"Transformational policies for a sustainable future"
Still in shelter, still in place.. There is one distinct questions that comes to mind these days, as we live our lives of uncertainty and actively risk minimizing. What if we did the same when thinking about our lovely planet earth. Just took a chance and re-watched when scientist and Professor Johan Rockström associated with Resilicance center in Stockholm and Potsdam explain 5 transformational policies that is needed for our sustainable development goals (SDGs) set by United Nations (UN), to be reached within sustainable planetary boundries, i.e. we cannot just work towards one of them but need to see how they affect eachother (exemplified by Johan looking at economical growth which is goal 8 that can influence many others in a negative way from sustainability point-of-view). Take a look on his TED-talk: TED-talk with Johan Rockström.
I know, that some criticism will always fall on presentations or messages like Johan’s in this TED-talk, even among fellow scientists, but it is kind of like the songs imply “haters gonna hate”…
(most embarrassing are of course the groups of scientists trying to message how the human impact is negligible, they are just simply wrong. Look on what is happening right now during this pandemic, cannot argue with for example the decreased levels of nitrous gases (NOx) and their impact as greenhouse gases (GHGs)).
Thing is, Johan (as well as Greta and myself and others with us) are very very interested in risk minimization and active choices and changes. This is probably why not everything might be easy to agree with or to see necessary, but if we approach climate change as we approach the spreading of an uncertain virus we will see the change that has been necessary for a long time now.
It seems like in similar way that some groups appears to call the shelter/restrictions (for risk minimizing of virus spread) for liberal lies and fake news, same people would gladly sign on a lease that allows them to burn oil and gas and throw plastics in the ocean for a life time? Simply afraid and not willing to minimize risks, ranked lower than individual freedom of acts etc. I am sure we can transform society’s keeping everyone’s needs fulfilled, more or less, since the freedom we so desperately want to maintain won’t be in a living, breathing, naturally beautiful world if we do not change some of our daily behaviors.
We can make a change, we simply need to look beyond our nearest view point, perhaps look beyond the horizon. All this will of course be harder during times like a pandemic, with people loosing their jobs, people having serious health issues and all the things that affects us. I just really hope that we all can take the situation into our souls and use it for all those positive things we could possibly do extra when maybe things “goes back to normal” or whatever the scenario will be. Stay strong and show love and care for one another.
Seen during run in North Berkeley…