Happy Easter to you all. May the light of this season empower our every thought, word and deed going forward in this challenging time.
Here’s a good, 3min review of Bill Gates’ book: How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, the solutions we have and the breakthroughs we need. [click on his image]
Balanced, in my view, because: even a billionaire is a person with a relatively limited brain capacity[mfn]like everyone else’s[/mfn] to comprehend the inherent complexity of global climate ecology coupled to economic factors by industry sector; the author admits that Gates publicly self-deprecates: ” he readily calls himself an “imperfect messenger.” ” (honestly, who isn’t?); and what I find hopeful, is the important discussion being pointed to here: ” … he is not willing to talk frankly about the ways in which a zero-carbon future might conflict with the interests of for-profit business. Without addressing that problem, his only remaining credential is that he’s a well-meaning person who cares.” Isn’t that the REAL heart of most of today’s global issues ? — the morality (not justice) of gi¥ing all a pie¢e o£ th€ pie (resulting in more socio-economic peace, and accepting the duty of keeping it — with integrity).
But what in my view Mr Singer devalues, is that Mr Gates is an investor willing to take calculated proactive financial risks to back transformative solutions to GhGs, by-produced during our seemingly ‘necessary’ economic creativity[mfn]eg. making things with cement and steel accounts for a bigger share of emissions (31%) than electricity (27%) and transportation (16%); refrigeration and air-conditioning make a smaller contribution to total emissions (7%) than our carbon-intensive farming practices (19%); Mr Gates is realistic enough to speak, not about changing our/his lifestyle but, about truly transforming the way we deliver those products that make up our oh so desired lifestyle[/mfn].
As Findhorn Ecovillagers know only too well, just being well-meaning doesn’t cut the mustard… There is much intelligent effort needed to actively live the Common Ground’s 3 principles&7essences every day, in every thought word & deed.
Mr Singer concludes: ” There’s nothing shameful in his being well-meaning, of course. Nor is there anything really wrong with endorsing a future based on shared progress and prosperity, in which everyone has a chance to be heard, and, in a sense, everyone wins. It just so happens that the reality is much more adversarial. Gates would do well to admit it. ”
Findhorn Ecovillagers, Messers. Bezos, Bloomberg, Ma, and Ambani, and the trio of Gates, Buffet and Musk for example, these three groups of people put their 3 lots of money where their 3 mouths are. In how far will billions of equally valuable global individuals (and in spending percentage of disposable income terms too,) allow similar difficulties to deter them from choosing to (think/speak&)act in a similarly right way, and so together[mfn]Unity makes strength and this applies not just to a pusillanimously-delegated-to minority with an arcane agenda…[/mfn] achieve the “highest good” for all, not just for themselves, their own families, businesses, neighbourhoods, regions and lifetime? When will the urgency around socio-ecological CARE in action be illustrated in the results of our personal lifestyle choices?
Utopia?[mfn]based on Greek ou ‘not’ + topos ‘place’[/mfn] Gates & his two abovementioned colleagues have taken up the challenge with Breakthrough Energy ; and the “Fridays for Future” climate strikes, taking place in over 50 countries, show that a large proportion of our 1st world children believe that a resolution of this issue is of vital importance to their future…
The reason for the protest of this last March 19th, the seventh global climate strike which originally started in August 2018 with Greta Thunberg, was to my mind put succinctly thus: “ We have still not encountered any political action towards a liveable world, ” according to Aruna De Wever, a Belgian climate activist and one of the leading figures in the climate movement there. “ We are once again joining forces and demanding certainty for a sustainable and inclusive future for everyone. ”
May we all feel the enlightenment inherent to the Easter season also nudging us to really manifest our vital hopes, dreams&ideals in ever more effective ways, such that OUR individual results speaks peace-&forceful volumes!
