Energy

The problem of climate change is fundamentally a problem of energy: energy as defined in terms of generating heat and electricity, but also the more abstract concept of energy, meaning our collective will and the direction of our mental and material resources. In order to mitigate the harmful impacts of climate change, we need to rapidly replace fossil fuels with renewables as part of a broad and multi-faceted approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. But in order to make these transitions, we need to decide, as a society, as citizens of the world, that this is a planet worth preserving and worth making sacrifices for. We need to realign our priorities, as individuals and institutions, toward this collective goal and modify our thinking from a short-sighted, profit-driven approach, to a longer-term vision focused on preservation and innovation. We can’t reverse climate change or stop it in its tracks, but we can – we must – reduce the amount of harm that it causes.