We are failing to handle Climate Change strategically

world leaders fail to handle climate

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, yet we are unable to deal with it strategically. Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence of the dangers of rising temperatures, sea levels, and extreme weather events, we continue to rely on short-term solutions that do not address the root causes of the problem. In this blog post, we will explore some of the reasons why we are failing to take effective action on climate change and suggest some ways forward.

 

Ineffective Policies and Lack of Political Will

One of the main reasons why we are failing to deal with climate change strategically is the lack of effective policies and political will to implement them. Despite the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to clean energy, many governments are still reluctant to take the necessary steps.

A United Nations report on climate action from 2008 to 2017 found that despite (micro) climate action, the emissions grew by 1.6% pr. year. Adding up to a 15% increase in emissions. The period of “climate action” has been given the title “A Lost Decade”.

One of the problems is that many of the policies that have been proposed to address climate change need to be more ambitious.

The same UN report states that in order to stay under 2 degrees celcious (we are on the path to +3 right now in this century) nations and corporations would have to triple their climate ambition and action. And to stay below 1.5 degrees as the Paris Agreement promises, they would have to quintuple (5X) their actions.

Through investigative journalism from DW (video on Change Media) found that out of 100 green commitments from corporations, only 1 in 3 was kept.

And as an observing citizen, I feel like it has become the norm that politicians promises x, y & z when they get elected and then barely follows through on any of the promises. I bet a lot of us feel the same.

 

Ineffective policies

For example, carbon pricing schemes such as cap-and-trade systems and carbon taxes have been shown to be relatively ineffective in reducing emissions. They also tend to be implemented in a way that does not hurt the economy, which means that they don’t address the root causes of the problem. This can be seen as a lack of political will to take on the necessary steps to address the issue.

Another problem is that governments tend to focus on short-term solutions, such as investing in (scientific questionable) renewable energy (biomass & biofuel), rather than addressing the long-term structural changes that are needed to transition to a low-carbon economy. This lack of strategic thinking is also reflected in the failure of governments to invest in the necessary infrastructure and technology to support a transition to a cleaner future.

We are still in lack of electric vehicles charging stations preventing people from buying electric, or electric railroads, compostable biogas facilities (which seem to be the best biofuel alternative rather than biomass), proper plastic & biodegradable/compostable plastic recycling facilities (yes, compostable plastic requires a specific facility, you can’t bury it in your garden unless you live in a small handful of countries which has proper compostable standards). Or the biggest and most reliable transition away from fossil fuels that no one dares to talk about – Nuclear Energy – if you think we haven’t made progress on making this energy source more safe since Chernobyl almost 40 years ago, you are ignorant in this alternative energy subject.

 

Limited Public Support

Another reason why we are failing to deal with climate change strategically is the limited public support for climate action. Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence of the dangers of rising temperatures, sea levels, and extreme weather events, many people remain skeptical of the need for action on climate change or radical solutions.

One of the reasons for this limited public support is that many people are unaware of the scale of the problem or the potential impacts of climate change on their lives. This is partly due to a lack of information and education on the issue, but also to a failure of governments to communicate the risks of climate inaction effectively. 1.5, 2 or 3 degrees celsius doesn’t seem like a lot, but we have just come out of a period of 1 degree celsius changes that have kept our climate stable for the last 10.000 years. The Holocene – you can get up to date on the highly important temperature changes in Breaking Boundaries which you can find on Netflix. I highly recommend this documentary!

Another reason is that many people do not see climate change as a priority compared to other issues, such as economic growth or job creation. This is partly due to the fact that the impacts of climate change are often not felt immediately, but rather in the long term.

 

Lack of International Cooperation

Finally, another reason why we are failing to deal with climate change strategically is the lack of international cooperation. Despite the fact that climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution, many countries are still reluctant to work together to address the issue.

One of the reasons for this lack of cooperation is that countries have different priorities and levels of development, which can make it difficult to agree on a common approach. Additionally, many countries are also worried about the economic and political costs of taking action on climate change. This can create a situation where countries are more focused on their short-term interests rather than the long-term benefits of addressing climate change.

Another challenge is the lack of binding agreements and mechanisms to enforce them. While there have been international agreements such as the Paris Agreement, they are often voluntary and lack concrete measures to hold countries accountable for their commitments. This can lead to situations where countries make commitments to address climate change but fail to follow through on them.

Furthermore, some countries have been accused of using climate change as a bargaining chip in international negotiations, rather than working collaboratively to find solutions. For example, the United States under the previous administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement and refused to participate in international climate negotiations. This not only undermines global efforts to address climate change but also sends a message to other countries that they too can withdraw from agreements and negotiations.

To address these challenges, it’s essential for countries to come together and work collaboratively to find effective solutions to climate change. This can involve establishing more binding agreements and mechanisms to enforce them, as well as providing financial and technical support to help countries transition to cleaner energy sources and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, it’s important to recognize that addressing climate change requires a long-term perspective and a willingness to make short-term sacrifices for the greater good.

So what are governments actually doing?

Taking money from the problem-causing industry over an expensive dinner that the polluting industry pays so the politician feels like they owe them something.

Conclusion:

Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, yet we are failing to address it strategically. Ineffective policies and a lack of political will, limited public support, and a lack of international cooperation are all contributing to this failure.

Governments need to implement more ambitious policies that address the root causes of climate change and focus on long-term structural changes, rather than short-term solutions. They also need to communicate the risks and benefits of climate action more effectively to the public and address the limited public support for climate action.

Moreover, countries need to work together and establish more binding agreements and mechanisms to enforce them, rather than using climate change as a bargaining chip in international negotiations. Financial and technical support must be provided to help countries transition to cleaner energy sources and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing climate change requires a long-term perspective and a willingness to make short-term sacrifices for the greater good.

In short, addressing climate change will require concerted efforts from governments, civil society, and individuals across the globe. We must act now to ensure a sustainable future for ourselves and future generations.

 

Sources to ineffective policies:

Sources to limited public support:

Sources to Lack of International Cooperation:

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