Thoughts on coronavirus as a dress rehearsal for climate catastrophe

“Since the lockdown: Venice's canals have become crystal clear. Italy coasts have dolphins coming nearer and nearer. Japan now has deer roaming free in the streets, and Thailand: the same with monkeys. China has record breaking pollution cuts. The Earth has already began showing signs of amazing things that are happening from the absence of human pollution. What if - and hear me out..- what if the entire human population used this as an opportunity to restart society on a greener, more environment conscious foot. What we're seeing in the span of a couple of days is amazing."

Exactly. We need to end this mad tearing around the planet at great cost to finite fossil fuels and a terrible escalation of greenhouse gases as the most unfortunate consequence.  

We live in a materialistic rat race where we think we must have ever faster, finer and flashier ways to transport ourselves around the place. HS2 and W Midlands Metro both come to mind. Both duplicate existing trains and buses that are too mundane and ordinary for us so sophisticated earth dwellers. I think we are biting off more than ailing life support systems can chew. We need to be content with less, be happy with what we have and start exploring the local scene instead of the international world. The prospect of a premature demise from a pestilent virus is cutting Greta's and the scientists greenhouse gases.  Not so much a pipe dream but a nightmare coming down the tube.

Sleep walking into a nightmare scenario

I think we are heading for an almighty big crash.  Because Nature/planet earth/life support systems have never before seen such rapid and comprehensive changes on the surface of the planet as us humans have wrought in the last 250 years.  I am thinking of how, in 350 years, we are burning up the earth's fossil fuels that took 350 million years to form.  That is bound to make an unfortunate difference for life on earth.

We have nothing to make us change our behaviours.  The scientists and technologists will be able to come up with something as equally comprehensive and versatile as oil, gas and coal.  Therefore, hoorah!  We can carry on with over-consumption, over-population and living it up for today.  Fantastic.  We can carry on wasting the earth's resources.  We don't have to bother about anything because the government will always ensure that the lights will never go out.  We don't need to worry our little heads when necessity is the mother of invention and our intelligence and reasoning will see us through whatever is thrown at us.

Actually, a shrug of the shoulders response is no longer adequate.

Hurricane Sandy - stereotypical thoughts

The planet and its life support have never before seen such an onslaught from humans and their greenhouse gases upsetting the natural order of things.  Thus, I think, we get our come uppance as payback time gets ever nearer.  It creeps up on us as we determinedly carry on regardless, in our mad mad world, with our fingers crossed.  We think we can get away with it for ever.  Living infinitely on a finite planet.  Living unnaturally on a natural planet.  Pretty foolish - and damn stupid, actually!

Alternative way of putting the same thoughts:

The planet and its life support systems have never before had humans on its surface in such an enormous and ever increasing number; AND, so resolutely and so enthusiastically  pouring out ever rising quantities of greenhouse gases - so dangerously; and, eventually, to screw up what is meant to be the protective and life giving greenhouse blanket round the planet.  The planet has never before seen human emissions of greenhouse gases.  What a terrible shock for the system!  The planet will carry on serenely.  We humans will not.

No wonder Nature is hitting back and giving us our come uppance!

Whatever the actual rise in temperature, what seems obvious is that our unprecedented burning up of every ton of fossil fuel we can lay our hands on is bound to have an effect.  It's called the enhanced greenhouse effect - not quite what we want!

"Either, we get our numbers and our activities in harmony with the powers of the earth to support life or, collapsing eco-systems will do the job for us."    Green Party manifesto from many years ago.

"The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself" FDR in 1933

Don't be afraid of afraid; don't be scared of scared; or, of warning and alarming. The only trouble is that then (in 1933) the danger was obvious; today we are cossetted in the complacent and comfortable materialism of the acquisitive society, with our fatal assumption that energy grows on trees and that things can only get better!

"I am certain that my fellow Americans expect that on my induction into the Presidency I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our people impel. This is pre-eminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days."

Franklin D. Roosevelt - opening paragraph, First Inaugural Address, Jan 1933 at the height of the depression.

This is prompted by my careless comment at a Transition Worcester meeting, last week, that others, as I am, should be almost scared into saving energy. I am scared of the future, as two others at the meeting also confessed to be. However, it seems, this is something that must never speak its name!

For decades, as I see it, the green movement has been the prophetic voice warning of danger ahead unless we take on that manifesto of a sustainable society that the Green Party has promoted since 1971. I think, it is better not to hide uncomfortable home truths from people but to assume that they have the maturity and responsibility to be able to take them.

I admire, but cannot copy, the Prof James Lovelock approach of quiet speaking sweet reasonableness. He's the most delightful and pleasant doom-monger I have ever heard on Radio 4! Perhaps he comes over as being so happy in dishing out the bad news, 'cos he knows he's near the end of his life!

I think we need to give the reason why it is urgent to save energy, to spend less, to make things last and to, generally, lower our impact on life support systems creaking at the seams. Transition - and each of us - needs to give "a leadership of frankness and vigour", as President Roosevelt put it.