[Coral-List] carbon offsetting AND the need for innovative problem solvers to halt climate change

[Steve Mussman]

Dear Listers,  

As I reflected upon all the good ideas touched upon in this thread (and there are many), I couldn’t help but think about the bigger picture. Not just encompassing the coral reef community, but the world as a whole. Let’s face it, considering the current trajectory of carbon emissions there really isn’t much reason for optimism, be it for coral reefs or beyond unless we act quickly to change our collective ways on a planetary scale. This perspective carries me far beyond valid concerns for offsetting travel.  

A couple of timely essays on the website “The Conversation” focused on why keying in on individual behaviors might be wrong-minded. They are quick reads, so I urge you to consider them both. Although all individual efforts aimed at reducing one’s carbon footprint are commendable, they argue that at this point we need more in the way of widespread societal shifts and that individual actions won’t necessarily lead to that end.

https://theconversation.com/climate-change-focusing-on-how-individuals-can-help-is-very-convenient-for-corporations-108546  

https://theconversation.com/individual-action-wont-achieve-1-5-warming-social-change-is-needed-as-history-shows-104643  

I know as an individual there is a lot more that I could do, but considering the scale of the crisis and the critical nature of projected time restraints, might it be possible that we should all be more focused on “collective actions” designed to compel our governments and policy makers to act with urgency to directly combat climate change?  If so, perhaps the emphasis in Bremen should be on constructing an even more powerful and forceful consensus statement along the lines of the one which emerged from the conference in 2012 and then finding a more ambitious and effective way to amplify our collective concerns.   

Maybe the ICRS can even get Greta Thunberg to be the keynote speaker!  

Regards,  
Steve  


http://www.icrs2012.com/Consensus_Statement.htm

Sent from my iPad