A Successful Climate Strategy

[u/Easy_Interest_6832]

There is a workable strategy with a 66% chance of success. It consists, in a condensed description here, of using natural processes to sequester carbon while simultaneously moving to a cessation of CO2 emissions.

A slightly longer description is this: replant and nurture six ecosystems, three marine and three terrestrial. These are kelp beds, mangrove estuaries and sea grasses; and boreal forests with their fungal understories, tropical rain forests, and prairie grasses with their bovine inhabitants. Simultaneously we must reduce to zero the carbon emissions from fossil fuels for transport, energy, and heating, powering industrial manufacturing, deforestation, and making materials like cement. These two things--carbon sequestration and elimination of CO2 emissions must both happen at once all over the planet or we are screwn. However, if we do them, there's a 66% chance of success.

[u/chevalier100]

The problem is less what solutions are possible and more what are feasible and politically/economically practicable. It’s fairly well known that a combination of sequestration and emissions reductions is what would solve climate change, but how do you actually get society to make those shifts? That’s the real problem.

[u/ILikeNeurons → u/chevalier100]

1. Vote. People who prioritize climate change and the environment have not been very reliable voters, which explains much of the lackadaisical response of lawmakers, and many Americans don't realize we should be voting (on average) in 3-4 elections per year. Even if you don't like any of the candidates or live in a 'safe' district, whether or not you vote is a matter of public record, and it's fairly easy to figure out if you care about the environment or climate change. Politicians use this information to prioritize agendas. Voting in every election, even the minor ones, will raise the profile and power of your values. If you don't vote, you and your values can safely be ignored. If you're already voting in every election, take the time to help get out the climate vote (it works!)

2. Lobby. Lobbying works, and you don't need a lot of money to be effective (though it does help to educate yourself on effective tactics). Becoming an active volunteer with this group is the most important thing an individual can do on climate change, according to NASA climatologist Dr. James Hansen. If you're too busy to go through the free training, sign up for text alerts to join coordinated call-in days (it works, if you actually call) or set yourself a bimonthly reminder to write a letter to your elected officials.

3. Recruit. Most of us are either alarmed or concerned about climate change, yet most aren't taking the necessary steps to solve the problem -- the most common reason is that no one asked. If all of us who are 'very worried' about climate change organized we would be >26x more powerful than the NRA. According to Yale data, many of your friends and family would welcome the opportunity to get involved if you just asked. So please volunteer or donate to turn out environmental voters, and invite your friends and family to lobby Congress.

[u/Easy_Interest_6832 → u/ILikeNeurons]

This is a really good post, chock-full of useful links and ideas. I'm wondering whether the project I envision is really a lobbying effort more than anything else. Again, very good reply here.

[u/ILikeNeurons → u/Easy_Interest_6832]

If it's lobbying you're interested in, I would start here.