We need a catastrophic event to drive fear into our leaders, led by an angry public demand for action. The pandemic is not it, but the encroaching breakdown of climate integrity could well be. Daily, we see around us the consequences of our failure to act, and still our leaders refuse to face up to the crisis, preferring instead to make “commitments” that lack real substance.
I was born in ’41 in the UK and well remember the deprivations we endured during and after the conflict. I also remember how the people voted in a Labour government intent on countering the pre-war ills that beleaguered the working class. They introduced the NHS, National Insurance, state ownership of public utilities, and much more. This led to a settled and hopeful populace and a thriving economy.
Without the war, it’s likely that none of that would have come about. What worries me now is that the damaged climate will not have time to recover when we do wake up and take decisive action. The consequences are too depressing to contemplate.