Quit Looking at Everyone Else — It’s Time to Eliminate YOUR Emissions

Today’s release of the UN IPCC Synthesis Report on climate is dire. We aren’t going to make it. The 1.5 C degree target that avoids the worst climate disasters is falling out of reach. We are on emergency watch right now. As CNBC reports:

Speaking in France’s capital earlier this month, COP President-Designate Sultan al-Jaber said the conclusions of this assessment were already clear. “We are way off track,” al-Jaber said. “The bottom line is this: the world needs to cut emissions by 43% in the next seven years to keep 1.5 alive.”

And yet, 2022 resulted in the highest global carbon emissions EVER. Indeed, IEA said that emissions from energy were up 0.9%. Attention! That is the WRONG direction!

The emergency situation we face is shortening my fuse with the climate deniers as well as with the climate confusers. We all know the deniers — they are the 80 million Americans who pretend it isn’t happening. The confusers, on the other hand, want to make climate into their issue on everything else that isn’t climate — racial justice, biosphere, consumption, income equality, overthrowing capitalism, and sixteen other non-climate concerns.

Does anyone think we can solve those issues in the next seven years?

Not a chance. So let’s stop confusing them with climate. Let’s stop conflating them with climate. Let’s stop making climate action dependent on them. In short, let’s stop fucking around.

We need to reduce and eliminate carbon emissions. Nothing else matters. Nothing.

Carbon emission reduction is becoming an existential matter. Every person, business, and government needs to take action to reduce or eliminate their own direct emissions… now. If you have exhaust coming out of your car’s tailpipe, fix that. If you have a chimney for your furnace and water heater, fix that. If you are using electricity that is not subscribed from a solar, wind, or other renewable energy facility, change that. Do it now.

If you are a business, look at all of your direct emissions. Smokestacks, truck tailpipes, and machinery used. Find a way t eliminate yours. Subscribe to solar and wind. Get it done. Do your part.

Same in government.

Same in the non-profit sector.

Then, go turn your very best energy — that which you put into your job — and dedicate your life to a piece of the solution. The work that needs to get done developing, marketing, and installing green tech solutions is not happening because there aren’t enough people doing the work. Be one of the people who is.

And here’s what not to do. Don’t pretend that being a vegan is solving anything. It isn’t. Especially not if your direct emissions from your car, chimney, and electric usage have not been addressed.

Don’t pretend you are doing your part by advocating a change in capitalism that will not happen without the climate-induced catastrophe you secretly favor.

Don’t pretend that you or anyone can reduce our consumption enough to matter. It can’t happen in seven years.

I know I am ranting. Carbon is going up when it needs to be coming down. It is no longer okay to say your part is “too expensive.” It is no longer okay to adopt one thing and say, “There, I did my part.” We are already having devastating effects of climate change, and we aren’t even at 1.5 C degrees yet!

We are at a crossroads. There is an emergency at hand. Go ahead. Eliminate your direct emissions. Get your friends to do the same. Then let’s talk next steps.

Anthony Signorelli

Get my free newsletter Intertwine — Carbon 350 here.

—

This post was previously published on medium.com.

***