“If we get together we can make the change,” Jane Goodall
We seem to understand nothing!
There is no doubt that our world needs to change. We are in the middle of a major crisis of our own making and yet so many of us do nothing. Yesterday I watched a video that I found deeply shocking. It was of a National Emergency Briefing in the UK. This was an assessment by real experts of the present and future threats to the UK’s food supplies, health and national security among other things. It included the very real hazards that face us right now from a Climate Change principally caused by our cavalier use of fossil fuels. Believe me the UK is not the only country with these issues. They are global.
I knew the facts but facing the reality for my kids was different
I thought I understood these things. I have studied Climate Change at university at Master’s level. I have done courses on the related issues of loss of biodiversity, inequality, lack of climate justice and so on. I am even starting to understand the economy, and why Capitalism and Consumerism are so bad for us all. For a number of years now I have researched the subject in depth and I know what is going on. Yet I was shocked to the core.
I have worked hard to understand why people seem to care so little about the extreme threats that are facing our world. But we also know that is not true that they don’t care. A recent survey showed that 89% of the global population wants more done on Climate Change and are concerned about it. Yet so many people are not active and hope others will solve the problem.
I write this blog because I have adult children and grandchildren. I want to change what is facing them. I found it hard before the film to visualize what their future will be like.
The video spelled it out in a way I had not dared to picture before. Their future will be awful. Even if we do change suddenly and drastically it could still be pretty bad.
Why do people not want to act?
I have wracked my brains, I have studied all the known psychology on why people do not get involved in shaping the future. Yes there are reasons, some, very good reasons and yet – it needs us all to stand up and do what we can.
Jane Goodall said in her final message to us which was only to be shown after her death: “I want to make you all to understand that each and every one of you has a role to play.” That role is to play a part in the struggle for a better world. One where at least most of us have the opportunity to thrive and contribute in a meaningful way.
Looking for that Pot of Gold
I really want to say that there is a task for everyone. We have to create that pot of gold and it will only happen if we all do our bit.
One of the things that became clear in watching the video is that the media is not doing their job in educating the general public on the dangers facing us. I watched the BBC News every evening during the recent COP 30 from Brazil. There was nothing about it on the programme. Clearly they are not the only channel that has nothing to say.
That means for now the job of educating people of the urgency of the situation is up to us. Each of us needs to find our role.
- If your skills are in talking to people, you could give talks or invite the neighbours in and talk together about how you all feel about the situation.
- If you have a bit of money you can help fund campaigns or donate to an organisation that fights Climate Change or some of the other issues challenging us.
- If you like gardening you could find a group that plants trees and join them, or persuade your neighbours to stop using pesticides.
- If words are your thing then write about what is facing us and spread those words around. Write to all the relevant people you can think of and ask them to support the fight against Climate Change. If it is the government let them know you won’t support them if they don’t take the situation seriously and plan for the long-term.
- If you love being with other people get out and demonstrate.
- If you are gregarious form a group and get together regularly to find out what is going on and be active if you can.
Even if your role is baking cakes!
Even if your role is baking cakes you can invite the neighbours in and talk about the climate!
The important thing is to find your role and be active in making a difference. Sadly recycling is not enough, although it is important to do it. Certainly we all need to carry on physically making a difference: driving an electric car, buying solar panels or a heat pump, investing in companies that are sustainable, flying less and so on. What is needed I believe is for as many people as possible to be as active as possible, particularly in sending a message to our governments that they need to do their job.
I have spoken to many people who simply don’t know what to do to help and that is a hard one to deal with. I understand that, as I live in rural France with no active groups nearby. I go on as many marches as possible, I talk endlessly to as many friends as possible, I have even given talks in French! It seems though that my role is words! Blogs!
A reminder as to why it is important to do something
Just in case you were under any illusions about somebody else fixing the problem or the fact that our governments are not doing enough, here is a recent report from an organisation called Climate Action Tracker written after COP 30 in Brazil. They keep track of countries’ carbon emissions and of government promises to cut those emissions in line with the Paris Agreement to reduce emissions to Net Zero and keep the temperature rise to 1.5°C. They use those results to calculate potential global temperature rises.
They have real world action (i.e. what countries are doing right now) leading to a temperature rise of 2.6°C. Using pledges and targets given in Brazil the temperature rise could be 2.2°C.
The optimistic scenario using fully achieved pledges and targets received up till now would still give a global temperature rise of 1.9°C.
Just to be clear:
Scientists have said that for every degree or fraction of a degree above 1.5 degrees increase will bring more extreme weather events. At 1.5 degrees of increase 14% of the population will be exposed to severe heat. At 2.0 degrees 37 % of the population will be affected. Do have a look at the further details in this article. It certainly makes for interesting reading! It reminds me that for many years our governments have not done enough to make my grandchildren safe in the future.
The Guardian Newspaper has published an article about the cost in the first half of 2025 of climate disasters in the US. It was the costliest on record, and the second half of the year may well be worse.
All this makes me very aware that we must do what we can. If we act together we can make a significant difference.
If we do nothing the temperature will continue to rise.
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Photos by Raphael Renter | @raphi_rawr, Gerhard-Kupfer and Brooke Lark on Unsplash