I hope one day to have a daughter. And when she is growing up and has her own family she may well ask me why the world sat back and let climate change spiral out of control.
She may well ask why, when the world’s most notable scientists could agree that humankind had to act urgently and radically to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, the world’s politicians could not unite in action.
When my daughter turns on the news and sees much of Bangladesh under water and millions of environmental refugees surging into India, or trying to get to Europe through Pakistan, she will ask me why we didn’t act.
When she sees the populations of Cuba and Florida evacuated due to the frequency of hurricanes, she will ask me why we didn’t act.
When she can’t get insurance against flooding for her home in the UK and again it is flooded, she will ask me why we didn’t act.
And when she sees millions dying in the developing world from food and water shortages, the spread of disease, and fighting over scarce natural resources, she will ask again why we didn’t act.
She may well ask why, if the politicians from the industrialised nations were too wrapped up in their own short-term financial concerns, the people themselves didn’t rise up and demand action.
Why each nation didn’t shout out for change – to protect themselves, and other populations suffering worse impacts of climate change.
Why the new 21st century world was one of apathy instead of action; why it was one of individualism when solidarity was needed.
Posted by LizG
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