But grieving for our planet won't fix it.
We are rapidly running out of time. |
According to a new United Nations report, global warming will almost certainly intensify over the next 30 years, but there is a short window to prevent an unbearable future. |
That means we urgently need to attack climate change from all angles. So far, reducing carbon dioxide emissions has been a central focus. But in a recent guest essay, Kathy Castor argued this tactic should not come at the expense of addressing another harmful pollutant that gets far less attention: methane. "Over 20 years, methane has more than 80 times the heat-trapping power of carbon dioxide," she wrote, noting that "reducing its emissions by 45 percent this decade could help us avoid nearly 0.3°C of warming globally as early as the 2040s." That may not sound like it could move the needle, but, as Castor pointed out, "it would make a world of difference for vulnerable communities in America and across the globe." |
For instance, the Tuvaluans of the South Pacific are already being forced to migrate from their home because of water scarcity and rising sea levels. "I came to Tuvalu with a question," Devi Lockwood wrote. "What does it mean for a whole nation to become uninhabitable in my lifetime?" But this crisis isn't just upending one community; her conversations with hundreds of people around the world show that question could be applied to any number of places today. |
It's easy to feel disheartened — to mourn how our efforts as individuals are woefully unfit to address the enormity of the challenge that lies ahead. But as Margaret Renkl pointed out, despondency will not change the situation; it will only mar what precious time we have left. That's why she said she will continue to do her part not only to help mitigate the crisis, but also to "attend to what is not dying, to focus as much on the exquisite beauties of this earth as on its staggering losses." As she put it, "Life is not at all a long process, and it would be wrong to spend my remaining days in ceaseless grief." |
The Times announced this week that a selection of newsletters will soon be reserved for subscribers. As part of this, Times Opinion will be adding exciting new newsletter offerings. Read more from Opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury and sign up for your favorites here. |
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