Once you accept climate change as a fact rather than an opinion, then you start wondering how to deal with it. I believe in finding solutions, not in fear-mongering. Actually, I was close to concluding that fighting climate change is a waste of time and effort. A recent study opened my eyes: planting a trillion trees would tackle the worst of climate change (eg, Guardian, Science).
These scientists claim it’s “by far the biggest and cheapest way to tackle the climate crisis“. I’m flabbergasted that this “simple” idea had not even occurred to me as I believe in the KISS principle: keep it simple and stupid.
I’m very curious what will happen now. Somehow, I expect that fear-mongering will continue as usual because activists and politician are not interested in “simple and stupid” solutions, like planting a trillion trees. Activists prefer extreme political solutions, like “ending capitalism”.
The use of fear is a powerful weapon for activists and politicians (eg, climate, immigrants, Islam, refugees). Fear causes a fight, flight or freeze response (Wiki). Many people will freeze and stop thinking and wondering. Thoughtless followers – or useful idiots – can be exploited. The absence of fear would remove the power from these activists and politicians.
The introduction of hope erodes fear. Hence, I’m curious whether the results of this study will be implemented, ignored, contradicted, or buried under piles of fake news. Please also see my 2019 blogs: If you can’t beat them, confuse them and If you can’t confuse them, scare them.
I’m afraid the simple solution of this study will be ignored given our complexity bias (my blogs). Activists and especially politicians often prefer complex expensive unproven technological solutions above simple proven “folk wisdom“. In the words of Groucho Marx (1890-1977):
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”
To some extent, the above can be compared to the 2019 California earthquakes of July 4 (6.4 Mw) and July 5 (7.1 Mw). Everybody knows that the southern Californian Big One will arrive some day (soonish), but their (mega)cities just continue growing. As my friend from southern California wrote to me: “Hopefully, it will not be in my lifetime”.
A quote from Jeanne Antoinette Poisson, Marquise de Pompadour commonly known as Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764): “Après nous le déluge“, meaning: I care not what happens when I am dead and gone. Also see my 2019 blog.
Après Moi Le Déluge (2013) by Alex Beaupain
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise
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