Until voters are willing to cut their GHG profile and get political, our so-called 'leaders' will do almost nothing. Society at large is still engaged in multi-layered denial: start by denying the science; when that becomes impossible, downplay the seriousness; then fall for politicians’ delusional promises and tech optimism. When those options seem threadbare there’s always blame-deflection or simple shrugging.
Repeat polling across the globe shows that many people are aware of climate change, but that awareness is not translating into action – either with regard to cutting personal GHG footprint or getting involved in politics. Governments are not doing nearly enough; without strong voter pressure, that won’t change.
Business-as-usual will be catastrophic. But there’s no escaping the reality that shifting to a low carbon economy will be very difficult. It’s very unlikely that we can access the strategic minerals or energy needed for a smooth transition to a ‘green’ economy. With or without our cooperation, the laws of physics are about to downsize us.
The choices we face are increasingly harsh; our leaders are failing us so badly that I regard their inaction as both cowardly and treasonous. Unless more voters start to demand the tough measures we need to reduce atmospheric GHGs the future looks bleak indeed. It’s noteworthy that well-educated young people are increasingly choosing not to have children for exactly that reason.
https://journals.plos.org/climate/article?id=10.1371/journal.pclm.0000236
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2022/04/some-young-adults-are-worried-about-having-kids/
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/zambia-new-zealand-canada-b2444810.html
