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A New reportAccording to the top climate scientists around the world, climate change is “a threat” to human well being and planet health. Juliette Rooney Vargas is a professor and director of UMass Lowell’s Climate Change Initiative. She was joined by Paris Alston and Jeremy Siegel. Morning EditionWe will discuss the report and its implications for Massachusetts and the world. This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Jeremy Siegel: The U.N. Secretary General António Guterres used some pretty alarming language talking about this report, calling it a “damning indictment of failed leadership,” saying “delay means death” and warning of an “atlas of human suffering.” Break down for us what this report showed.
Juliette Rooney-Varga: I believe we are seeing more of the scientific community trying get the attention of world leaders. This is because they fear that if we don’t take action that is proportional to the problem, it will spiral out of control. If we don’t take action — this is not baked in — but if we don’t, we could see compounding impacts and knock-on social responses that are likely to overwhelm our ability to respond.
Paris Alston: We have climate goals set out for 10 years from now and 20 years from now. Are these goals going to be able keep up with this rapid acceleration?
Rooney-Varga: So Massachusetts does have strong climate goals that are actually aligned with the science — cutting our emissions from coal, oil and natural gas (of heat-trapping gases) by about half within the next eight years by 2030, and to near-zero by 2050. This is what we need to do. The question is: How are we going to achieve those goals? And how can we get the rest the world to follow us?
Siegel: Let’s discuss what’s at stake in Massachusetts. We are facing rising sea levels and warming ocean waters. For example, the report stated that Southern New England lobster populations decreased by 78 per cent between 1984 and 2014. What do you find most concerning about this report and the state in which we live?
Rooney-Varga: The kinds of impacts we expect to see in Massachusetts include more extreme heat waves, more extensive heat waves, more extreme droughts, sea level rise on the order of a foot — that’s actually pretty much no matter what we do by 2050, and potentially more than three feet by 2100 if we don’t take strong action.
There are many things that these impacts can have on small-scale farmers and the health of inner-city communities. It’s not something that people realize, but heat waves are the most common cause of illness and death from climate change. But, I will be honest and say that the thing that keeps my awake at night is the possibility of compounding damages and impacts. The truth is that we don’t really know. If we place too many stressors onto our social systems, then we don’t really know how we’ll respond. These are the things that keep you awake at night.
“I believe the potential for mass displacement and mass migration, as well as economic stress and the breakdown of social systems, are the things that keep my awake at night.”
JULIETTE RONEY-VARGA PROFESSOR & DIRECTOR CLIMATE CHANGE INITIATIVE UMASS LOWELLAlston: Do we expect to feel these effects in adisproportionate way, especially if we are of a different race or class?
Rooney-Varga: Absolutely. It does not matter what race, class, or socioeconomic status you are. Communities of color, but also amongst all of us — women who are pregnant, the very young, the very old, people who have preexisting or prior health problems: Poor air quality will cause those people to suffer more.
Siegel: It can be scary to hear about the effects of climate change. Imagine your house being forced to move due to rising sea levels. It can be overwhelming to know what to do. You might be thinking about recycling and wondering if this will help you to reduce the impact of climate change. You lead the Climate Change Initiative at UMass Lowell. What do you think can happen? It’s not just about the big picture. It’s also about everyday life for those who are interested in reversing the effects of climate change. What can we do about it?
Rooney-Varga: It’s a great question. It’s not too late. We can still do something. I encourage everyone to think beyond individual action. Even if it’s just engaging your family or your community, your church, or synagogue, or mosque — anything beyond yourself is going to accomplish a lot. We know that climate change is a concern for 75 percent of Middlesex County residents. You are not the only one. Talking is helpful, and people want the opportunity to share their ideas and help each other.
As you raise Jeremy it is important that you ask yourself: “Well, if I am recycling, am i doing my part?” I would say no — sorry to say that. The truth is that it is not. We don’t have the time to do things that have little impact. I don’t think recycling is bad or that avoiding straws are bad. I’m not saying that I don’t believe that recycling is bad or that avoiding straws is bad. However, I think we need to recognize that the scientific community has provided us with information that shows there are high-impact actions. You can do things like insulation and switching from fossil fuel-based furnaces to electric heat pumps. Access to public transit, safer and more efficient modes of transport like biking and walking, and setting a price for carbon. This is a great way to address the problem.
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