“The future belongs to those that believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Eleanor Roosevelt
The challenges we are facing in our world right now seem overwhelming. In fact there are days when many of us want to go back to bed and pull the duvet over our head. But for me there are just as many days when I think “but what would it mean if I did that?”
Of course I can’t change the world single-handed. I can’t make the whole world wake up to the situation we have created for ourselves. But I can care about a better future for my children and grandchildren. If I stand up strong and act, and thus influence other people to do the same, I may fail but I will have acted.
Like Martin Luther King, “I have a dream”. I have a dream of a future which can be so much better than we have now. I dream that we can create peace, a climate we can live with, and an end to loneliness. In my world there is equality of opportunity, and the law means something. I see a world where children are educated to care about each other and Nature, where they learn about compassion and empathy and the wonders of art and music. Yes, and science and literature too, because we will need builders and architects to make our lives sustainable. Their education will be fun and relevant to that better future and will allow them to develop self-respect and their own passions.
I do not believe it is impossible to create that world. But that requires ACTION from us all. It requires belief that we can create something better.
Right now that belief is hard to come by, so I need to make you aware of what is happening out there. I want to show you how many people are on our road to give you hope and, yes, to encourage you to act.
Are We There Yet?
Where is “There”? What does the world need to do to achieve our climate goals and avoid the destruction of our environment? What else do we need to do to avoid catastrophe?
The Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015 produced emission reduction goals that would be needed to help the world keep the temperature rise caused by Global Warming to an acceptable level. This was signed by 195 countries. Since then even the countries with the best of intentions are struggling to meet their goals. Many have not yet come up with realistic goals, and some have no intention of doing so. However, often the point of these international conferences is to define a guideline which can be used to set policy. As a result they help set a path for the world towards a different future.
Other People Have Dreams Too
I am not the only person in the world to have dreams. Other people as well as other communities, organisations and countries have dreams for a world where we can all flourish. I believe we should take hope from those dreams of change. For many now they are not just dreams – they are realities, realities that are already leading to a different and better world.
Here are a few examples which show me that people are trying. Some are floundering and may fail because times are difficult and economies are struggling. Others are successful and inspiring.
The Wonders of China
China is a country of 1.4 billion people and as such has had a very big emissions problem. According to WHO air pollution is responsible for 2 million deaths a year. This is as a result of a drive for growth to enable its population to live better lives. While not condoning the human rights problems in that country I believe that what China has done with extreme poverty is incredible. A World Bank report shows that China has lifted about 800 million people from a life of destitution to something a lot better. Clearly, they have done that at the cost of severe harm to the environment. Nevertheless, it has been done, and they continue to plan to raise everybody out of extreme poverty. That is quite a dream!
It is now clear to the Chinese government that they must deal with their environment, and any growth must be transformed to low carbon growth. Over the last years China has worked exceedingly hard on implementing a change to renewable energy. In a very difficult global economic environment it has become the world’s biggest supplier and installer of green energy. It has also become the world’s biggest supplier of electric vehicles. An article by Carbon Brief states that China’s emissions increased after Covid. The Chinese government has recognised this and increased the implementation of clean energy projects.
According to CREA China’s emissions are now falling, although slowly. They are due to release new targets this year which will give us a better idea of what they are planning.
I believe that China will make a serious effort to recoup its loss of momentum. I hope I am right and their next declaration of emissions will tell, but they are certainly trying.
Solar Tower at the Centre of the Huge Noor Project in the Moroccan Desert
From 10 kilometers away
Morocco
The BBC shows here that Morocco has become famous for its vast solar energy projects. Its dream was to become a regional leader in clean renewable energy.
The largest of its projects, in fact the largest in the world, the Noor Solar Power Station has been completed and although there are issues with the amount of water required for cooling it is still helping the country to meet its most recent pledge that 52% of the country’s energy needs will be met by 2030.
The C40 Cities
I have discussed the C40 Cities before. They are a global network of Mayors working together to deal with the climate crisis. There are 97 major cities involved and together they make up 22% of the global economy. One of the principal things they can do is to help cities who are not able financially to adapt to Climate Change. An excellent example is Cape Town in South Africa where they will help build a large-scale solar power plant to serve the city. It will also considerably decrease the amount of air pollution as the city has relied in the past on coal.
The C40 Cities group has many such amazing projects worldwide which will contribute to fighting Climate Change and improving the lives of citizens at the same time. Do have a look at their website. They are wonderful.
Planting Trees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Our Friend Olo
I am proud to tell you about our friend Olo. He lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is not in theory a poor place as it is one of the world’s most mineral-rich countries. For example, it produces about 68% of the world’s cobalt supplies (used in lithium batteries). However it remains, according to the World Bank, one of the five poorest countries in the world. They show that the country has a long history of conflict, political instability and authoritarian rule, made worse by a recent resurgence of an invasion by Rwandan-backed Congolese rebels who want access to the mineral-rich areas. There is a serious humanitarian crisis in the country, especially in the north and east. Millions of people have been displaced and there are many cases of sexual and gender-based violence. Many of these displaced people live in camps without access to their basic needs.
This is where Olo comes in. He has set up an organisation (https://www.csc-drc.org/) to help women and children traumatized by the war. Of course he does his best to help the trauma and what he does is amazing. What really astonishes me though is he has found the time to plant trees to help with climate-related flooding and to teach women farmers how to regeneratively farm the land. They now make their own organic compost.
To me, this is really trying to make a difference! I would love to also show you the photos of the children playing football that Olo and his team are helping but this Blog is already long enough.
I don’t normally do this but I have included links to allow you to donate to his organisation if you would like to help him. What he does is truly amazing and he really needs financial help to bring some sort of normality to the lives of the people he works with.
To donate in dollars, click this link: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/9YVEGZY64KNJC
To donate in pounds, click this link: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/UP2QEC24CR84S
And to donate in Euros, click this link: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/R6DW29EGJ929J
Try, try and try again
I have shown you a range of people and organisations trying to make a difference. They might fail, and you might fail in your projects, but it will only work if we try.
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The first photo above is by Artem Sapegin on Unsplash, the Solar Tower photo is by Doreen Hosking and the last photo is by Byolenganya Olo.