As I walk in a WWF sponsored discussion about sustainable energy generation in Brazil I hope to find new allies and friends willing to save the world from the fast pace destruction. I've been studying the theme and I am terrified. Why? I honestly used to believe I am an educated Brazilian citizen that performs a number of environmental related tasks to preserve mother Earth (and by consequence, maximize my personal interest to stay alive): 1) recycle; 2) save water; 3) walk to work; 4) respect and work towards my beloved Amazon Forest protection and reforestation, and so on. While I am still not ready to cut out my meat and dairy consumption, nor literally start to hug trees and protect non human animal species, I am trying to offset my carbon footprint influenced by my absurd and probably unhealthy amount of time on airplanes. But last month I saw that I am not doing enough. That no matter how educated people are, we have only a glimpse of what may end up with our human mass destruction as a species. I grew up during cold war and I remember films about the atomic bomb destruction. I was a terrified child without access to the Internet. Fortunately that solved out but now I am terrified with another possible scenario of extinction.
I decided my summer destiny would be Greenland. Please don't laugh. 2015 is a big year for the environment. Check out this agenda: we have UN in Ethiopia in the 3rd International Conference Financing for Development, followed by the UNFCCC Climate Change Conference in NYC from Sep 21-28th and of course the UNFCCC Conference of Parties COP 21 to take place in Paris from Nov 30th - Dec 11th.
I knew I needed to study so instead of picking books for my beach reading, I've decided to put on winter gear on my Latin hot-blooded body and got into a Climate Change Expedition. I lured my husband on beautiful scenarios pictures and accepted an invitation from a group of friends that are also Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum to this journey that changed my perception of what we used to call "Global Warming" (a.k.a. end of the world and the human race). It is very serious and it took me a trip to the Arctic to "get it". No matter how educated we are, we don't know enough, we don't act enough, we are not scared enough about climate change.
While I was only trying to catch up studying about something I knew I wasn't educated enough, even the Pope got officially involved through his new encyclical, literally preaching to at least 1.2Billion Catholics worldwide how concerned he is about excess carbon emissions driving us fast pace towards disaster, harming people that are not even born yet. To go to Greenland was mind blowing, heartbreaking, painfully beautiful and terrifying, all at the same time. While not everyone can have the same experience, I share what I saw. In the last 35 years, 80% of the North Pole disappeared. In the last 5 years alone 40% melted. This impacts sea level from land and sea ice melting, putting at risk entire cities located by the shore worldwide.
All the surroundings of the North Pole, including Greenland are facing extreme and fast changes in the ecosystem. While this might appear to be good at the first sight to the local population as an increase in temperature apparently could make life easier, in fact it doesn't since animal and vegetal species are under risk (and therefore humans too). Also, these changes affect the entire world. 1 or 2 points in temperature can eradicate agriculture and economic balance in several regions.
If you invest in themes related to the replacement of the Millennial Goals, the UN Sustainable Developing Goals SDGs or the Global Challenges of the World Economic Forum I invite you to take a look at the list again.
Agriculture and food Security, Economic Growth and Social Inclusion, Human Rights, Employment and Education, Environment and Resource Security, and so on. Climate change is a cross sector multi related theme. Hunger, inequality, poverty, energy, geopolitical, ethical, you list it.
Do this exercise: turn on your TV. What do you see? Weather reports with clime extremes and civil violence, worldwide.
The social-humanitarian situation is not simple. In one hand, you have yes: immigrants' entrepreneurship, labor, consumption and an apparently slower pace of use of developed welfare. But immigration from developing up countries (not G7 and not BRICS) is a problem to be handled by the entire world. South African xenophobism from other African countries has roots on immigration. And Africans (plus Southern Asians) are going everywhere a ship can dock close enough. Europe is under tremendous social unrest. France and Italy dealing with human shipments. Just to name a few. Danish people just elected democratically hatred, racism and Islamophobia with the central right alliance ousting the incumbent social democrats (and current female Prime Minister). The result is positive for Cameron and UK intentions towards EU membership. As a broader view: Center Left Socialists already lost in UK, Germany, Denmark and face disastrous poll ratings in both France and Sweden. In the United States with the focus on violence against Afro-Americans, and it continues to the East as well. Army wars are bad, but civil wars are ugly as it slowly destroys trust among people. While I am very much concerned with this massive wave of civil violence, I can only think that changes in the food supply or agriculture capabilities because of climate change will only worsen this situation of global conflict. The image that comes to mind is of famished hordes of once dignified humans attacking what is left of bigger cities (because some cities shall vanish from raising sea levels anyway). All of the sudden we are talking food and water in the center of a global security issue.
Am I being too concerned? Not after what I was shown and saw with my eyes, supported by 97 percent of scientists. In Greenland, the concerns are related to Sea Level Rise, Opening of the Seaway, Weather Extremes, Ocean Acidification, Thawing Permafrost, and Governance Issues.
I know it seems very far from us, and as I tried to discuss this with my family and friends how desperate I became, they say my generation will not be alive to face the extinction of the human race. I've always thought I was extremely selfish for not having kids, for prioritizing my time.
But now I wonder how selfish humans can be by not caring about our home Earth, just because we will not be here to face destruction. I urge you to think morally on the consequences of your acts (or your non action) and the rights of all human beings, through future generations too. How we ought to behave as we shall respect our duties to friends and family, to affect the welfare. I refuse to think we are morally bankrupt. But we need to act. Increase awareness, a mix of actions that might not solve the problem, but moves towards a better society. Morals are as hard and expensive to build as roads, sewage and water systems, electrical grids, hospitals or schools.
