Can Humans Get Used to Having a Two-Way Relationship with Earth’s Climate? - By Andrew C. Revkin

One of the most exciting signs of a change in thinking came in a powerful essay written for Yale Environment 360 by two former Democratic senators, Tim Wirth and Tom Daschle—long champions of such top-down tools as laws and treaties.  They laid out a new approach to climate progress that fits our variegated world:

“We think the time has come for the international community to alter its collective climate strategy, cease the search for the impossible all-encompassing top-down agreement—described unattractively as “burden sharing”—and instead encourage an approach that builds on national self-interest and spurs a race to the top in low-carbon energy solutions.  This would change the psychology of the climate change issue from one of burden to opportunity, and change the likely outcome from one of hand-wringing about failure to excitement about tangible action to build a better world.”

Their call replaces the unachievable quest of building a binding treaty with an inclusive and sustained search for productive paths on energy and the environment. And as that kind of approach spreads—from international diplomacy to household decisions to career choices made by students—I see solid prospects that we can win this race with ourselves.  We can move from awareness to responsibility to meaningful action and pass on a planet to the coming generations that, while unavoidably bearing our footprint, remains something beautiful to behold.

[My] piece is best read from beginning to end, of course.  So please click here and do so...

Can Humans Get Used to Having a Two-Way Relationship with Earth’s Climate? - By Andrew C. Revkin