Taking action on climate change: Why me? Why now?

Talk of climate change is all around us. In fact, some might argue, this talk is so pervasive that one might assume that everything is being taken care of, that now we’ve read the headlines and made a donation to an environmental NGO, our consciences can be clear and we can all go back to our normal lives. Nothing could be further from the truth.

With the February release of the IPCC report on the overwhelming scientific evidence of human-driven climate change, the verdict has come in: climate change is occurring, and at a much faster rate than natural cycles have ever gone before.

The cause: unsustainable practices and technologies, and our use and abuse of the same. Lured by our excitement and enthusiasm over everything we as individuals, whether personally or in social, industrial or governmental groups, can do (after all, we’re only human), we have neglected one key consideration: just because we can, does that mean we should? And if we do, what are the implications? As a result of our misguided but by-and-large good intentions, the proverbial chickens have come home to roost, and they’ve brought with them the unwelcome spectre of potential catastrophic climate change.

So now what? What can we do, that isn’t already being done? What can I do, what can you do, as individuals, that could possibly make a difference? The answer is simple: a lot.

Regardless of one’s personal reason for action, be this a moral or ethical principle, a feeling of social responsibility, the thought of one’s great-grandchildren living in a world much different than that we now know, or simply the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with doing the right thing, there is much that each person can do. All it takes is opening one’s eyes to the possibilities.

The first step in any change is knowledge. We can begin by educating ourselves: about the issues, the implications for each of us, and how each of us can take action.

Not sure where to start? This week the second volume of the IPCC 2007 report on climate change “Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability” will be released in Brussels. Get a copy and read it, then follow the ensuing debate and proceedings on the report’s findings, such as the IPCC’s February testimony before the US House Committee on Science and Technology.

Perhaps most importantly, we should not simply accept the viewpoints voiced by either camp. Applying basic critical thinking, let’s test the evidence to the best of our abilities, giving these issues our own personal due diligence. Learn about the scientific research, review, and publication processes and then, bearing this in mind, critically analyse these information sources. Who is behind these claims, and why? Where is the support coming from for these sources?

What personal threats and opportunities are at stake for those who take part in the public debate and those who stay out of it? For those who affirm and those who deny climate change? Are there potential conflicts of interest? As TJ Watson said, “The ability to ask the right question is more than half the battle of finding the answer”.

As we educate ourselves, let’s start talking: to our families, our colleagues, our neighbours. Many people, including myself, feel that we are approaching a social tipping point at which individuals around the globe will recognise the paradigm shift necessary to effect change and will take swift action accordingly. To reach this point, we must build on our current momentum, working together to reach our communities and governments.

Get involved with local organisations, from environmental groups to political parties, from religious and philosophical organisations to educational initiatives. Work with your neighbours to host public discussions on these topics. Encourage debate, as a foundational value of democratic principles. True, we may not know all the answers yet, but we can ask questions, exchange ideas and raise awareness. Such is the task of the empowered and empowering citizen.

While we’re educating ourselves and talking to friends and colleagues, we can be taking personal action. Herein lies the key, as many have pointed out: the technologies needed are out there - now all that is required is the personal and political will - and the discipline - to act. We can start by calculating our individual carbon footprints and by adjusting and offsetting them as appropriate. After all, we can hardly expect industries and governments to take steps that we ourselves are not willing to take.

As we make these personal changes, our circles of influence will widen, and we can begin effecting change in our communities and local governments. And now, thanks to the Internet, one’s efforts need not stop at neighbourhood borders: our outreach and discussions can take place at whatever level we choose, crossing borders geographical, political, and social.

In addition, citizens in democratic countries hold an even greater responsibility: the power of the vote. By raising our collective electoral voice on behalf of future generations, we can make powerful inroads on these issues.

Many not-for-profit organisations offer programs solely focused on informing voters about judicial proceedings, issuing virtual calls for action when key legislation comes up for consideration. This is a simple, free, yet immensely effective way for you to exercise your power as a citizen.

Get involved: write to your politicians, locally and nationally, on these matters. Encourage political participation, both by educated voters and by those willing to enter the public arena on behalf of these issues. And when election time rolls around, find out where local politicians stand, help educate the public about their platforms, and vote accordingly.

The power of the vote does not stop at governments. We have another way to vote: by “putting our money where our mouths are” and choosing to shop for and invest in environmentally friendly and sustainable technologies and products. In publicly traded companies, educated and committed shareholders hold the cards - and have the chance to hold companies responsible while guiding them to more socially and environmentally sustainable practices. In addition, actively support those industries and initiatives already working in this direction - and encourage those within your circle of influence to do the same.

The need for action is more urgent than ever. Scientists, well known for their cautiously conservative approach to such matters, recognise this necessity as so compelling that they’ve begun to quantify their calls for action. Many are saying that intensive initiatives must be taken within the next 10 years to avoid approaching - and crossing - an environmental tipping point. As Kofi Annan said at the November COP in Nairobi, “The question is not whether climate change is happening but whether, in the face of this emergency, we ourselves can change fast enough”.

We can change - and we can make a difference. But, this change will require individual, personal commitment and discipline. Once we make that commitment, the next steps of education, outreach, and action will follow as second nature. Take that first step: get committed. The time is now, and you are here. You can make a difference. Each of us can.