Preserving Planet Earth
By Dr Arvind Kumar
Planet Earth canl be a shared asset capable of sustaining human life long into the future, provided climate change is tackled judiciously. Viewed in a broad spectrum, scientists have not yet informed the public well about climate change, nor have they stimulated governments to take the actions needed to preserve the Planet Earth, which is dangerously close to tipping points. Ice is melting worldwide and many species are stressed by climate change and other factors. Global warming, if we allow it to continue, will cause sea level rise, species extinction and increasing climate extremes out of humanity’s control. Stewardship of life on Earth demands action to stabilize climate. Geophysics reveals the requirements: phase out coal, leave tar sands in the ground, do not pursue the last drops of oil. Yet as long as fossil fuels are the cheapest energy we will burn them, an economic law as certain as the law of gravity.
According to James E. Hansen, solution, therefore, requires a rising fee on oil, gas and coal, collected from fossil fuel companies. All funds collected must be distributed to the public monthly to allow lifestyle adjustments and stimulate clean energy innovations. Lamenting that yet our governments do little or nothing, unwilling to seriously confront the fossil fuel industry, Hansen opines, “Today we face a great moral crisis. Human-made climate change pits the rich and powerful against the young and unborn, against the defenseless, and against nature. Climate can be stabilized and the remarkable life on our planet can be preserved. But we must demand that governments serve the public and preserve our blue planet.”
