuel efficient cars, we can change the world.
That is not to say that individual change has no effect. It certainly does, to some extent. The Carbon Majors 2017 report found that “25 corporate and state producing entities account for 51 per cent of global industrial greenhouse emissions,” most of them energy companies. A portion of emissions come from the consumer use of the product the industries produce, to fly our planes, transport our grapes, and heat the factories our iPhones are made in.
But with the rapid decline of climate and the consequences that come along with it, the individual is not fast enough.
We need to stop being angry with ourselves, with each other. This is not something that we the people can solve directly; this is not something we can fix with our wallets. This is something we need to fix with our voices.
Climate change is intimidating. It’s huge, and unifying on a global scale that would have been incomprehensible 100 years ago. We need to stop looking at our neighbours’ recycling and start addressing the garbage dump of corrupt and complacent industries and demanding the political systems that support them change.
