Tough news about the impacts of climate change is, unfortunately, what we’ve come to expect. It’s little wonder that humanity is now struggling through extreme weather events, gaining a glimpse of the dystopia scientists have long warned of due to our profound disruption of the earth’s balance. But much like a bicycle rider achieves balance by moving forward, with both feet in synchronicity, re-balancing the earth will only be possible with active, forward-moving conviction.
Is it difficult to look around at devastating floods in Europe, landslides in India, and fires raging from California to Siberia? It certainly is. Are we outraged that we’ve dithered on climate action for so long that scientific predictions are now becoming reality? Of course we are. Is it impossible to move into a new economic and social paradigm, eliminating our reliance on burning fossil fuels, and arriving at a new future that is actually better than the past? The window is narrowing, but it is still possible.
Everything that science demands we achieve for a secure future is now doable.
We know that we need to support one another along a path that is neither easy nor without bumps. So we are taking some time off and thinking hard about how Outrage + Optimism can play its part in the coming months, as we head toward the international climate negotiations一taking place this November in Glasgow一where countries are set to increase their 2030 targets to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by half.
Let us know how we can play our part in your lives by answering a short survey on our new website. We know many of us are finding this moment tough, so as a token of our appreciation for your loyalty to Outrage + Optimism, we’ll send you a limited edition Stubborn Optimist sticker.
Please keep listening to some of the brilliant people we’ve talked to over the past months whilst we take a short break. If you can’t decide where to begin, here’s the Outrage + Optimism team reminiscing about their favourite interviews.
Christiana, Tom, and Paul will be back in September. Until then, we wish you a stubbornly optimistic week.