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It’s easy to feel pessimistic when scientists around the world are warning that climate change has advanced so far, it’s now inevitable that societies will either Transform yourself or be transformed. But as Two of the AuthorsA recent International climate reportWe also see reason to be optimistic.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest reports discuss the future, but also outline how existing solutions can be improved. reduce greenhouse gas emissions Help people adjust to impacts of climate change that can’t be avoided.
The problem is that these solutions aren’t being deployed fast enough. Additionally, Industries are being pushed back, people’s Fear of changeIt has helped to maintain the status-quo.
To slow climate change and adapt, the world must shift how it produces and uses energy, transports goods and people, builds buildings, and grows food. It all starts with innovation and change.
Fear of change can lead you to a worsening of change
Social media and the industrial revolution have wrought fundamental changes in society’s understanding of their place in the global community.
Some transformations are generally regarded as negative, including those related to climate change. For example, about half the world’s coral reef Ecosystems have diedBecause of Increased heat and acidity in oceans. Kiribati and other island nations, as well as coastal communities in Louisiana and Alaska, include Losing land to rising seas.
People resist transformation because they fear losing what is important to them. Wanting to retain things as they are – known as status quo bias – explains all sorts of individual decisions, from sticking with incumbent politicians to Not enrolling in retirement and health plansEven when alternatives might be rationally superior
This effect may be more apparent for larger changes. In the past, delaying inevitable changes has resulted in transformations that were unnecessarily severe, such as this. Collapse of some 13th century civilizationsThe Southwest United States. As more people Witness the impacts of climate change in actionThey might begin to see that change is inevitable, and may embrace new solutions.
A mixture of good and poor
The IPCC reports show that climate-related changes will continue to grow in the future. The question is how many good and which bad will these transformations bring about?
If countries allow greenhouse gases emissions to continue at high rates and communities adapt only incrementally, transformations will most likely be forced. Most of the time, it’s bad.
A riverside town might, for example, raise its levees to cope with rising flooding. As flooding becomes more severe, this adaptation will eventually become impossible. The levees required to hold back water might become too costly or intrusive and endanger any benefits of living near the river. The community could become suffocating.
Optimism resides in deliberate action
Many examples from the IPCC reports can be used to help guide such positive transformation.
For example, renewable energy can be used right now Generally, less expensive than fossil fuelsSo, a shift towards clean energy can often be a cost-saving move. You can also redesign communities to make them more resilient to natural disasters. These steps includeBuilding homes that are less likely to burn is one way to keep natural wildfires at bay.
These changes cannot be achieved by one group alone. Everyone must participate, GovernmentsThat is possible Mandate and incentivize positive changesBusinesses that control decisions about greenhouse gas emission reductions, and citizens who can increase the pressure on both.
Transformation is inevitable
Both. Adapt to mitigate climate changeAlthough the industry has seen significant growth in the past five years, there have been some challenges. Not fast enoughTo stop the transformations already in progress.
These transformations can be made easier by using proven solutions to disrupt existing systems and create a better tomorrow.
This article has been republished from The Conversationunder Creative Commons license Please read the Original article.
