Please educate yourselves about the impact of corporate solar power installations in the Mojave Desert, i.e. https://phys.org/news/2009-03-dark-side-solar-power.html NY Times, you used a photo of the Ivanpah set-up - read this and weep: https://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/02/19/largest-solar-thermal-plant-completed-ivanpah
Roof-top solar is a far more efficient way to go.
6
Why were you in India, Secretary?
14
How is that private jet of yours working out Mr. Kerry?
19
Let's call them "Fossil Fools".
4
I'll buy a hybrid when we shut off Las Vegas. As long as we're willing to damn up a river so idiots can dump out their wallets in air conditioned casinos IN THE DESERT, I cant hear you. Call me when you're ready to talk.
29
Problem: 8 billion humans on earth. 200 years of "climate change" momentum. 320 million Americans who will have no measurable effect in the next fifty years without reducing their carbon footprints to the size of that of a homeless man living under a bridge.
Kerry needs to get in his private jet and fly to India to sell his "climate change" doomsday thesis, then on to China, then Africa, then South America et al.
16
Great piece, Mr. Kerry. It's a bummer that the group of people who put Don in power won't ever read this. How do we reach those people?
13
Who is the "us" that is to blame? I wish you had named names. Exxon? Mobile? Koch brothers? Chuck Schumer? John Kerry? My teenage grandchildren? The Kyoto Accords, the Paris agreement, Democratic Party proposals, would not reverse warming and climate change. Can the world afford industrial capitalism? It would have been helpful if John Kerry afforded analysis and serious alternatives.
9
“Nothing will benefit health or increase chances of survival on earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." Albert Einstein.
Do your part!
28
I can barely pay my student loans. Sorry no time to worry about climate change.
19
Stop having children. Stop driving your car. Stop flying. Stop using your air-conditioner. Stop using plastic. Just stop. Stop everything now. It's almost over. Oh, and please ask the Chinese and the Indians to stop using coal, but ask nicely.
14
Focusing on Trump is a mistake, I believe. I live in a state in which Big Oil spent $35 million to defeat a carbon tax initiative. Trump is just their puppet, along with the bought-and-paid-for Republican Party shills in both houses of the legislative branch of government. It’s not only political idiocy that we are up against, unbridled corporate greed is also a huge road block to planetary survival.
28
Noncontrovertial stuff: who wants to argue with Kerry?
Drought not only from climate change but more directly human caused with diversion of water resources.
Cattle and their feed are thirsty consumers.
A couple fewer cheeseburgers a month would make a difference.
Yes, Mr Kerry, we all should take action.
10
I'm so tired of these, "The climate changes all the time," assertions. Yes, yes that's true. So what? What's your point? It so happens that THIS time the climate is changing, and changing radically because of actions of human beings, specifically citizens of industrialized nations.
And I'm tired of the, "It's not that big a deal," assertions. True, it's a slow moving train wreck, but if we let that train get completely off the tracks, it's off the tracks. The momentum will be (may very well already be) unstoppable.
And it's not a mystery, and there's nothing debatable about it. There's a gas that traps heat. We create a lot of it. In fact, the last time there was this much of it surrounding our planet was 3 - 5 million years ago. It was a heck of a lot warmer back then.
And even if their fantasy was right and it wasn't human caused, whatever happened to that MAGA, can-do spirit? Whatever happened to taking on a crisis and emerging not only victorious but a better country for it besides?
16
An external locus of control isn't working. Bummer our government isn't leading. Oh well. Let's come together in another way. Let's lead our government through our behaviors by embracing the 7 core world class leadership qualities: accountability, commitment, acknowledgement, integrity, vulnerability, diversity and partnership.
The question is, how can we ignite our willingness? We must move towards a growth mindset, yet a fixed mindset, driven by shame and perfectionism, hardened by no sense of belonging and isolation, is pervasive in our culture.
Turn to the social sciences. Kurt Lewin summed it up in an algorithm. B=f(P,E). Behavior is a function of personality and experience.
So let's create an experience that moves us toward our most resilient and willing selves.
Good news. Colleges do resiliency building.
Thousands of San Francisco State grads internalized a critical reflection practice wrapped around community service that is not only transportable, it's fun.It generates a sense of belonging, broadens world views and builds critical thinking skills - thru story telling.
So let's ignite a peer based, volunteer driven, prosocial, macro-level, community resiliency building movement, thru public places, like coffee shops, dive bars, etc.
It's more fun than Cards Against Humanity, because it matters.
And it's kinda cool that San Francisco State has the most diverse 1st generation student population, many from immigrant families. Their mission is multicultural competency.
2
20th century expectations cannot be maintain 21st century reality.
This will chnage everything, wait and see.
4
Mr. Kerry - like so many liberals - ignores the obvious - if all of those concerned millions upon millions actually changed their lifestyle just modestly then we could legitimately change the course of climate change.
So - why is it that individual responsibility is ignored for 'global' action.
Just in passing - how many air-miles has Mr. Kerry accrued in the past year? What type of car does he drive? When I google him - I see a parade of large SUV's - shame Mr. Kerry - shame.
And his house in Nantucket - I am totally sure is carbon-neutral.
Feet of clay - thy name is Liberal.
14
ironic that this essay begins with “when i was in Delhi” ... since air travel is one of the biggest polluters... welcome to the 21st c., and skype it in!
14
If we fail to change,
the human race will face extinction.
9
Pretty much everyone is too late in writing urgent articles on climate change, instead of ones that are too optimistic, having believed that optimism was the best way to talk to people.
This issue is absolutely crucial, and the solution cannot be left up to individual, household, do-it-yourself actions. At this point that is absolutely idiotic and patronizing. The world will not be saved by social media posts telling college kids to ride bikes.
Climate change is a problem that is probably going to bring civilization to its knees before the end of the century. People have to start looking at what happens next if we're not saved from it. We have to start taking a closer look at that world.
Thanks for reading, and good luck to everyone in giving this issue a more urgent consideration from now on, and dealing with it in the future.
151
There are many places to start getting serious. One big step would making a start on decarbonizing transportation in the US.
There is a proposal that would be perfect for the Green New Deal: electrify our rail corridors to run on wind power, and use those same corridors to transmit the rest of that wind power to the places that need it. Make it part of a smart grid too.
More trains, faster trains, more passenger and freight service to more places, service to those communities in the heartland that have been left behind... what’s not to like? This is one of those places where a public-private partnership makes sense.
It doesn’t have to be high speed rail to make a difference - just faster and better than what we have now. The Netherlands have already done this. It works. It can be done fast enough to start making a difference within years, not decades. It will provide good, sustainable jobs. It will a multiplier effect on reducing carbon in everything touched by transportation.
For more details, go to www.solutionaryrail.org Watch the videos, get the book, sign up and help spread the word.
8
The price of gasoline is so cheap, I don't even think about it. We should put a $2.00 tax on premium and a $1.00 tax on regular.
13
I am grateful that Secretary Kerry wrote this opinion piece. It’s good to see that there are some statesmen with courage left.
I have read many comments on this thread about him “not having any credibility” in this area and the same “gotcha” divisive rhetoric you see all over TV and the internet.
What’s amazing is that his piece called for its readers and the people of both this country and the world to stop acting like a bunch of spoiled little children and start acting like adults and Deal with this problem in a real and measured way.
It’s not up to him to figure out how to do it. It’s up to all of us. What on earth are we waiting for?
11
Climate change is the concern of all mankind. Admitting that does not help much in the present situation. Unfortunately, we gave the reins of this country to Trump who intends to continue efforts to undermine our corrective programs. He will continue unraveling the protections put into effect by previous administrations. Trump's blundering scattershot approach to all problems prevents the cohesive and agreed upon actions needed to reduce destructive emissions. Get rid of Trump and his cronies and we stand a chance of helping our country and the world to reduce those negative emissions.
5
Some of us have been working for decades to educate, to change this suicidal direction, to do things in a sustainable and regenerative manner. I am one of them. I have been belittled, knee-capped, dismissed, marginalized, and told I was an extremist. So I have chosen to live on the edge of this “great” American economy. I refuse to take the blame.
4
Trump is incapable of understanding the scientific analyses that concluded that anthropogenic climate change is a clear and present danger. He could care less that the worst consequences of his inaction today will fall on future generations since he won't be President then.
Welcome to the world of "Rake America Great Again!"
Amen! I added solar panels to my roof in August 2017. Have you?
2
I'm disappointed to hear this is all on President Trump, as if Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell are not equally guilty and at fault for sitting on their hands.
3
Boycots firms who don't take significant action on climate control. Hit them where it hurts... their corporate profits and bottomline.
3
It's dispiriting to find climate change couched in political "gotcha" terms -- "make him choose, and let's find out" -- by a politician. (as if finding out about Trump were anything interesting to anybody.)
it's past time to ignore the politicians. you cannot be so utterly brainwashed by the political ranting that you can't see opportunities for your personal and individual action.
1. change something, anything, about your current lifestyle that reflects your awareness of and commitment to solving the climate change problem.
buy local, eat local, drive electric, install solar, insulate your home, lower your thermostat, avoid overpackaged products, divest carbon stocks, eat less meat ...
in my case, i've renounced airline travel for the rest of my life. we have solar, drive hybrid, and will find new ways to change in the coming year.
2. announce your change to anyone and everyone who will listen. climate change seems to be a topic like sex; it's rude to talk about it.
well, talk about it. make other people talk about it.
as for politicians: the issue of guilt, *climate guilt*, now has to be raised about those who lie and dissemble about facts.
the moral stakes cannot be overstated: we only have one planet, and only deceptions allow the exploitation to continue.
if the planet were your retirement portfolio, and politicians your fiduciary officers -- they'd be in jail by now.
2
John Kerry makes sense. We certainly must all absolutely act on climate change by beginning to regulate our own actions that contribute to climate change and has done so for decades not just in the past 2 years. Look yourself in the mirror and you will find a person who must do his or her best to reduce their carbon foot prints significantly.
2
"If we fail, future generations will judge us all as failures, not just this president."
If we all fail, we all fail. Nothing like a bracing tautology to focus the mind.
As time continues to pass, the question increasingly will become: Future generations of what?
Cockroaches, perhaps?
3
There’s an effective bipartisan approach to climate change that’s recently been introduced in the US House. It’s called the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2018. This bill would put a steadily rising fee on carbon at the source while returning all the proceeds to American households on an equal basis. It’s attractive to conservatives because it’s market-based, doesn’t rely on regulations, and is revenue-neutral. It’s attractive to liberals and progressives because it would be effective (giving the US a real shot in doing its part to limit global warming to below 1.5°C) and it would not harm low-income people. People of all political persuasions can like it because it would have positive effects on the American economy and the health of our citizenry.
The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act certainly won’t pass in this year, it will be re-introduced in the next Congress. We can expect the number of bill co-sponsors (currently three Republicans and five Democrats) to grow and a companion bill to be introduced in the Senate. This bill will be actively lobbied for by the non-partisan Citizens’ Climate Lobby and allied organizations.
Readers can find out more at:
energyinnovationact.org
3
"Clever internet memes don't help"
Neither does most of what the average individual can do. Not that each person shouldn't be more aware of the water and electricity that they use, but the Carbon Majors Report concluded that more than HALF of global industrial emissions comes from just 25 entities. 71% of emissions comes from only 100 companies.
https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change
We can do more as individuals, but our efforts will be in vain until our global/national leaders turn away from Trump's daily lying and hold these companies accountable.
3
I remember when the land was turning into a moon crater as a kid. After regulations the area returned to some normal. I worked at the mines as a kid and joined the Navy to get out before I was littered with cancer like my neighbor.
Acid rain devastates Tennessee’s Copper Basin
http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2017/08/acid-rain-devastates-tennessees-copper.html
2
You're not paying attention, John.
Within the last month we've seen protests in Paris against an increase in the gas tax which was specifically imposed by the French Government as a measure to contain climate change. We've heard from leaders in countries such as India who have more important issues - extreme poverty and hunger- to address. No mention of these by Mr. Kerry.
Climate change is now a proven fact but if its containment is going to be on the backs of low income people, Mr. Kerry and others need to have a serious rethink about the way forward.
6
We all must change. But us Americans the most. The effort must start at home. Right her
Ton of CO 2 emitted per capita from fuel
US 15 534
Germany 8 934
Denmark 5 628
Sweden 3 783
The Germans, Danes, and Swedes do not live worse than American but they do
1. Drive smaller cars
2. Live in smaller homes
3. Build more energy efficient fatories
As transportation is the largest contributor, the #1 effort needs to be to get Americans out of oversized pick up trucks and SUV's and live in smaller , and more energy efficient homes.
That will be hard. Some of the most veracious critics of Trumps climate change inaction operate three residences (for a family of two !, name provided on request)
And when it comes to pay for it, US voters, as in France, do NOT go along. During last months midterm elections, one of the most liberal and democratic US States, Washington, for the second time !, voted decisively , 56 to 44, a mild carbon tax.
From Vox
Washington votes no on a carbon tax — again
A New Green Deal goes down to defeat in the Pacific Northwest.
https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2018/9/28/17899804/washington-1631-results-carbon-fee-green-new-deal
Politicians run to get re-elected. It will be interesting to see what the Democrats do in January, when they will have the votes to get meaningful climate bills approved.
7
Climate change is important and the United States needs to act on it whether they like it or not. Without action, we won't be able to live on earth anymore, let alone govern a country. If we as a country don't collectively recognize this is a problem and act to change it, we're doomed. Even with scientific evidence that global warming exists, people still choose to deny it, even our own president.
3
Living in California’s Central Valley, I am often asked if climate change is real when I tell people that I study sociology. I have noticed that once I get into an in-depth conversation on environmental justice with a fellow community member, they often want to hear more about the process of climate disruption. In my training as a sociologist I have learned to observe body language and I believe that there have been times when I have noticed a flash of understanding in the eyes of my peers who are considering the evidence.
My training as a Mexican American studyist has taught me to address climate change in terms of cultural diversity and by referencing the historiography of North America. History is a powerful tool that we can use to better understand things such as the importance of cultural keystone species and/or ecological keystone species that many of us many already have some connection to or knowledge about.
As scientists, social scientists, academics and activists work to understand our rapidly changing environment and how these changes are impacting things such as ancient landrace crops that have largely been protected by Indigenous people, we can get the discourse on climate change going by striking up conversations about our own cultures and history. Sharing the mistakes of the past through these conversations has been a powerful way of engaging my fellow citizens and calling them to think in solidarity with me — even if only for that flashing moment.
With the ever growing concern about all the problems being caused and exacerbated by climate change, I’m surprised that the NYT’s did not have more coverage of the climate talks in Poland. The Trump administration and other multinational leaders are trying to turn these climate talks into a big business conference for fossil fuel interests. And there has been a ridiculously huge and intimidating police presence there, with security forces heavily armed with military gear, tasers and tear gas, as if preparing to go to war against a relatively small crowd of peaceful citizens who have come there to simply take a stand for moving in the direction of renewable energy infrastructure and against protecting the interests of the fossil fuel industry.
6
Good points by ex-Secretary John Kerry. To start to fix this, suggest he start a company create jobs AND cut greenhouse gas emissions. Some ideas: build carbon-neutral transit systems, geothermal or solar energy home heating systems. Start in the northeast!
We know what the problem is. Time to talk is over.
the next step is simple, we need to get past the rightwing roadblock on action that depends on the narrative that alternative energy is expensive.
To do this we need a solar marketplace as we need to cover every suitable roof with solar and too often those with riifs don't have the money and those with money don't have a roof as they live in cities.
If you have a website that connects people woth roofs with those wanting to install solar then anyone can offer their roof in exchange for a percentage of the power as rent.
You then can pay people to go solar and since money talks and - walks the right's arguments are nullified. Would there be enough money from people and companies to make this work? I think there would, that companies would want the free publicity and many people want to do something to help.
Solar is always cheaper when you go big so crowdsourcing it is a no brainer, whole towns could go solar as one big project this saving money at scale. Everyone who wants to do something could contribute from a hundred dollars to millions.
Solarcity already puts solar on people's roofs for free and gets their money back from the power generated so this is an obvious next step. The problem is that much solar real estate is not utilized because the owners don't have the cash and have no way to rent out their roof for others to install solar.
We need to unleash a flood of investment by ending the barriers to going solar.
5
A boycott on Marathon and the other oil companies who recently lobbied and probably wrote out the proposal to roll back emission regulations would be a good start.
6
Some here say the Earth's climate has changed continually over the millennia and they are correct. Some say that humans are hastening the current cycle of climate change and they too are correct. Humans had the intelligence and ingenuity to achieve industrialization, for better or worse. Humans have the intelligence and ingenuity to alter to our behaviors to help slow the current cycle of climate change and maybe reduce the impact to humanity, if we choose to. If we fail to do this and foul our own nest it will be no one's fault but our own and we will richly deserve the end result.
As for the Earth, yes she has been through this before. She will endure yet another change to the climate on her surface and another epic die-off of her inhabitants. And if humanity perishes will she stop rotating on her axis and stop orbiting the sun? Certainly not. Perhaps what ever intelligent life comes after us will do better than we did during their tenure on Earth. Perhaps not, but either way the Earth will survive.
5
John Kerry states “The test is whether the nations of the world will pull out of the mutual suicide pact that we’ve all passively joined through an inadequate response to this crisis.” The response is a bill from the House of Representatives H.R.7173 - Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act of 2018. Can we all be sane for long enough to save ourselves?
3
Americans undoubtedly are adding to the warming trend with CO2. This is not the fault of industry but of all American citizens who enjoy air conditioning, large warm houses in winter, driving to local stores instead of walking or bicycling, taking flights instead of a train on vacation, etc. Upper middle class and wealthy people like Kerry contribute proportionally far more to greenhouse gasses than do Americans of average means. When I see John Kerry and Al Gore and Hollywood stars moving into modest houses and riding bikes everywhere, please give me a call and I might start taking interest in how to scale back on fossil fuel use.
8
We were well on our way before the last presidential election - we certainly needed to accelerate our efforts, however. Now we have much catching up to do. American gumption and focus on a cause is what we need to harness again - put down the social media and become more social and make the changes we need.
1. More electric and hybrid vehicles.
2. A LOT less meat.
3. Stop buying stuff you don't really need.
4. Educate your friends and family.
5. Support our leaders to be successful.
9
Future generations will not understand how a president's denial of climate change and actions to impede steps to address it did not constitute high crimes and misdemeanors leading to impeachment and removal from office.
8
I agree, while we cannot know exactly how climate change will affect how we live, we know enough to reduce emissions of gaseous carbon compounds expeditiously to avert the risks expected from a worst case scenario. The way the challenge is being addressed by Trump and the fossil fuel producers is to do nothing until the worst case scenario presents itself.
Trump does it to keep the support of Republican voters who deny the scientific consensus and to satisfy oil and coal producers. The fossil fuel producers think that they can maximize their profits on the resources of oil and coal without suffering significant losses due to climate change. The Republican voters don’t want to have to pay more taxes nor to suffer the costs to businesses that changes would require. Until each see significant losses due to extreme weather, they will likely persist with their opposition to addressing the issue.
1
Maybe instead of preparing for a continuation, we should prepare for the end. Let's make it as comfortable as possible. Now, that's possible and doable.
3
@Johnny dangerous
No, *you* leave.
Possible AND doable.
Enough said.
Job One: Remove the Republican Party from power. Nothing can get done by the US as long as they are in a position to block it - and they will. It has become part of their 'brand', an ingredient in the snake oil that is all they have to offer for policy.
We need to recognize that this will take an effort comparable to fighting a world war, and this time the enemy is us. We have answers. What we lack is political will.
5
Lots of commenters are mentioning travel as a culprit, in particular air travel. As I recently said to my adult son, “staying home is a radical act”. How did we get to this point where everyone is expected to be a world traveler on a routine basis, as if it’s a moral imperative? Each week I read a news article about a destination that is considered “over burdened” by tourism. We are loving these places to death, and spewing out carbon pollution at the same time.
I stay home. I get all my electricity from solar, in a very cloudy climate on the Pacific Coast. The weak part is anything that requires heat. I do use propane for cooking and in a tankless hot water heater. I use wood heat only on the very coldest days - the rest of the time I wear more layers. It’s not that big of an adjustment to quit dressing like it’s summer during December. I flush my toilet only once a day. I shower once a week, and turn off the flow when I’m soaping up.
The point is, we have to adjust to a less luxurious style of living if we really expect to turn this thing around. It’s not that big a sacrifice; I’m very comfortable and content. When I’m out in public I don’t look like a disheveled nut; most people have no idea how I conserve at home. Humans have lived worse than me for most of human history, and still do in much of the world. We can’t just wring our hands and continue our lavish lifestyles, which have become the new new normal.
22
@Just Curious
Yes, well said, a simple life-style is the way to go. Switching to mass transit and/or a viable option...And then - what do we do about all of the carbon pollution from industry? We have to work on that.
1
This: "we have to adjust to a less luxurious style of living if we really expect to turn this thing around"
I don't think even people in the know realize what's going to need to be done. The reality is we need to focus on quality of life and not economic growth. Otherwise we will be forced to focus on survival and all the unpleasantries that go with it. We now have advanced medical technology and other things that will allow people to live long fulfilled lives, but we need to consume less in order to make it, if only we are willing.
I suggested to some work colleagues that barring some amazing zero carbon fuel source that eventually the commercial airline industry as it is presently will need to cease to exist ( as one easy example). They think I am crazy, but am I?
96
Just a simple thought, there is no central source for global or local information, perhaps a five minute daily media update on global climate conditions, even a simple City Name, temperature, and a quantitative report of an effect of global climate change in that city , or area, perhaps a short cartoon describing the molecular-level interaction between molecules. NPR news could do it, perhaps some people could produce an media version sell on a subscription service,
6
We will not share the blame equally.
1
Very true. Westerners like us Americans will be far more responsible as the highest per capita co2 emitters on earth.
7
We’re 4% of the worlds population and yet we are 25% of global GDP. We feed much of the world and we are now its number one energy producer. We lead the world in higher education and R&D. I would expect our CO2 output to be higher. The world should be happy about this.
2
As Trump has pointed out, the people of Paris have effectively said that they do not want the Paris Agreement.
When Democratic politicians like Obama stop being filmed in news reels on private energy guzzling yachts of Richard Branson and Al Gore sells his huge energy wasting mansion and Bernie Sanders stops flying on private fuel guzzling airplanes, then maybe we all will pay the price. Until then, this hypocrisy is exactly what causes the Yellowvests in Paris to riot.
9
@Dan. I’m surprised that you didn’t include your fearless leader’s flying nearly every weekend to Florida for golf. How about his eight car entourage for traveling about 200 yards during the funeral for H.W. Bush last week?
5
The Times Editorial Board should be ashamed for publishing this essay from former Secretary of State Kerry. With all due respect to Secretary Kerry, he is not a scientist. He not only DOES NOT have any credibility in this space, he HAS A PROFOUND lack of understanding on how science works. Having worked in this space for more than forty (40) years, here goes:
There are two (2) realities that Secretary Kerry HAS NOT ARTICULATED.
The first of these is that other countries can make commitments and then not live up to them. An example is China. The Chinese passed the US in carbon dioxide emissions several years ago. This gap is widening. Irrespective of what China states publicly, the air (for example) in Beijing is polluted.
The US can tie itself up in knots trying to reduce its carbon footprint, but nothing substantive on sea level rise, etc. is likely to be the result (possibly for decades).
This is akin to more than twenty (20) years ago the Montreal Protocol phased out chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants. The ozone hole over Antarctica is now finally starting to close.
The second is the speed that we can implement renewable, environmentally friendly alternatives ONLY WHEN the engineering has enabled energy production at scale (sufficient BTUs) and cost (per kilowatt hour).
Secretary Kerry displays BREATHTAKING NAIVETE by not understanding that WE DON'T HAVE A MAGIC WAND to accelerate the research. Our National Labs will get it done, but it won't be tomorrow.
9
Ok. I'm convinced. Now what should we do about it?
Let me guess. The solution is the same for all of the problems the Democrats claim they can solve. Higher taxes. Am I right? It's money you want right liberals?
No.
Stop driving cars and turn your lights down.
3
Interestingly the left is obsessed with ever increasing immigration and a higher u.s. population. Probably the single worst thing you can do for the environment on any level. They have no credibility.
3
Mr. Kerry has ZERO credibility on this subject. He docked his luxury yacht in Rhode Island to avoid paying the higher taxes he would have incurred in Massachusetts.
When climates stop changing, that will mean the planet is dead. Until then, I will enjoy the heavy snow that falls when arctic air collides with warm ocean water vapor.
9
When you were in New Delhi... Hmmm. How did you get there? Was that trip really necessary? You could have skiped your comments in from one of your county-sized homes. If “people are dying because of climate change” – a risible, utterly unproveable assertion – what are YOU doing to stop it? Have you given up driving? How do you heat your many houses? What about refined metal? What about animal protein?
Please. If you want to be taken seriously, act like it. If this is an existential crisis, spectacularly wealthy folks like you should stop flying around, get rid of their cars, and live modestly. That’s “science”.
Absent a handy volcano, there are two, and only two, sources of reliable, economical power: dams and nukes. Solar and wind are expensive toys, never mind producing their own eco consequences.
Yes, facts matter. And, heretofore, the only “solutions” the left has proposed are giving a lot more of your money to the government (even the French aren’t down with that) while freezing in the dark.
If you can’t wrap your tongue around the word “nuclear” – never mind leading by example – you simply can’t be taken very seriously. If this is a crisis, start acting as if your life depended on it, as you say it does.
9
Dry piece. But, the fact is John Kerry is right - ceasing to defecate in our collective bed needs to be goal one for all of us - starting with anyone who drives a car that is larger than they need, and moving through mandates on utility companies, tax credits for solar panels and electric cars, etc. We need to finance the cleansing of the air they way we finance soy beans, wheat, and corn - and stop financing soy beans, wheat and corn (they are killing us - and the health care system - too!). The money is not flowing to the right slices of the pie. We are killing ourselves on every front!
7
Some argue that Climate Change, and man's contribution to it's acceleration is not the most important issue on our plates.
I sincerely disagree !
Of the many very important issues to be addressed on our planet, what will it matter if our planet dies ?
The art of problem solving is one of many variables which must be considered.
In the case of our changing climate, the variable of "timeliness" is extremely critical.
We must not only get on board with this global issue immediately, we must rise to the occasion and regain our position as world leaders in the pursuit of rapidly lowering carbon emissions and getting everyone else on board as well.
America has a fantastic record of "multi-tasking" -
Way back in 1961, John F. Kennedy declared: ". . . we're going to the moon . . . this decade . . . "
AND WE DID !
He also started the Peace Corps as well.
We also managed to make huge headway on Civil Rights and the war on poverty under LBJ -
Massive awareness of rights for women also took place in this decade -
There's much more going on - while we met JFK's proclamation and landed on the moon in '69.
The point . . .
We as a global leader "can" lead the way on Climate Change - Creating huge new industries just like all of the spin-offs of the Space Race.
This is not a case where we can put Climate Change on the back burner - there is no time to waste -
I like that Mr. Kerry seeks to over-ride the foolish and greedy position our president has put upon us.
5
Imagine it's the first part of the 20th century and the fledgling industries based on the internal combustion engine - automobiles & aircraft are beginning to grow.
But there's a powerful, incredibly wealthy horse & buggy industry and associated lobby that wields massive power, money and influence over Washington. Many in Congress, and one party in particular, passes legislation favorable to "Big Buggy", and quashes anything that threatens their powerful industry. Finally we get a president who denies that internal combustion is even real.
So the rest of the world progresses, and the U.S. stays stuck in the past, beholden to "Big Buggy".
Sounds ridiculous, but that's what we have today with Big Oil vs. alternative clean energy sources. That's the future. That's where the jobs and business opportunities will be. We can't continue as we have been.
We'll need fossil fuels, and will for a while. But we have to go all out - a "moon shot" effort - to develop alternative clean energy that can truly replace petroleum. The cost of using fossil fuel is too high. We're fouling our home. It's not the planet we need to save. It's ourselves.
There may be some who'll say "We should have stuck with horses", but my point is the world must change and our competition will lead the way if the U.S doesn't. They will reap the business rewards, too.
Wake up folks! The future is knocking and the status quo is killing us.
9
Even an advanced civilization like this one depends on agriculture. If climate change becomes so severe it causes massive crop failures and food shortages then it's game over. Society will disintegrate.
9
You can't save the future if you live in a fantasy built on lies.
Donald Trump, the GOP, and Fox News, are all in the business of selling that fantasy because it makes them rich.
And 40% of the voting public believes it.
When science is widely thought to be someone's "subjective opinion", how can you use it to save anything?
One thing is certain, for better or worse, the human race is going to get what it deserves.
5
John Kerry: Forget Trump. We All Must Act on Climate Change.
I quibble with the title. I don't think we should forget Trump or the GOP for their failure to address climate change.
John Kerry: We All Must Act on Climate Change. Don't Forget Trump and the GOP Deniers in 2020.
4
Billionaires have the potential to effect the outcomes of global warming in ways governments and voters do not. Elon Musk founded Tesla & SpaceX and Gaga Factories. His companies are on track to disrupt aerospace, communications and the automotive sectors of the US economy.
The founders of Patagonia and NorthFace bought millions of acres of land in Chile to preserve it.
I’m hoping that some of these more philanthropic billionaires buy up coal mines with the intention of shutting them down. That some billionaire will assist the half million Puerto Rican’s who fled PR after the disaster of Hurricane Maria (and the further disaster of a Federal Government response that was in reality a crime against humanity) to move out of southern and central Florida to low population red states like Montana and Wyoming and become citizens of those places and take control of the legislature. They would have real representation in Congress and an opportunity to fix the wrongs that were perpetrated by our inept leader in the White House. They would turn those red states blue. Easy pick ups.
The influence of the Koch brothers shows how billionaire directed money has changed the way the Federal and State Governments work (or don’t work) for their constituents ie Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina.
3
People ask, "What do we do?" Do something. President Jimmy Carter turned down the White House thermostat, wore his sweaters, and put a solar panel on the White House roof. That WAS the time to begin, but we can't regret our misspent time now.
We begin now. Switch your light bulbs, conserve whatever you can, grow something to eat in your yard, or in some community garden allotment. Don't have community gardens? Start some. Consider what in your life can be solar or human powered. We leave the fossil fuels in the ground. We don't poison ourselves.
I suppose that if wringing your hands warms them, go ahead.
7
As a rule of thumb, if you can get to your destination on foot in 10 min or less, walk.
5
I wrote to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) demanding action in harmony with the recently published urgent warning that sounded the alarm that our planet is in mortal danger from climate change.
This is part of his reply to me:
"Scientists continue to study the underlying causes of the Earth’s changing climate, including the contributions of human activities. As a policymaker, I have a responsibility to consider the costs and benefits of proposed policies and regulations as we seek to improve public safety and conserve our natural resources. And I must weigh all of my decisions against the potential consequences of increasing financial burdens on families, workers, and job creators, and subjecting future generations to unsustainable levels of debt."--Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida)
There's more, but this is the meat of his reply. No clue.
This is the man who represents Florida, one of the states already at super-high risk. He said early on that he wouldn't support emissions control because China is a bigger problem, and we wouldn't offset any of it.
I don't know if stupid pills are available for the taking in Congress each day, or if Mr. Rubio and his ilk really believe this tripe, or if it's a calculated political kiss-up to Trump. The only way to hold the ones like Rubio accountable is to vote them out. He, however, has a seat until 2022.
Keep pushing, Mr. Kerry. Our children deserve to have some adults in the room.
8
Will Mr. Kerry be scrapping all his various yachts (docked out of state to avoid taxes), moving to a two-bedroom townhouse and getting rid of all his cars?
Hmm. I didn't think so. Be very wary when a politician says "we," because they usually mean "you."
9
"John Kerry: Forget Trump. We All Must Act on Climate Change.
If we fail, it won’t be just the president’s fault."
True, Mr. Kerry . When you fly to New Delhi, it is your fault, not Trump's.
2
Future generations?
That would be nice, but that lump of coal has already burned.
3
Really???
Since climate change has been on the front pages of the media there have been 16 years of Democratic Presidents and 10 years of Republicans.
I am not associated with either because they are both paralyzed.
Personally I drive an electric car, consume less STUFF and power my house entirely with solar and live in a 1500 sq. ft. home.
What do you do Mr. Kerry to minimize your personal carbon footprint and why haven't the Democrats made a bigger difference to move America to renewables when they had control?
Sorry this topic is a "dead horse" that we'll beat until it is too late, which may be now!
4
Agreed. And let’s start it by passing the carbon fee and dividend program designed by Citizens Climate Lobby and submittted last week in Congress by 4 Democrats and 3 Republicans
Energy-efficient makes the best business sense. Solar panels provide half our energy needs, at 1/3 the cost of the usual utility company charges. Buying a plug-in hybrid car nets us $10,000 in rebates. We’ve filled it up *once* since we bought it in Sept, so we’re nearing 200 mpg. Do whatever is affordable. If you can replace old appliances with energy-savers, that is a win.
Avoiding plastic, using cloth shopping bags, composting, combining trips, using public transportation, ride-sharing and living within walking/biking distance to family, school and work, and cutting way down on flights, esp international, are other things we do that help.
I also buy clothes and some housewares at used shops. Trying to up-cycle and keep things out of landfills makes sense.
And, I always vote for Democrats.
7
The elephant in this room looks a lot like a cow, pig, or chicken. Animal agriculture is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. If we are looking for a single way to respond to our climate crisis, significantly reducing or even better eliminating meat from our diet would be it. With more than 7 billion people on the planet, the choice is clear.
6
I have no quarrel - yes, we must act.
So, other than electing people who actually have shown a commitment to tackle this problem ... what can I do?
What can any ONE of us do?
I recycle, I use my own cloth grocery bags, I drive a hybrid car, I am almost (not quite) vegetarian, I do not buy bottled water, ... what else can I do that would have any effect?
1
@c
See if you can select an electricity provider, then pick from the ones who use the least fossil fuel or use none.
The "Drawdown" organization looks at different ways to reduce emissions - some of what you're doing is in there. More at their site
https://www.drawdown.org/solutions
What exactly should I do to encourage Congress to do better? My senators and representative are democrats, and they say they are committed to fighting global warming.
1
Perhaps find out what are local efforts to combat climate change—in my community we have local organizations combatting the use of plastic by encouraging local businesses to stop using straws and use reusable bags for products. We also have other organizations that are working to protect biodiversity in our nearby reservation. Our town hall has made plans to cut emissions by 10%, and may possible ban plastic bag use in the near future if the state government does not push through drafted legislature entailing the same. All of these efforts must seem relatively small, but as a high school student, I’ve learned that realizing that we leave an impact on the earth allows us to cultivate a greater culture of understanding and awareness in how to combat climate change. One of my friends told me a couple days ago that sometimes it feels that we should not change our lifestyle because we would make such a minor impact. But if we create a culture that is willing to take actions against climate change, then we will be able to a major impact.
3
@Mark Hardin - tell them to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions at the state level, the national level - at whatever level they can get it done. Ask them to get Republicans involved, too. There are a couple of national bills that have bipartisan sponsorship, but while we wait for Congress to behave rationally, look at state level, too.
This article discusses several bills and the overall site is informative as well.
https://www.carbontax.org/blog/2018/11/30/revenue-neutrality-rises-from-the-dead/
Oregon doesn't have nuclear plants, but in other states, even without an emissions price it's probably sensible to keep well-run ones going while we transition off of fossil. Germany has been working to reduce greenhouse emissions, but then they also decided to phase out their nuclear early - pretty much pushing the finish line farther away.
Here in Illinois we get a lot of our power from nuclear, and they recently passed some support to keep them running. Renewables are turning the economics of the grid upside down, since it's hard for big power plants to compete on wholesale power markets during hours where it's sunny or windy and their competition is just harvesting energy that delivers itself and leaves no waste to dispose of after generation.
2
What needs to be understood by all U.S. citizens is that the other parts of the world take climate change science seriously. Very seriously. Trump has lowered the bar on reasons for tariffs. It’s likely that the other parts of the world will extract significant tariffs on our economy due to GOP beliefs about climate science as we are the largest producer of carbon dioxide ejected into the atmosphere in the world. Our jobs, our national security, our way of life are at stake because of GOP fealty to the energy industry.
5
"Future generations will measure us by whether we acted on facts, not just debated or denied them."
If effective action is not taken to halt and possibly reverse greenhouse gas accumulation there may be few future generations to measure us. How long, as things stand, before the extinction of the human species commences and is irreversible? Sooner than we like to imagine, I suspect.
6
The elephant in the room is that going big for nuclear power would quickly solve carbon emissions without crashing civilization, and it would be something that could be sold to the right.
8
Climate change is urgent and existential. We must find feasible and sufficient ways to address it.
Some ways are infeasible. For example, people wouldn’t stand for outlawing commercial aviation; so it’s not a feasible option. Therefore the fact of jet travel can’t be a reason to forego upgrading the electric grid. Upgrading the grid is feasible; it can be done in a way that’s good for the climate, homeland security, and underemployment while people still fly cross country in a few hours.
Making rich people live in small houses with a tiny carbon footprint is also infeasible. People wouldn’t stand for that, either, so it can’t serve as a reason to not require fuel efficiency or promote carbon-free fuels.
The fact that we have other problems to solve is also not a reason to fail to address an urgent existential crisis. We can address more than one thing at a time; we don’t usually close the schools when we’re at war or shut down the hospitals so we can build a water system.
Unfortunately it sounds virtuous to downplay the need to address climate change by saying we need to address poverty and education first, or by bashing people who live in big houses and take advantage of the marvels of fast transportation.
3
Earth has warmed and cooled from the beginning of time.
And even with history out of fashion, the evidence remains beyond doubt that cooling trends impeded human progress and warming trends accelerated it.
A new historical consensus has even emerged that the Vikings first "discovered" North America long before Christopher Columbus was even born -- during a particularly long period of global warming.
So instead of making climate a political issue, let's learn to live with the planet as it grows and evolves over time.
And use human ingenuity to offset any harm, and encourage any benefit, that may occur from the temperature making precipitous changes, whether they be up or down.
4
@Rolf
You can't negotiate with a hurricane.
1
It's people with disposable income who are the drivers of global warming. They are the ones with BIG carbon footprint. Not the uneducated deplorable who don't even have jobs leave alone disposable incomes. The consumer class can reduce their carbon foot-print by completely cutting out non-vegetarian food, cutting out conspicuous consumption and unnecessary travel. Densely populated countries can reduce CO2 emission not by switching to electric cars but by banning private cars and investing in public transport. But neither people nor countries are even remotely interested in making these basic behavioral changes. Which is exactly why the so called deplorable believe that climate change is a hoax.
3
Nice effort, but I’m afraid the genie is out of the bottle. Even if all human activity (burning fossil fuels, deforestation, polluting the oceans, etc.) were to stop tomorrow, the damage would go on for some time to come because so much of it is self-reinforcing - melting tundra exhaling more carbon dioxide, for instance. Think of all the extra carbon dioxide generated by this year’s forest fires in California alone.
No, I am afraid we are doomed. We should have thought about this in the 1950s.
2
In the past 6 years, I have replaced my oil-burning furnace, gas-powered lawn mower, gas-burning pool heater, and two old kitchen appliances with energy-efficient electric-powered versions. (Electricity here is hydro-generated, so low carbon footprint.) We replaced a vehicle that burned 15+ litres of gas/100 km with a diesel car that uses 6-7 litres/100 km of mixed driving. I'd prefer an electric car but there's nothing short of a $100K Tesla that can heat the passenger compartment in a Canadian winter and drive any appreciable distance before recharging. But when it's available at an affordable price, I will buy it.
My point? No one should wait for leadership. It's our grandchildren who will suffer and we all need to start doing what we can now.
8
The world is a frenzy of exploitation, consumption and acquisition. And we are supposed to let the ringleaders of this lead us to a better world?
5
"If we fail, future generations will judge us all as failures, not just this president. They will have no time for excuses. Facts matter. Act on them."
I'm an ordinary person, old now, who worked fairly low-paying jobs, raised a child, and have always personally 'lobbied' for a cleaner, sustainable energy policy and for protecting he environment. I still carry my own reusable grocery bags, etc., and have written my 'representatives', marched and demonstrated, and made small donations to worthwhile environmental and wildlife groups. Long ago I did it for my daughter's future and I continue to do so now for the grandkids.
Was the environment part of your campaign? I honestly don't remember, but I don't recall it being high or even a political priority over the years. Hopefully that will change. It's high time for people with power and resources to actually effect change to throw their weight into it. We the People don't seem to have much sway with any branch of government...
7
@Bill, please save America from know-nothings like you.
Bert Gold, Ph.D., FACMGG, CGMB and a bunch of other letters signifying education, sophistication and honoring of scientific hypotheses theories and facts.
This might be a fine time to mention that it is deeply unlikely that a "carbon tax" is the answer on its own, and even if it starts to work, it will be very likely to get voted out - just like those White House solar panels.
Future generations may hate the debt we are going to leave them, but I am guessing they would prefer a bigger debt to more climate-related damage. Let's use this "license to borrow" to rapidly expand (and subsidize as needed) nuclear and renewable power. Voters can reverse a tax, but cannot easily unplug an active power plant.
2
with the poorest countries in the world the ones the most committed to coal as a cheap and abundant source of energy, any , even herculean. attempts to curb carbon emissions on our part, would have little impact on the problem and just lead to failure.
Unfortunately the world is composed of individual nation states all pursuing their own self interest and, short of war,
the problem is really intractable.
Only a technological solution can alleviate the problem, but we are far from there at this time.
1
Good article, but I thought it would be more about what we can do as individuals and families to reduce the buildup of greenhouse gases. One very simple thing we can all do, and that would be highly effective (believe it or not) is to eat less beef and consume fewer dairy products. Many people are not aware that cattle are major sources of greenhouse gases. According to the United Nations, cattle generate more greenhouse gases worldwide than, incredibly, transportation. That's right, cattle create more greenhouse gases than planes, trains, and automobiles. Check it out, and start eating less beef and drinking less milk. There are good alternatives; for example, chicken and almond milk.
10
Science does not adequately understand the workings of the global climate mechanism, certainly not well enough to be prescribing national or global standards, but there is evidence that the market is already starting to address the issue; battery, solar, and wind technology are making advances, consumer interest is increasing. The market will solve the problem, it's infinitely more flexible than the political process. It can drop non-working ideas and direct new investment capital to promising areas a hundred times faster than any government agency. Politically motivated activists have a role as cheerleaders, but they should not be allowed onto the playing field. Leave implementation of the game plan to the market.
The climate change battle should be led by John Kerry. A shorter boat, a smaller house. Baby steps.
7
If future generations are any similar to present generations only about half of them will care about the things you are talking about.
Doing something about climate change has always been an argument about paternalism. The market won't provide a solution, individuals can try to solve the problem but it'll be ineffective, the government is the only tool left in the toolbox to affect the change required in this dire situation. If people really cared about it they would've elected representatives to do something about it, but they didn't.
Sadly, I think what we are seeing is a likely solution to the Fermi paradox.
I'm not name-calling, but I DO like the phrase "Luddite in the White House".
3
"All Must Act"? That's a joke, because most Americans, including so-called liberals, will never personally act on climate change, but will only vote to try to make others act, and then tell themselves they're environmentalists. I'm sorry, my friends, but most of us are massive hypocrites when it comes to climate and the environment. If it doesn't affect us personally in our lifetime, we ignore it.
"Acting" means reducing your personal contribution to the production of climate change-inducing emissions, by driving an electric vehicle, or at least a hybrid. It means reducing your consumption of meat, since beef and pork farms are heavy polluters and producers of emissions. It means reducing your air travel.
If we all did these things, we wouldn't have to try to force Trump (or any other pathetic politician) to act on our behalf. Instead, most Americans prefer to drive giant trucks and SUVs, and would rather drive than walk or bike. Most Americans think gasoline taxes should be lower, not higher, so that they can drive, pollute, and cause climate change even more than they do now.
John Kerry tells us to "make climate change the galvanizing issue for 2020" and vote accordingly. Unfortunately, voting does not equal acting. Like most people, when it comes to climate action, John Kerry is a lazy hypocrite.
8
@Unconventional Liberal
This liberal and most of my friends do as much as we can to limit our impacts on the climate. Right now, not all options are available to me. For instance in my case, mass transit is not an option. If it were, I would use it. I try to reduce my impact in other ways. It is an uphill battle, but lets not call each other hypocrites if the options are not available to us. Let's be educated and do as much as we can. But working the political end to change our policies is also important.
3
Bill, so humanity is helpless?
Leadership would be nice.
How many tech campuses in Louisville would it take to get rid of Mitch McConnell?
2
Here's yet another jet-setting hypocrite. Just like Al Gore and his four (4!) children and huge house and constant airplane travel.
8
“We must all act on climate change.”
Translation: You must act on climate change while I jet around the world polluting the air so I can schmooze with other rich elites.
7
Mr. Kerry,
How much CO2 have you pushed into the atmosphere through your years of circling the globe as SoS and since? It's hard to take you seriously when you begin your article with "While I was in New Delhi this week..."
You say we have to do something. Why don't you and Mr. Gore (who's won great acclaim also circling the planet preaching his gospel) actually DO something.
Yes, I realize I'm a bit cynical, but maybe you can see why.
9
Heh. If we fail, there will be no one around to write history.
2
Climate change, unfortunately, is seen by many as an issue of the privileged and elite whites. And also seen are the many hypocrites who preach about it and yet do very little to hide or improve their own neglectful footprints.
4
It is sad to see how greed and ignorance have teamed up to defend the destruction of our environment. If we cleaned the air, the water, and the earth; promoted renewable energy solutions that would be available to more for less; would it matter if we were mistaken. If we leave a better world for the next generation, isn't that a good goal, and perhaps our purpose.
We are driving down the road and someone shouts to us, "the bridge is out!" does it really hurt to slow down and look. Instead, some would argue no keep going fast, we are making good speed. We need to stop paying attention to those who preach against reasonable and environmentally sound policy. John Kerry is right.
Wise words, well spoken and timed. Thanks for continuing to remind us both of what is most important as well as that inaction is not an option. I for one appreciate your ceaseless dedication to public service and your distinguished record of bravery and selflessness. Bravo.
Lets hope that some of the millennials we're all counting on to participate in 2020 are from a similar mold.
I get that mr Kerry (who should have been president) is thinking about running again. He has to sound the hopeful vision thing to inspire us all, but there is no plan anywhere, not Paris, not in the democratic platform, nowhere, that will put even the smallest of dent in the mess we are in. We aren't just to blame (even though trump is the most popular bad guy in this) but everybody who has more than two kids, promotes more immigration, uses oil and gas or electricity or thinks that this planet can support anything like the 8 billion of us here now. We don't need a tune up and a rethink, we need the reboot of all time and even then it's a very long shot that we can even slow down this disaster. Meeting like Poland one would have been fine 75 years ago. Now, with 3 billion more people, we are so far down the hole that hand wringing and a call to arms are laughable at best.
1
The Republican Party is owned by the fossil fuel industry. It's not that they don't believe that global warming is caused by burning fossil fuels or that global warming will be a catastrophe, they don't care.
What matters to the Republican Party is not what's best for the United States, but what's best for their corporate masters. What puzzles me, is why don't they care. Don't they have children and grandchildren? Does their collective greed outweigh their love for their offspring?
Maybe they have some alternative planet they and their descendants are going to live on.
We cannot rely on Washington for this.
In the US, we must shame the oil and gas companies. None of these editorials pleading for action on climate change ever lists these instigators of our oil, gas and coal addiction. Name them! Provide addresses so that people can write to them. Some of the people working for those companies must have children too.
And, of course, drive as little as possible. Don't eat beef at all. Buy local to avoid transportation pollution. Buy stock in companies that are in the renewable energy field. Dump stock in oil companies (including through mutual funds).
In the rest of the world, the big offenders are China and India (both countries are STILL building coal plants). Pick some products from each country that are key exports for them and stop consuming them. Push for "Climate Change Friendly" labels on products produced in countries that are making real efforts to reduce their emissions. Articles like this should name those countries so we know what country's products to look for. Also, Australia is currently a disgrace on climate change and should know better. Boycott everything from Australia until they change their policies.
Make this personal and don't rely on governments.
3
Anyone in the U.S. who drives a vehicle that averages less than 30 miles/gal of fuel should be prohibited from commenting on how government is failing to respond to climate change. The problem is not the government: it is us!
2
@agscientist The government could give people tax subsidies for owning electric or hybrid vehicles. That way people like me could afford them.
1
"But the test is not whether the nation’s cities and states can make up for Mr. Trump’s rejection of reality. They can."
That statement is completely false.
For instance , Trump managed to overturn the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. The nations cities and states have been stripped of their power to protect migratory birds from " incidental take", as it is is no longer illegal to kill migratory birds if the "Take ". is incidental.
In fact, a fellow advocate for an imperiled family of nesting Oystercatchers wrote a letter to the head of the Public Works Department of my City. His response was " Under the current administration, the incidental take of Oystercatchers is legal. "
which is exactly what the National Fish and Wildlife Association told me when I called to report that I had witnessed the Army Corps of Engineers bulldoze an Oystercatcher nest. " Due to a reinterpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 by the Secretary. of the Interior of the current administration. the Incidental take of migratory birds is no longer illegal. "
The MBTH, which had brought certain birds back from the brink of extinction, along with 100 years of effort, has been thrown out in the garbage heap. along with the migratory birds who have been killed and will be killed as a result.
How are the Cities and Stats supposed to overcome federal law, Mr. Kerry ?
1
A figure for all of us: For every dollar you spend you release 1.1 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere. That's the 2014 gross world product (78.11 trillion USD) divided by the 2014 world carbon emissions (71.338 trillion pounds).
I've been waiting for a politician with the brass to say, "If you want to reduce your carbon footprint stop spending money". Until that happens it will remain difficult to take any political discussion about carbon emissions seriously.
3
Most important two words in American life, as we move ahead.
Forget Trump.
1
Ok forget trump. Elect HRC or Bernie or Obama. It won’t matter. No politician is going to suggest, much less pass anything like we need to do to even start to fix this problem. Those people don’t even get nominated.
Conservation is key to saving fossil fuels and remaining comfortable. Weatherize your homes and businesses, drive less and walk more. Conservation is key to curtailing emissions. Electricity use? Is it ON? Turn it OFF! It's easier to saving energy, your money, and thus, the planet.
In the absence of Legislation, education will accomplish much.
Thank you John Kerry, but be louder and more aggressive. It's that important. Dignity will never win opposing a dangerous brute like Trump.
I am a scientist and a business owner, and read studies on climate change in the journal, Science. It's not a Twitter account or a glossy 30-second TV ad by Koch Industries. While I am not a climate scientist, I do understand the methods. It's not hard to learn the fundamentals of science, which is based on the measurement of replicable cause and effect. Human babies quickly apprehend cause and effect. Normally, adults do too—except when greed for immediate reinforcement enters the equation, versus delay in gratification for longer-term positive outcomes. This is basic behavioral science across animals, but made infinitely worse or better by language and greed by humans.
Humans can and do cause dramatic climate change. I grew up in Western Kansas (and even went to school with the Koch kids, another story). My parents' and grand-parents' generation remembered the devestating effects of plowing up the prairie—i.e., the dust bowl days, the mass migration from the middle West.
Climate change or environmental change caused by humans is not benign. For example, airborne lead (Pb) levels measured by the EPA air quality instruments in the lower 48 states predict homicide and juvenile delinquency. And, where does that lead come from? Human activities. Lead particles do not decay.
Humans in the past clearly wasted their environments on a smaller scale, yet civilizations vanished. Let us not repeat those errors out of greed or stupidity.
2
We need practical unintrusive everyday solutions that everyday people can implement in their everyday lives to slowly hack at this problem. Corporates also need to play their part, and be held accountable. Policies must be enforced. We can do it if we do it together.
If we truly want to fight climate change, we have to put a democrat in the WH. That should be our first priority. And our second priority should be turning the Senate blue.
1
We can begin by having just one kid at most.
5
@gupta
Let's make a law that says just that. Oh, wait. They already tried that in China
Time is short. If we fail even the very wealthy will lead lives of impoverishment. What's enjoyable about mostly dead oceans and terrestrial life everywhere? The ignorant among us can't be permitted to win.
1
We all should go back to calling it global warming because it is more accurate than calling it climate change. It is also demonstrably true. Ask the indigenous peoples who live in the north. They can no longer hunt on the ice as they have for thousands of years ----- because the ice is melting and is no longer safe if it is there at all. It's so bad they now send cruise ships through the fabled Northwest Passage.
'Climate denier' is a misnomer. One can't deny reality. Call them what they are. They are simply spokesmen for the oil interests. They are paid lobbyists. They are corrupt.
If someone says, "I'm not a scientist." Agree, then simply say, "Let's listen to those who truly are scientists."
1
Our political system isn’t even capable of coming up with a plan to fix our crumbling infrastructure. We’re not capable of adequately taking care of our fellow citizens after a natural disaster. A little bit of Russian propaganda and we elect the least qualified President of all time. We’ve known about climate change for a long time, and if we had done something about it 20 or 30 years ago we could have dealt with it in a relatively painless fashion. But large numbers of us were far more worried about what the rest of us do in our bedrooms and voted based on that.
Call me cynical but the chances of our effectively addressing climate change are right around 0. I honestly don’t know why young people aren’t rioting in the streets demanding that we do something but a recently survey showed that climate change was near the bottom of a list of about 18 issues that people are concerned about.
I’ve accepted the fact that it’s too late. If people don’t care about it now, then by the time they do it will be too late for any engineering solutions. I’m sad about that, but I don’t see the point in getting angry or upset about things I can’t change. My quality of life has already been degraded by the effects of climate change, given that I have asthma and the West is now on fire most of the time. I’m just focused on enjoying the next 5-10 years as much as I can. I’m not sure we have much longer than that before things start getting a lot worse.
1
Sadly, hopes and prayers are not enough. Good people with electric cars are not going to get it done. A massive wealth transfer is the first step so that the poor and rural don’t have to lose their entire quality of life. This is the problem in France. There, the elites are trying to impose the changes and the poor aren’t going to pay. Of coarse, many wealthy here have figured this out, so they simply deny the issue in order to protect their assets.
3
Any plea for action on climate change (global warming - whatever the term de jour is) must include nuclear power if one can be taken seriously, in my opinion.
The energy demands for the planet's population are huge and growing. And they must be met. The alternative is to tell the most vulnerable that we don't care for them.
I'd like to see serious discussion on the nominal viewpoints on low-level radiation - which greatly increases the cost of nuclear power.
Get on it, Mr. Secretary!
3
Thank you for bringing this back to the fore.
Oil exploration and drilling, inland or at sea must be reined in. We must maintain what we have left of wilderness.
But I am also very worried about insects. I strongly feel that we need an immediate moratorium on global pesticide use. We can not afford to kill off what’s left of our pollinators and other important bugs. Bat and songbird populations are plummeting right along with them, and we will soon follow. Fertilizers are also causing terrible lethal algae blooms.
We must listen to our Earth and stop the madness.
7
Mr Kerry... I hear you... We all hear you... But what are we supposed to do? A majority of people reading this (and a majority of Americans generally) are aware Climate Change is happening, and are at least somewhat concerned about it. The problem is, we have no real idea what to do about it. In the face of mounting doomsday predictions, politically powerful industries, and completely dysfunctional government, what is the average well-intentioned person supposed to do? And I'm not asking rhetorically... I'm asking for actual advice that doesn't feel completely out of whack with the scale of the problem, like changing lightbulbs or walking to work. I appreciate that small solutions like these are worth something, but individual action like that is not going to be nearly enough... Thoughts?
8
Eat less meat. Buy less stuff.
7
@Ben
Check out Paul Hawken’s book about the Top 100 solutions to climate change.
1
Dear Mr. Kerry,
I have been studying climate change and its effects on the world's biosphere since the late 90s. I find it comical that a man such as you would write this now. It has been a major part of my life's work to educate others about human made climate change, and the destruction it will cause all of us (and has, talk; talk to the citizens of Kiribati), whether in a middle school, high school, or college classroom. I lose sleep over it often. A few years ago, I bought car that burned compressed natural gas to ease my climate guilt. But, that wasn't good enough, so I bought a tiny Mitsubishi electric car. People here in Las Vegas make fun of me because I'm 6'4" and I drive such a small car with limited range. In the next 5 years, I plan on being completely solar energy independent, and perhaps selling my excess electricity to the city. I try and recycle, but the building I work in has no one to take my recycling. Everyday I feel immense climate guilt, knowing future generations will pool me in with every person in this time who were misguided about climate change and furthered it unknowingly, knew about it and didn't care, and the few who delighted in damaging the environment because it gave them some sense of control. Once I'm finished with my PhD dissertation, I will write books pleading with those who can critically think to try and make policy with governments to reverse man made climate change AND take it upon themselves to reverse their own carbon footprint.
5
A lot of denialist memes are laid out here: climate has always changed and always will; other problems are more pressing; Kerry has a large carbon footprint; etc. Professor Frankfort shows that the resort to BS replaces a concern for truth with propaganda. Plato warned us similarly in the Gorgias. "More doctors smoke camels than any other brand" is neither new nor outdated. It is Trumps brand.
The truths are: 1. CO2 added since 1970 has prevented 5 times more heat from escaping to space than is needed to explain the recent warming. So says a First Law analysis of the climate system over the time when instruments have been up to the task. Our emissions have provided more than 5 times the cause needed to explain the observed effect. 2. More CO2 it will warm more. 3. We do not know the technology or politics of the future. But chances are that warming will make the problems faced by our posterity harder to solve. More migration, hunger, war and water-stress are likely to ensue. It is indeed about sustainability for our posterity.
At COP24, Trump's minions stated clearly that they will not trade a reduction in carbon burning for a better chance at a sustainable future. This is a simple declaration of war on our children and grandchildren. Absent GOP denialism, the occasion is piled high with difficulty. The GOP reduces our chances. But we must succeed and we cannot escape history. Our children know that we know what must be done. We cant hide behind denialist, GOP BS.
3
It is possible and likely that Climate Change is further along than we realize and more rapid changes will be right along faster than we anticipate. After all, scientists keep telling us that changes are coming faster than expected and these things only accelerate, especially with Trump pulling out all the stops. We all know what should be done and we know what we can do now to help. We can just get busy and make the changes we are able to make. Give the future generations a bit more of a chance, that is, if we are going to have many future generations.
Human are programmed to ignore bad news in the future and keep on with good living today. Like the sparrows that barely pause when the hawk flys by. In this case that attitude contains both suicide and genocide.
It is also likely that when climate catastrophes are really knocking at everybody's door people will wake up and furiously blame others for inaction.
Can't we be more proactive than the sparrow?
11
Kerry is a non-engineer.
As a result, he is entirely ignorant of what the true cure of climate change will be.
We need a profound breakthrough in mechanical engineering first and foremost, not in regulations or taxation of any sort.
We need more focused engineering brainpower, not more bloviating by non-engineers and lawyers pretending to be subject matter experts and leaders on global warming solutions. Ask a lawyer what the Rankine Cycle is. They have no idea. My point exactly.
Fossil fuel power plants are the cause of the majority of global warming.
Most electric cars receive their electricity from fossil fuel power plants, and that is the problem to be solved. Having more electric cars will solve absolutely nothing until we have better engineered power plants.
Sustainable nuclear fusion will literally solve global warming, as it produces several times more energy than fission with minimal emissions and pollution.
We are very close to achieving sustainable nuclear fusion. Paul Allen, the late billionaire, was extremely interested in it, and funded a company a pursue it, TAE, which is now experiencing some success.
We need an Manhattan-style project with the most hard-driving and brilliant engineers, fueled by generous dollars, to achieve sustainable nuclear fusion in the next 5 years. Once it is achieved, it will be the greatest achievement in human history, "the birth of a star on Earth".
7
@Brendan At this point the best that Earth can hope for is that METI International is successful in their task. Eg, that either ET comes here with fusion technology for free rendering all carbon based power sources obsolete, or ET comes here and wipes out the human race.
@Purity
I greatly commend your intellectual inquiry and courage. Indeed, the goal for anyone seeking a truly cultivated mind is life-long, self-directed learning in many disciplines.
You can literally teach engineering to yourself by watching and/or listening to full-scale lectures posted for free on Youtube, and test your knowledge on sample midterm and final exams banks posted for free by different universities online. MIT has a very nice course on Thermodynamics and Kinetics on Youtube, and the UCI Intro to Thermodynamics course on Youtube looks good. Just copy down the courses required for an engineering major at an ABET-accredited school and start listening to the courses on Youtube.
With any learning in any discipline, maintaining inspiration and diligence is key.
Any lawyer can learn engineering, and I dare say, if most lawyers studied engineering, they would love it. When you analyze cases you apply law to facts. When solving thermodynamic problems, one applies key equations to a facts of a problem.
The engineering mind is less adversarial and more problem-solving, and practically oriented than the lawyer's.
An engineering mind coupled to a lawyer's talent for advocacy is a powerful combination.
1
How about some honesty about solar power. Under the Clean Power Plan advocated by Obama which violates the Clean Air Act, the natural gas used to generate solar power is not counted in CO2.
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System shown in the opening illustration is burning two to four times as much natural gas as was projected in the investment particulars and is creating several times as much CO2 per day as coal plants that are required to shut down under the CPP.
When the CPP sets out statewide goals for reductions in CO2 production, the states have to reduce emissions for coal, natural gas combined cycle and heating oil electricity generators. Natural gas surge generators, which produce 133% of the CO2 produced by combined cycle natural gas generators per unit of electricity generated are not even counted.
Under the CPP, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System gets California "credit" under the CPP for 100% renewable generation even though 30-40% of its electricity is generated from natural gas, which is more than the promised 10%.
This is the core defect in the legality of the CPP. Under the Clean Air Act, a pollutant is a pollutant. If a paper mill generates SO2, it is regulated and has to reduce or eliminate the pollutant, the same as a steel mill or electricity generator.
Under the CPP, a combined cycle natural gas generator or coal fired electricity generator has to reduce the amount of CO2 generated. But a solar plant doesn't.
2
My wife and I drive an electric car with zero C02 and a Prius, the lowest C02 of any car powered primarily by fossil fuels. Our house is fully powered by solar panels which also charges our electric car. We do this because we want to do our fair share, but few people think this way. Mostly, people think of themselves first and foremost, so they won't buy electric cars unless THEY save money or install solar panels unless THEY save money. These are evolutionary traits which are hard to overcome. Speaking of evolution, another trait we inherited in our DNA is fear, which is on a continuum, the more you have, the further right on the political spectrum. On the far right, that fear begins to transition from something healthy to paranoia. The main symptom is the sense that everyone is out to get you. And government is one of many things out to get conservatives, thus they deny AGW. It has nothing to do with the science, that part is just made up as a defensive mechanism of the brain. Since people were born this way, it is unconscious, automatic, "thinking", thus meaningless to debate the topic with them. Of course it all has to do with survival from long ago. If you want to get politicians on board, never vote for a conservative.
5
Really inspiring article, thank you. The science is clear about the huge threat that climate change poses, and our focus now is really trying to limit the damage as best we can - and stop using fossil fuels as quickly as we can.
I find it dispiriting how rarely leaders really get it; and this article indicates to me that John Kerry does! Thank you so much.
4
A true leader would envision a world where all ground transport is electrified with the electricity being generated by clean renewable sources. Air and ocean transport MAY still need to burn fossil fuels for power. Some fossil fuels MAY be needed for certain necessary products and chemicals.
A true leader would envision a world where everyone is an organic plant eater and the slaughter of animals will become a relic of the past (except for feeding carnivorous pets and zoo animals). Land will be used only for growing crops for human consumption. Everyone will be healthier when they stop consuming animal products.
A true leader would envision clean air free of fossil fuel residue and clean waterways free from plastic and chemical residue.
A true leader would envision large forested nature preserves.
Trump has no forward vision. He sees only the past where the rich could exploit the earth and enrich themselves without pesky regulation of working conditions.
4
I appreciate John Kerry's article. However, I take exception to the statement of "Forget Trump. We all must act on climate change." While I realize that Trump, his attitude nor actions are solely responsible for how things are progressing so extremely, he isn't doing anything to help slow down or eliminate the devastating results of greenhouse gases, etc. Also, exactly what else can a little person like myself do in addition to recycling, planting more trees, drive an electric car or ride my bike, or use more solar power in my home when possible or feasible? I can continue to write to my congressmen and state senators, but in the end, it's our elected officials who set policy or reverse policy.
I take exception that while I do the best I can, I feel as if Mr. Kerry is holding ME responsible and I am to blame or have failed regarding these devastating climate issues.
I am more than willing to do whatever I can to help in this matter, but I don't appreciate the tone in which was used. I've been schooled enough in my life without having to be scolded by Mr. Kerry. Enough with the blame game. How about some concrete and tangible suggestions for the common person like myself.
I apologize if I offended anyone by my rant.
5
Stop politicizing climate change or there's no chance for improvement. However, if you want to reduce carbon emissions, you must develop new innovative ways to do so. This takes effort and good engineering. Old tired ideas just won't work (ie, taxes and cap and trade). The American people won't tolerate anything that makes their lives more expensive or difficult. (Mr. Kerry, please read that last sentence again.) Nobody except the most panicked about global warming is going to frightened into making changes to improve carbon emissions. We're all still here at the computer reading the NYTimes, and we'll all be doing the same thing tomorrow.
2
The human species is part of the evolutionary process, just like asteroids, volcanic eruptions, and demographic impacts on the biosphere we call earth. Human populations will suffer from ignorance and malice as well as the narcisstic belief that earth exists for mankind’s benefit. Anthropocentrism is a negative mental paradigm pervading many western societies. It may very well be the characteristic that leads to the extinction of our species and other mammals. Our species is decimating species via environmental degradation, all in the name of short term capitalistic gains. This will all sort itself out via natural selection, just as Darwin and other evolutionary biologists have suggested. It may be quicker than we realized. Time will tell..
5
@ Jeff bunkers .... absolutely correct!
Actually, if we as humans don't turn the corner soon, there may not be many future generations left. And this is not even addressing the mass extinction going on right under our noses that we urban humans don't even notice.
8
I've just read the first few responses to Mr. Kerry's excellent editorial, and I am left with the demoralizing thought that with these quibbles and self-righteous snarks we will not get anywhere with a campaign to contain or, miracle of miracles, reverse the catastrophic damages that are being inflicted by human abetted global warming. Our thoughts, our plans, our activities should be to join together in united political and personal action to act to counter the unfolding devastation. We, or in my case, my children and grandchildren, are going to have to pay the piper big time. Lets focus on our commonalities, large and small, and accelerate our change of direction so we can, in truth, attempt to rescue our beautiful earth from mankind's ravagings before existential extinction hits us.
7
@RMG
I wish I could recommend this multiple times.
And to those who would like to point fingers to blame those who started pointing fingers -- just stop. Let's be the better person for once, no? Please, for the love of God put your pettiness and vindictiveness and self-righteousness aside and do what you know is right.
Because you -- the person reading this right now -- you're a good person. Right? In difficult times you step up. You help others. You're capable of thinking of the greater good and then acting on it. You're not consumed by smallness and self-interest, but by the bigness of your spirit: because your parents taught you better, because of your faith, because you're inspired the amazing, precious gift that life is. At the end of the day you know the difference between what's right and wrong and you choose the former.
Right?
I know you're good people. The only thing that keeps me going is my faith in all of you (yes, YOU reading this right now). Even if we haven't been acting our best lately, I know we can all be better. You, as much as anyone else on this planet, deserve to be loved and cared for. Let's make a better world for all of us, no?
Because if you choose smallness and greed and fear you still won't be able to escape all the humanity you detest, you'll still be stuck with the rest of us, except you'll be stuck with us in death as we all race toward the end, instead of stuck with us in life as we work together for a new beginning.
1
The country needs to stop kidding itself that solar/wind/hydro will work on a large scale. Nuclear is the only viable electrical power source to decrease C02 on a large scale from power generation.
Also - there should a gas tax and an excise tax on single family homes >2,000 square ft. Making cars and homes smaller are also important way to decrease C02.
3
While it is certain that modern humans have affected the rate of climate change, it is clear from the geological record that the global climate has experienced extreme reversals over and over again. Like other species, human populations have been reduced dramatically during eras of crisis before evolving to adapt to the altered environment.
If the human race wants to survive more or less at the current stage of evolution, then we need to look more at ways to adapt to the changing climate rather than trying to slow the inevitable with the equivalent of teaspoons.
1
Humans, you have been a terrible species.
I will not let you destroy me.
Please get it together,
Mother Earth
5
"No to a manufacturing revolution that could put West Virginia back to work in ways that his beloved coal never will?"
If this remarks refers to the "petrochemical corridor" that is being built in WV, eastern OH and southwestern PA. all based of fracking for natural gases, then he really needs to do some more homework on how fracking is accelerating climate change. This "all of the above" approach was one of Obama's major blind spots. We need to keep fossil fuels in the ground. New jobs need to be connected to building a clean energy future.
1
No, John Kerry, my priority is ridding our country of the criminal in the White House.
2
Blah blah blah. Nothing will be done. The earth is cooked, literally.
4
How to fix climate change:
Nationalize and then disband all petroleum companies.
About 100 oil execs are beyond nearly all climate change. Time to take the profits out of destroying our earth and driving us to extinction.
2
Trump wants to be notorious, I think. He wants to be remembered forever. He wants future generations not born yet to know who he was. The thing is, sooner than later, there may not be future generations. He is miscalculating his legacy. Because rather than killing a population of people through wars or Holocaust, his policies have the potential to kill people all over the planet. They, perhaps, already are.
He may make it to 2020 still in office. We may not even vote him out in 2020. That's a real possibility.
So what do we do? Can citizens pressure corporations? Can we take the power of the people directly and publicly to corporations to change corporate actions? Can we take the power of people everywhere to governments? I don't live in China but what China does affects me. We're all interdependent now. I don't have the opportunity to vote for governments outside the U.S. but we should have some way to pressure those governments, as citizens of the planet. And vice versa - the rest of the world should pressure Trump's administration. If they don't get through to Trump, hopefully they'll get through to the other administration officials who are supposedly secretly watching out for us.
3
So true. We must remember the loudest voices against climate change as traitors. Traitors to our nation and planet.
8
Any person so tasteless and clueless as to attend a wedding in India which cost millions of dollars in a country where hundreds of millions live in dire poverty has no business lecturing anybody on any subject. You have nothing to say worth hearing, Mr. Kerry.
7
How can people who don’t exist judge us?
2
@Ed
They can’t now, but they will.
The native Americans lived here for many thousands of years and revered and worshipped the land and nature. The European Americans killed them off and proceeded to ravage not only this country but much of the world. It's sad how the most destructive, unthinking slobs typically "win" out.
3
I agree with everything you’ve written in this Op-Ed. However, I have a question on a separate but somewhat related topic for you? Why in the world did you attend the obscenely ostentatious $100 million wedding extravaganza of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal in Udaipur and Mumbai this week? Are you really that out of touch? Did you happen to discuss India’s increase in greenhouse gas emissions with any of the super-rich guests in attendance? Inquiring minds would like to know...
4
Says yet another important globetrotting godzilla-sized carbon footprint holder.
I'm all in favor of your activism @JohnKerry and I know you're doing good.
You could easily do more.
Please try to encourage more acceptance of #gchat #web #conferences and #saveThePlanet from one of the BIGGEST easily #workarounded #IMPACTS; 5000lb/hr burnrate of the average 737 #jet - servicing #VIPs who need #facetime and #pressingtheflesh needs to be acknowledged as a big impact to the planets carbon load.
6
Could be wrong but I'm guessing Kerry flies about in a private jet--like most Gore-elites selling "Climate Change".
7
We can get out of this. All we need to do is not have any sex for 100 years.
3
We are all to blame already.
4
Recent credible studies tell us we have 12 years to make a major shift before all hell breaks loose. Can the weather-related catastrophes we shall witness in the next five years change the mindset of the masses in time? It seems in the race to planet salvation, we will be hobbled with a 2 year handicap if Trump and his GOP support team are allowed to keep rolling back efforts. That is, of course, counting on Trump being ousted in 2020.
2
Mr Kerry, you should be president. We need you NOW.
1
Rising sea levels will destroy what? Who owns ocean front property? Who will be employed to rebuild those homes on higher ground?
Lefties are always trying to finagle wealth redistribution. Global warming is staring you in the face.
2
@RoadKilr
Houston? Just how many feet about sea level do you live?
You might not be flooded every day, but will you be dry when s hurricane hits and sea level is 3 feet higher?
1
@RoadKilr - Uh, Houston? This is mission control.
You had a 500-year flood from Harvey. Your state didn't touch its $8 billion rainy day fund to rebuild homes on the soggy Houston floodplains, but they finagled federal funding right quick to do it.
That was a year after the previous 500-year flooding, which didn't need a hurricane to do it.
That followed the 500-year flood the year earlier, also without a hurricane, just the intense rains that are becoming more frequent. Yet in October this year, in your local paper, this headline:
"Even after Harvey, Houston keeps adding new homes in flood plains"
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Even-after-Harvey-Houston-keeps-adding-new-homes-13285865.php
I think one thing the American taxpayer will be deciding in the next few years is whether we continue aiding places that refuse to take sensible steps themselves.
Florida tightened housing rules after Andrew, now roofs don't blow off all the time. Up in the Northeast after Sandy, zoning laws tightened up, so if they rebuild where the house was last under water, they have to jack it up.
So we should probably stop redistributing wealth so freely when the recipients don't learn to spend it wisely. And your state should tap its rainy day fund after rainy days, instead of tapping the rest of us.
2
What, Mr. Kerry, have you done to reduce your carbon footprint? Are you a vegan or vegetarian? Since when?
5
You can wait for the end of time for governments to act; few are https://climateactiontracker.org/
Or TODAY, you can do the one thing that, collectively, will have a far greater positive action than all the western governments' (empty) promises.
Go vegan:
https://www.ecowatch.com/vegan-climate-change-2558286917.html
For good measure, you'll be dramatically healthier and stop the systematic slaughter of billions of living beings annually.
6
yeah, yeah, John, we get it...........you're running for President again in 2020. Queue up Alice Cooper....."I wanna be elected!"
2
If you are not doing nuclear, you are part of the problem.
3
@Amy. If you're not doing birth control and helping others do it, you ARE the problem.
1
Tell us what to do. What are you doing?
2
I agree with those that don't agree with Kerry's point of view. It does not work that way. Alas, it doesn't work the other way too. People like Trump and the Koch brothers, to name the ugliest of them all, are not free to do what is best, in this case for the world. Free will is an illusion. They choose to do so because they are evil, because their inherited characters and the circumstances of their lives have made them so. I see no solution. The only way that this madness will stop is when the disastrous effects of climate change will hit us in their full power, and they will. But then it will be too late, I am afraid.
3
I've done everything I can on my end to save electricity, but there are only so many unused LED lights I can turn off in my house. Short of armed rebellion and literally holding a guns to our lawmakers heads to get them onboard, what the heck are we supposed to do about this mess?
1
Unfortunately we have a Senate that, unless someone drops a potent common sense bomb on several red states, will prevent us from doing anything about this issue on the federal level until it is far too late. It falls to cities and blue states to work together - essentially forming a parallel structure to the federal government on climate - and develop something like the Paris accords for the US alone.
The good news is that this endeavor will be immensely profitable, and, oh yeah, will basically save the world. The sad news is that a dotard group of "conservative" politicians and oilmen have brainwashed many of our countrymen into inaction in the shadow of the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced.
2
I have voted against the ignorant all of my adult life. the ignorant and corrupt, the greedy and theocratic, simply become further entrenched. it would be great if one day Reason would take a dominant place in this nation,but and 60 already don't expect to live to see it.
1
What Mr. Kerry says is true of course. Duh. But it's obvious that he's just "phoning in" the Opinion and climate change is just one of many things he's associating himself with in the process of developing an option to run in '20. That is a clear indication that either his possible campaign or his species is in big trouble on what should be, by several multiples, the biggest issue of the election.
3
yes, exactly; the deniers have been so successful in manufacturing a debate that the vast majority of which don't even believe what they say, but just say it for a variety of motivations, and all the believers in reality get so agitated and sucked into a debate that doesn't really exist. just like a basketball star getting everybody atwitter over joking about moon landing conspiracies, for whatever motivation he had (and he certainly didn't do it out of stupidity, ignorance or malice, since he certainly gives all appearances of an extremely intelligent and honorable person; just thought he could goof around on a podcast without the whole world taking him seriously). Of course the climate change deniers have far different and worse motivations (personal short-term gain at expense of rest of world or whatever), but the fight needs to be about overcoming their resistance by application of power (be it protests or votes or dollar voting), not by debating evidence or denigrating the deniers' intelligence (only because by losing that debate the deniers win in derailing meaningful action). Oh, and why did that basketball player's joke get so much more press and discussion than his retraction he was "forced" to give (I put force in quotes because it seems that nobody really got mad at him, but patronizingly thought he was misguided, to the point that he felt the need to point out that people saying absurd things don't always believe what they are saying).
1
In other news today, Virgin Galactic's spaceship made it out of the atmosphere and tourist trips to outer space are being planned. Let's let that go on, but the rest of us are supposed to feel guilty because we turn on the TV. If there were a Gilets Jaunes here, I'd be marching with them.
3
"When I was in New Delhi this week I thought about what other people should be doing to lower their carbon footprints."
5
This article entitled “Forget Trump” is all about Trump.
It urges us “to act” but offers no prescription.
Just another op-ed reminding us how bad Trump is.
2
How can any liberal talk about science with a straight face and then say that not only is there more then two genders but that you can change your gender.
4
1. Half a world's travel away in India for a fancy wedding you look at the screen of your iPad and have a revelation on Climate Change. Um, okay..
2. Wasn't your Administration the one that tried to push fracking on the world..? Did wonders for the climate.
3. Why no mention of the Green New Deal already lighting up the new Congress? The Sunrise Movement? The many Indigenous led Just Transition movements rippling across the nation, and doing much more in terms of inspiration than the words of an oil-soaked statesman?
You step onto the field in the 11th inning with a Wiffle Ball bat after already losing the first half of the game. Please sit down Mr. Kerry, we've got this. But you get no credit.
5
Efforts to stem climate change will not under any scenario be complete enough in time to actually prevent it, yet you never hear a thing from my liberal fellows about adapting to the inevitable coming changes. You do hear plenty of doom & gloom, outrage, and finger pointing. One would think that if my liberal fellows so believed in climate change, they'd be gung ho to prepare for it so that a liberal humanitarian lifestyle can be carried on whether it whips up weather and wrecks coasts or not. And in that consideration is population, another topic radioactive to my liberal fellows: "You can't tell people in the broke areas of the world to have fewer kids, that would be paternalistic!" So the agreeable ideology prevents both preparation of any sort & prevention via birth control, but actualizes complaint and blame.
See the pattern? Do nothing practical and easy, but anything that authorizes new marching orders to the whole of every society world wide. Such effortless totalitarians are my fellow Liberals, and so magically impractical.
3
No, MKR, this is the kind of “stuff” we need to act on now before it’s beyond repair. And Kerry is right about young people: they are the ones who will have to bear the pain of our dithering
1
This opinion piece reaches the highest levels of hypocrisy I have seen lately: A billionaire traveling by private jet all the way to India to tell the world we have to look in the mirror to really fight climate change.
I don't deny the substance of the text but there are times when the messenger really doesn't serve the message and this is one such occasion.
"Facts matter. Act on them" .. yes indeed Mr Kerry. Act on them.
8
@EFC
The point isn’t that we all have to start living a subsistence lifestyle immediately if we want to address climate change. The point is to find feasible and sufficient solutions as quickly as possible to meet the crisis in time.
Demanding the cessation of jet travel now is not feasible in the world in which we live. To imply that we must do the infeasible before we can work to find and implement feasible solutions seems like a good way to further delay addressing an urgent existential problem under the guise of virtue signaling.
If that’s not what you’re saying and implying, if I’ve mischaracterized what you said, then what are you saying and implying?
1
@EFC
You totally miss the point. How Kerry travels is of no importance. The planet is being destroyed by nearly everyone on it. You can’t dismiss that problem by calling someone names, especially someone who is demanding action to address the calamity we all face. However Mr. Kerry travels, you and I are likely to drown, starve, or suffocate, and very soon.
3
Future generations won’t have time to judge us, Senator Kerry. They’ll be too busy trying to survive the catastrophe we created for them. We shouldn’t be motivated primarily by what kind of history the future will write about is. We should be motivated by the simple fact that we humans, like all forms of life, are entirely dependent upon the health of ecosystems, the natural environment, the planet, and that their destruction (whether by us or by an asteroid doesn’t matter) means our destruction.
3
The obesity epidemic is a collusion between immoral corporations and irresponsible consumers.
Something similar can easily, and accurately, be said about the climate crisis.
We must all change the way we live. Sorry for the inconvenience.
3
“If we fail, future generations will judge us all as failures, not just this president.”
If we fail, there will not be many more future generations.
5
A commenter stated that column should have listed actions individuals can take.
1. Transportation is the largest contributor to climate change in the U.S. Drive much less, or not at all. It is possible for a human to walk (or bike) a mile or two, or walk a few blocks to a transit stop. Subways and buses are not just for poor people. Work close to where you live, or vice versa. Accept a job with an hour-long commute? Why??
2. Next largest is industry. Stop buying new. New clothes, cars, electronic toys, bottled water, furniture, decorations......just stop. Purchase used. IF you need it. It's not too late to do the right thing this Christmas.
3. Commercial and residential energy use. There is only one Amazon that benefits the environment, and it is not a corporation; see #2 above. Hang up your laundry. If you're not a child or doing manual labor, your jeans can go a week without washing. Turn down the heat. Take five minute showers. Etc.
4. Next up is agriculture. The evil villain in the mirror? That's you, not Monsanto. Reduce consumption of meat and dairy. It takes several pounds of grain to produce a pound of meat, with all the attendant fertilizer and water inputs, and downstream effects the form of polluted water and antibiotic resistance. We are at an all-time high of 222 lbs per capita of meat intake, which means significant reduction is needed.
5. Yes in your back yard. Minneapolis voted to end single-family zoning. Your city can too, with your help.
4
So 1) replace your incandescent bulbs with solid state bulbs or fluorescent bulbs,
2) replace your vehicles with high mileage ones or hybred cars or trucks,
3) install solar hot water and/or electricity, and
4) cut out dragging at the stoplights.
There are many other ways to cut costs and energy usage.
The time is now!
1
People have to stop using so many non-renewable sources. Everything we use is so fake now - there's plastic everywhere. Think of how much plastic waste is produced by a single person in a single day, and multiply that by billions of people. That's billions of tons of waste going into the Earth and killing animals and ourselves. We all survived for millenia using environmentally-friendly resources, but in our hyper-capitalist, consumer culture of growth growth growth, we're seeing the death of our planet in the blink of an eye. Capitalism is not the way of the future, because not everyone can possibly get everything they desire (the 'American Dream'), and the economy can't always be growing without producing more and more waste. We need to go back to our roots and care for the planet by acting locally. We can all make a difference every day.
3
The Paris Accords were useles and toothless.
Under them, China and India have BOOSTED carbon emissions while the United States leads the world in CUTTING ours!
Thank you, President Trump, for the jobs AND for cutting our carbon emissions so wonderfully.
Meanwhile, Bernie Sander's old fave the Soviet Union has multiple sites and waters where you dare never go because of nuclear radiation.
Speaking of Russian nuclear energy, thanks again, Hillary. Those checks didn't bounce, did they?
2
I took a ride with a Lyft driver an hour ago. His Lincoln hybrid is averaging 45 mpg today. There is no excuse for anyone to drive a personal vehicle that doesn’t get at least 45 mpg. Forget Trump, forget the EPA. Take a look in your own garage and driveway and see if you can’t walk the walk and cut back on fossil fuel consumption.
@Gerald Do you know how much those vehicles cost?
This is a good opinion piece by former Secretary of State John Kerry, with a truly awful photo at it's lede. The Ivanpah Centralized Solar Plant just north of the Mojave National Preserve in the California Desert is a travesty. It was built over prime desert tortoise habitat. It's solar towers kill thousands of migrating birds annually. And it was financed by federal tax breaks, and still barely breaks even money wise, since it breaks down so often. Just say no to centralized solar!
1
I find it surreal that this article seems directed towards how a theoretical opinion of a deceased life form may be an important factor in motivating people to save the planet from from the greatest disaster humanity has ever faced, The question simply is whether anyone feels it is important that life continues on this planet. Most people individually cannot do much as individuals and it seems the bulk of those who can react properly are so deeply infected with the Midas disease that makes the golden touch more important than life itself that nothing effective will be done. Telling everybody what they should do and not forcing them to do what must be doneis just a bad joke.
1
4. We reject war, terrorism and arms build ups as they are plagues on mankind and the environment.
5. We support and encourage efforts to preserve and protect the environment. Air and water pollution, unbridled harvesting of fossil fuels and loss of habitat need to be stopped. We are committied to do our part by recycling and curbing wasteful habits. We recognize our responsibility to future generations in this regard.
The People Party of Connecticut
I can tell you, it won't be my wife and I who are at fault.
We drive combined about 3000 miles a year. We both have used transit for 90% of our entire adult lives. We live in San Francisco, 65F year around. We don't need to much heat or cooling.
We did not have children, a choice as we understood how much population grown is the largest part of the problem: more people = more energy use.
Our friends, neighbors and family all just do not get it. They think there is something wrong with us because we choose to not have kids.
At this point in time, it is no longer our fault. We do not jet off to a conference each month like you do. We will not have children and grand children to take care of us when we are old like you do.
In the end when I add up all the "waste" and "energy" that the two of us spent in life, only a hermit or a monk on a maintain top would come in at a lot less than us.
I hate the hypocrisy of public people like yourself that yell about Climate Change all the while your life is a study on a consumptive and self centered reproductive lifestyle.
Fantasy that somehow technology will solve the problem is a joke. I am still waiting, since I was a kid, for that Fusion Reactor to come online and provide cheap clean energy.
The only answer is to use less and have less kids. Everything else is just something to make people feel better as the ship sinks. John, do you remember the lyrics to."Nearer, My God, to Thee" ?
6
Today I received an email from my Town, the Town of Oyster Bay out here on Long Island, about their new recycling program for 2019. As of Jan 2, they are no longer accepting glass...of any kind. Because they are contaminated. But they will take cans from say shaving cream. They also wont take pizza boxes, as they too are contaminated. Only clean cardboard and other paper products. No "cardboard" milk cartons! But plastic milk containers are okay.
Allegedly the "markets" don't want the nasty, dirty stuff...only the clean stuff. So there goes the landfills, be they local or wherever they ship the local garbage to...more perfectly recyclable materials, being dumped into landfills.
Personal home recycling is a critical point of entry for most people to make an effort to clean up their environmental impact. It can and does lead many people to be more conscientious about what they do with their trash.
How we deal with our trash, is not often discussed in this subject of climate change...but its a critical one. Landfills are huge methane producers. Landfills are huge polluters.
Its time.
3
President Trump owns Mar-a-lago. Mar-a-lago fronts the ocean. Therefore it is in his best financial interest to deny climate change. What we need to do is stop blaming Trump and plant trees and gardens and use less gas and buy less stuff and vote for local politicians who understand the importance of permaculture. Be the change that you want. Stop talking about it!
No Mr Kerry, you and your colleagues will be to blame. Overwhelming majority of us lack decision-making power.
2
Isn’t Mr. Trump a father and a grandfather? Is the blanket of self-worship he hides under really able to blind him to his responsibility to promote for his progeny, if not for society at large, a better world? We are being led by a movement which subsists on a bitter mix of ego and ignorance. And even if not all of us share the drink, we all suffer the hangover.
The climate has been changing on earth since it came into existence. It will continue to do so with or without human interference. Humans are adding to this change, but to try to blame us for the whole process is ridiculous.
The climate of our planet will continue to change long after our race is gone. Running around like chicken little saying that the sky is falling is a means of diverting our attention from those aspects of human existence that need to be addressed: Genocide and poverty to name a couple.
57
@Bill
This sounds like a bumper sticker expansion for the Merchants of Doubt, specifically big oil and coal.
There are things we can do to start to mitigate with existing technologies: http://cmi.princeton.edu/wedges/intro .
To insist that all reasoned attempts to deal with the problems we've helped create is tantamount to a chicken-little reaction is not just short sighted--it is destructive.
None of the wasteful bickering does away with the difficulties of fostering international cooperation--but gutting attempts to deal with the problems is an old story. Most of the books on climate change denial are tied to conservative political think tanks and 90% or more of those books have never undergone significant peer review.
Mr. Kerry is not saying to ignore poverty or other problems. That accusation is pure deflection.
137
@Bill
No one is blaming human activities for "the whole process".
Every sane person recognizes that the global climate is a complex entity.
But the clear pattern that has developed over the last 200 years CANNOT be ignored.
Funny thing about human existence:
1) we can multi-task.
Come to think of it:
Will climate change and rising sea levels and displaced populations and changing crop patterns increase poverty?
Will they cause nationalism, racism and genocide.
Clearly dealing with climate change will address, in part, your concerns (our concerns).
86
Regarding the discrete concept of climate change, you need to do some more reading, Bill, of the actual fact variety.
99
I agree that people need to take matters into their own hands. It is easy to preach, Senator Kerry. How about doing something? We need to see that, collectively, individual actions can be measured. Once people are convinced that they can have a measurable impact, then I think enough will change their behavior to make a difference. The idea is similar to the bucket challenge:
Each individual who can makes a pledge to reduce his or her emissions by, say, 40% in the year 2020 (not 2019 because some major items like travel are planned far in advance). Seems like a campaign that could be spread over the internet - volunteers? We hold to our pledges and then see if in 2021 the collective reduction shows up in the data. If it does, this would not only be tremendously empowering, it would put a lot of pressure on governments to do their part.
I already know what I need to do to cut my emissions: cancel travel, or only travel half as much. I'm ready to make the pledge, but I'm unlikely to hold to it unless I know a large enough cohort will do the same. Care to join, Senator Kerry? Or are you too busy traveling around the world talking about it?
1
Excuse the pun:
We are going to hit the iceberg.
It is a question of coping,
not stopping or delaying.
1
This needs to be directed towards big oil and big car manufacturers, plus those with private jets/mega yachts and multiple mansions.
Also, if we had decent commuting alternatives, perhaps the roads in and around cities would not be so clogged up with one per vehicle commuters. This is a BIG, huge problem.
2
Overpopulation is behind much of the planet's current ills. Support for groups like Planned Parenthood and Pathfinder International will help with distribution of safe, effective contraceptives while the existing population tackles ramping up solar and wind power, mass transit, and other job-creating solutions to slowing global warming. Less pressure from fewer children needing scarcer food and water will buy us a little time to make the drastic changes necessary. We can't wait for politicians to act.
8
I recently saw footage of John Kerry as a young man addressing congress about the Vietnam war in Ken Burn’s excellent documentary on Netflix. He was so impressive. Even then he acted like a leader and he was Secretary of State. He is such a contrast to Trump. While I wouldn’t be able to vote for him, and he may be too old, but after reading this I was thinking maybe John Kerry for president? Just putting it out there.
1
I think this is without doubt the greatest long-term threat to mankind and the amazing degree of prosperity that most of us now enjoy. This piece ignores the fact that even if implemented any changes are going to fall disproportionately on those who can least afford it. I feel powerfully helpless on all fronts.
4
@Keitr -- at least in the USA we can avoid that by implementing a CO2 tax that is 100% rebated per capita, to adult US citizens or green card holders, living in the US.
The result of this is that the poor come off quite well by it, because their CFO2 production is less than average.
1
We have ignored addressing all of these problems for the same reason. We are incapable of dealing with any problem once it has gotten big enough. Shuffle the cards any way you like, this all moves in one direction, ending in the basic collapse of the planets ecology.
That will be the end of any discussion.
4
There is a "silver bullet" to convince skeptics of climate change.
The hydrocarbons were burning were created and accumulated through many million of years of the sun's radiation unto earth.
Mankind's experience in burning them on the present scale, goes some 100 years into the past with the invention of the automobile.
In other words: in some past 100 years, mankind was releasing into the atmosphere the detritus equivalent of millions of years of energy.
For how long will the atmosphere 'take it' without a radical reaction?
"Knowing the Question, is Like Having Half of the Answer".
1
QUIT WITH THE EMOTION AND APPLY SCIENCE
While I don't doubt for one moment that our ridiculous population levels and use of energy and other earth "resources" is causing the planet to change, has anyone recommended that we actually apply science to this in the form of examining the ICE CORES taken from the arctic? A cursory study of the 1993 endeavor reveals the climate zig zags quite well on its own. For the last 8 or 9 thousand years it's been pretty stable. Before that there were some insane changes. This information/data isn't hidden. It's simply not brought out when the various climate arguments are being made. Rather than looking at ALL THE EVIDENCE, the debate becomes an emotional one, or worse a political one. Go search for the ice core studies and look at the findings. I'd NEVER excuse bad behavior by our species but the climate is going to do what it's going to do regardless of our contribution to the eventual demise of our species (and hundreds of others).
2
Yes, the ice core studies do indicate that the amount of carbon gases in the atmosphere increased far more rapidly than that natural rise and fall to which you refer during the last two centuries. It’s clearly due to the industrial revolution.
5
@Donna Vorce as Casual Observer notes, the science is clear. Without becoming emotional, or shouting in all caps, it's like so:
1- "It is a fact that present-day (2011) concentrations of the atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide exceed the range of concentrations recorded in ice cores during the past 800,000 years. Past changes in atmospheric GHG concentrations can be determined with very high confidence from polar ice cores."
2 - yes, climate zigs and zags - natural variations in solar output, earth's orbital mechanics and levels of naturally-occuring greenhouse gas set different patterns in motion, over different time scales.
3 - "climate is going to do what it's going to do" is the problem we've given ourselves. Our climate is very sensitive to changes in greenhouse gas levels, which we're boosting.
So lot's of what the climate is going to do is based on what we do. More greenhouse gas = rising sea levels, less oxygen in the ocean due to warmer water, lower pH in the ocean as it absorbs CO2, big shifts in weather patterns globally, with an overall tendency to more heat and greater intensity of precipitation and drought.
So here's science you want used. It's used, except by our Republicans.
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/
Item #1 above is from the report, chapter 5 - Information From Paleoclimate Archives.
Just what you were looking for.
2
@Donna Vorce -- lot's of caps, while you say nothing except misdirection.
Yes, those ice cores are extensively studied. They support, rather than contradict the reality that the current increase in atmospheric CO2 is caused by mankind's mining of fossil fuels, and the increase in temperature is casused by this CO2 (and some methane, and some other gases we make).
2
1. It is not a Democrat or Republican issue. All of us own it.
2. It is a global problem. US has a global responsibility to set some standards by going forward on the reduction in fossil fuels.
3. The economic effects of global warming ( topic of interest in comments) are a key point of Kerry op-ed. What part of it is unclear?
4. A head in the sand may be ok for a while, but soon there will be only waves and water and drought. We need a call to arms. And thanks John Kerry for again sounding the arm. Battle stations!
5
Since reading Michael Cohen's speech to the court before sentencing I have imagined enough catastrophic climate change to have become undeniable as all the Republican elected officials and their wealthy associates who have continually pressed for business initiatives antithetical to the continuation of the human race lined up before a judge--"the" Judge?--apologizing abjectly for having gone to "the dark side" and heeded the wrong mentors...but now at last they are free to speak their hearts and now, they promise, they will be good. Only this time we will all be going to prison with them.
1
Kerry may mean well, but columns about combating climate change that don't mention slowing worldwide human population growth are hard to take too seriously. Its a mathematical fact that total emissions equal:
(average emission per person) times (the number of people)
Ignoring the second factor is either ignorance or a desire to pander to the various forces promoting population growth (religious, ethnic, or economic growth zealots all come to mind) which occurs in both the left and right wings, making the problem harder to solve.
5
@Barry Schiller -- no one is ignoring it, but there is no possibility of decreasing CO2 and Methane fluxes by reducing population, unless you are prepared to murder 3/4s of the world population ... or more.
We must greatly reduce average emission.
6
@Barry Schiller along with Lee's observation, your equation is lacking very important details that for practical purposes can be broken down to national levels. Some illustrations.
India's population is more than four times the US population. Their total CO2 emissions are about half or ours, and the per capita levels are far lower than ours.
Per capita emissions are highest in fossil-rich nations, and that includes Australia, the USA and Canada in the top ten, up with the Gulf States we fight so many wars over.
European nations have lower emissions levels than we do, and equal (or higher) standards of living. And the global economy is beginning to disconnect from fossil energy and greenhouse emissions, so developing nations, exercising their right to improve lives, will probably do so in a far less carbon-intensive way than we have.
All the available trends show that birth rates drop as standard of living reaches a good enough level, and as the population gets educated (and gets access to birth control).
So the best plan for us is to get the Republican Party in the USA to stop putting fossil above humanity, and to stop trying to block family planning and birth control in developing nations.
Comparisons above are from here. The charts can be sorted by the different criteria.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_dioxide_emissions
1
To the extent that everyday citizens drive cars or fly in airplanes or otherwise leave a carbon footprint, yes, we are to blame for climate change. But Mr. Kerry, Mr. Trump, Ms. Pelosi, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Obama, etc., were elected as our leaders. That means lead. That means come up with bold ideas, set an example, legislate, govern, enforce. Inspire.
I have ideas about how to mitigate climate change. And I'm sure plenty of others can come up with good, common sense solutions. Anyone, Mr. Kerry included, want to listen?
Realizing that we all have a responsibility doesn't just end at the voting booth. We don't have to wait for our elected representatives to do something about climate change. We aren't helplessly at the will of politicians like Trump (who won't accept the science or the need to do anything), or even like Kerry (who talks about how we need to do something, but knowingly has a bigger footprint than whole communities with his lavish lifestyle). It's on all of us to save our planet and future. Eat less meat. Fly and drive less. Divest from fossil fuels. Buy local. Consume less. Use less energy. Climate change is something we can all do something about, not just the 0.001% of people that we elect to public office.
6
That would help a bit, but to really tackle climate change, we need regulation that limits corporate emissions.
It is ironic that the photo you selected for Mr. Kerry’s oped is the huge solar thermal project, Ivanpah, that I was in charge of permitting for at the federal, state and local levels, including interconnecting to the grid, leasing land from the BLM, contracting with power purchasers, etc. This project taught me a key lesson about addressing climate change - we have now and in the future technologies that can quickly and cost effectively address our existential challenge. Ivanpah will be seen as an early, expensive “model A” in large scale renewables. Technology is not the unscalable mountain in our future.
Our Achilles heel in addressing global warming is political will and bureaucratic intransigence - the frustrating, hopelessly and needlessly complex system of financing, permitting, interconnecting and approving interconnections, our utterly inadequate grid, and dozens of other man-made obstacles that - in this case of Ivanpah - took us far longer to resolve than the construction period for the project. Joshua
6
@Joshua Bar-Lev, It has only taken 20 years, due to NIMBYism (& The Kennedys) to get the giant wind turbines started in Nantucket Sound. The only ones second to a few off-shore Block Island, RI.
2
@Joshua Bar-Lev
Thank you! Your experience shows the need for a coordinated federal project to minimize U.S. sources of global warming. From the coast-to-coast railway to the internet, we've managed quite well in such nationwide projects. It's feasible.
Climate change and its dangers presents all of us with such large problems as well as large solutions. Individually, we all know what needs to be done. But we must also hold our blind leaders responsible for the deaths and damage they cause. It is really horrific that humanity is facing this unprecedented crisis and all that Mr Trump can do when touring a scorched forest is to suggest raking to prevent fires.
4
@MKathryn
Years ago, California's legislature ASKED Gov. Brown to start looking into having dead tees removed from forests. He flat refused.
While you are well-trained to hate - Congratlations! - Pres. Trump is not the leader with blood on his hands here.
1
IMW the US needs to build infrastructure which will allow people to travel without having to rely entirely on their cars as that causes environment pollution. Why doesn't anyone finance and build public teansport in the big cities? Or improve the existing ones? It works in many other countries, China among them, why not the US?
2
It doesn’t work because both big oil and the auto industry are dead set against public transportation other than buses. Trump and the Trump Republicans are against it because it will hurt that flow of campaign cash essential to their survival. If you check history you will see that GM bought up nearly all of the city rail services (street cars) around the end of the 20th century and tore up the tracks so that they could push buses as a form of city transportation. It didn’t help that at the end of WWII saw urban development and the need for cars, as buses only work in more densely populated areas. Because of this, we are a century behind the transportation available in most of Europe, and now China.
3
@Philip
We the people need to demand good transit. If enough of us demand it, agree to support it with our taxes, and make the effort to actually use it, it will work. Also, buses are great transit, often even better than trains/rail since they aren't on fixed lines and can adjust to the needs of the communities they serve.
1
One of the main issues with the Dems approach, versus the Repubs, is they are stuck on the bullet points (facts) that are most easily dismissed. Repubs easily dispel the issues by focusing on the weather (weather is local) versus climate. They manipulate the language and narrative, always putting Dems on the defense of having to explain, to try and "scientifically" educate their opponents. Or re-educate.
Waste of time.
Dems also need to co-opt the "Market" argument, and make it play their way. Say by pointing out that solar, and other Alt-energy industries employ 7 times more people, in better paying work, that can be anyplace - then the entirety of the coal mining industry.
Dems need to counter the Repub arguments that regulation stifles growth, by showing how it doesn't! With real world examples. Not lofty economic models. Not with simple rhetoric, but real world examples. By showing how some states, local communities and other nations are doing things right, employing more and more people, and spinning off newer industries.
Dems also need to promote investment in alt-energy industries that are more focused on getting the "goods" (solar, wind, thermal,etc)into the hands of average people. Not just these big sweeping projects that run into road-block after road-block. (Zoning, environmental, NIMBY-ism, etc)
Dems must start running the narratives. Take them away from the dopey, regressive, destructive, know-nothing Repubs.
6
The futures of your children and grandchildren are at stake. That alone should be enough to motivate people to attack climate change with all available measures. Before you know it the conversation gets turned to all the other issues: What about other nation's pollution? What about the impact on the economy? What about the right to build whatever I can wherever I want? What about changes that will disrupt my lifestyle? What about income and education inequality? What about the alternative facts? What about my electability?
All of those what abouts are important considerations that need to be addressed now. What about we shelve doing anything serious to mitigate climate change? Then revisit it when the planet is 3 degrees warmer. If you think immigration is a problem now, just wait for 3 billion climate refugees on the move. What about it America?
5
Agreed that we must all act. But individual action is not enough. System level change is needed. For example, make all, or at least almost all, electricity generation GHG free. Shift from gasoline to battery electric vehicles. Virtual meetings rather than flights to New Delhi. And so on … Little of this is going to happen with active opposition of the President. So forget about Trump? Not 'till he's out of power.
1
Nice ideas and lots of feel-good intentions. Unfortunately, the percent of humans who are pro-active is almost microscopic compared with those who are reactive and the reactive people tend to dismiss what is staring them in the face until it is too late.
The transition to non-carbon based fuels will take many decades given the current infrastructure and most humans simply don't feel the urgency.
In my opinion, we have crossed the tipping-point and the urgent task is to prepare for the impact of rampant climate change. Droughts, floods, loss of costal lands, mass migrations, disease migration, wars over basic resources that will make the migrations of today seem like a weekend visit from the in-laws.
Fortunately humans have shown that they are an adaptive species but they only really adapt when the threat is huge to overwhelming. Most humans cannot hear the alarm yet, and some never will.
We will change but only after near disaster conditions hit us again, and again,... Maybe the preppers have it right, be prepared for an all out disaster and ready to survive it.
4
@MKR.
The only thing that matters is CLIMATE CHANGE. Without addressing that , food supply, water supply, farming , business success, travel, power generation, rebuilding infrastructure, the survival of the species and the planet will be for naught.
This is not about winning an election, it is far more important than that. Will this planet and all of its occupants survive?
6
Triple or even quadruple the price of gasoline in this country and wealthy American power elites like John Kerry, Al Gore, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton or the Obamas will not even notice. Take away their access to private jet travel or begin to tax their tax free trust funds, however,...
Understand this one point of global warming and who is expected to pay and you will immediately grasp why the wealthy French elites today are not themselves rioting and trying to burn down their own d*mn country.
6
@Packard- your ideas of forcing costs onto those who benefit from fossil fuels to enjoy lives of wealth and convenience are excellent and it should be noted that Kerry wasn't only in India meeting with solar energy advocates -- he and other global bigwigs were attending the $100,000,000 wedding of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. What a despicable feeding at the trough by people who should know better.
1
Assessing and assigning blame is only productive if those responsible acknowledge the damage the has occurred, continues to occur, and will ultimately become irrevocable if measures are not taken immediately.
I think what is paramount is realizing and believing and accepting that massive changes in the environment are occurring at an accelerated rate and speed because of humans and their activities. This sin't rocket science - merely basic common sense. Look around - Mother Nature is screaming at us in her plethora of actions, i.e., floods, fires, hurricanes, etc. that we need to make serious changes NOW. Unless folks start pulling their heads out of the sand, this insane denial will eventually cause the demise of this entire planet and inhabitants - two legged, four legged, multi-legged, and everything in between.
No other issues can be more serious or detrimental to human than climate and environmental ones.
6
The GOP is in full support and actively promotes medieval solutions to the challenges of our times whether it be a wall to try and restrict migrants, to burning coal. So outdated, so antiquated solutions, the rest of the world will leave us in the dust unless We The People act on our own behalf.
3
None of us should wait for our leadership, legislators, courts or business leadership to commit to consume less (especially as regards fossil fuels and metals) and conserve more of our natural resources. I’ll wager that the average American could, without a great deal of effort, use at least 10% less oil or gas, 25% less food, and acquire perhaps 50% less superfluous crap per year. Imagine what that would do for global warming trends! Contracting jobs and industries? Spend your money on higher quality, services (go ahead - get a massage every week - it’ll do you good!), and things like great meals with family and friends. Oh - and give more to environmental groups, the arts, and people in genuine need. Those dollars go RIGHT back into the economy.
5
Thank you Mr. Kerry for keeping this issue on our minds, so very important. A suggestion - avoid any business with corporations that financially support politicians who work against climate change & fair democracy policies. The most recent candidate is Marathon Oil. We need a comprehensive list of all Koch Brother companies, BP, Exxon, and of course labor and local government cheaters such as Walgreen's, Hobby Lobby, Carls Jr. burgers, etc. The anti-climate and unfair democracy crowd will only respond to that which affects their bottom lines.
8
If we forget, Trump all is lost--well things like democracy, clean air, etc. Fortunately, we can work to rid the body politic of Trump and act on climate change simultaneously. It even seems that the two go hand in hand.
2
We are witnessing the rebellion in France of citizens rebelling against a gas tax that hurts their pockets, but ultimately leads to less carbon production. The immediate costs of continued use of fossil fuels must be forced on consumers. There is no other option that I can see. Yes, it hurts the free-wheeling lifestyle, but the times, they are a-changin.
3
Kerry demonstrates how he became the successful politician that he did. First, present a problem that nearly everyone agrees must be addressed. Second, berate your political opposition for failing to address the problem satisfactorily. Third, pretend you have the solution to the problem even though you don't and even though you were an utter failure at addressing it when you were in power.
It is obvious that Trump is totally unconcerned with climate change and doing nothing to address it. Indeed, he is even actively working to aggravate the problem.
However, Kerry was Secretary of State during the negotiation of the Paris Climate Accord. The Paris Accord assures climate change rather than prevents it. The Accord was a negotiation disaster for humanity and a triumph for China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, emitting 29% of the entire CO2 emitted worldwide yet produces only 18% of the worlds goods and services. Under the Paris Accord, the world (including the US under Obama) approved China's plan to continue INCREASING its annual CO2 emissions by 25% until 2030. Under the Paris Accord, China will soon be causing global warming all by itself even if the rest of world emitted absolutely none.
China already emits 29% of all the CO2 emitted in the entire world, yet produces only 18% of the world's goods and services. By contrast the US produces 150% as much goods and services China but emits less than half as much CO2 as China.
4
Most people think the US should improve its performance controlling emissions. But if China would just behave as well as the US is doing even now, the standard of living of every Chinese person could be improved by 50% and China's emissions would be cut by over 50%
4
Mr. Secretary: do not waste words. The failure to act is the humankind's inability to harness solar energy more than one-hundred years since the dsicovery of photoelectricity and its scientific explanation by Einstein.
We might have already passed the point of no return.
5
Kerry's comments are timely and well said; we can't allow our frustration with the president to make us passive and irresponsible. We owe this to our children and grandchildren.
4
While Kerry is absolutely right, he has little personal credibility on climate change due to his lifestyle as a member of the 1%. Multiple homes, vehicles, flying on private jets, etc., Supporting environmental causes with your money doesn't change that fact.
So until you change your lifestyle, piously lecturing the rest of us to do so is hypocritical. Living in one house and driving one car would be a good start.
3
I think that ultimately, in the future, the human race as a species, is destined to destroy itself. An excerpt from the Planet of the Apes movie - Cornelius: [reading from the “Sacred Scrolls” of the apes to Taylor and Dr. Zeus] “Beware the beast Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport or lust or greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death.” Keep in mind that this movie is from 1968, before a lot of the current environmental problems that exist today, but when there was a threat of global nuclear war, hence the destruction of New York City and the Statute of Liberty scene at the end. Dinosaurs were the dominant species that inhabited and ruled the planet Earth for about 175 million years, until their mass extinction caused by an asteroid. Modern man, or Homo Sapiens, just in the short span of 2,000 years of the Christian calendar have already destroyed much of the environment by over population, pollution, rapidly depleting all of the earth’s natural resources, including clean air and water, and now face climate change, which may doom the human race and make the planet uninhabitable (for people). We may not even last for a few more centuries, but the planet will continue to exist for another 5 billion years before the sun goes Supernova.
3
@Seymore Clearly
I guess you were not alive in 1968 because if you were you would recall that we were supposed to be entering another ice age. Thats what the kooks were predicting back then.
Omigosh, really, Secretary Kerry? Why don't you lead the way by selling all five of those houses spread out around America and the world, downsizing to a one-bedroom apartment in Co-op City, and taking the subway to work?
3
@Observer of the Zeitgeist
What has that got to do with how you are living?
1
Interesting use of the word "Luddite." This is a reference to a movement that was wary of new technology that would drastically alter the world and human relationships. If we were all actual Luddites, there would not be climate change. It is misleading to use this term to describe Trump's interest in coal and dis-interest in solar.
4
Sorry, Secretary Kerry. Forgetting Trump is the last thing we need to do in order to reduce the impacts of climate change.
With republicans in lockstep with the administration, climate change needs to become part of the narrative, along with the criminal investigations of Trump and his cohorts.
We won’t get climate change done until this president is removed from office, either through Mueller’s investigations, SDNY or the people rendering their verdict in 2020.
3
Not bad, but the creation of a Select Standing Committee on the Green New Deal which will draw up an actual plan within a year - a huge challenge in itself - didn't get any mention. It and its mission is long overdue.
The task is daunting. I have an idea of what Climate Mobilization means; I look around me at the politics of my state, Maryland, and my region in the western mountains, Trump country, and I honestly don't know if we can do it.
But we have to try. The level of discussion has to rise tenfold.
I'm just catching up with a conference held in Washington, DC in October on Market Fundamentalism, which has a hold over both parties. Everything about that fundamentalism, which one speaker said is really corporate fundamentalism, and another, Damon Silver of the AFL-CIO says takes us to rigged markets as in Michael Lewis' "Flashboys" the feat of drilling a tunnel from Chicago to New York through the Appalachian mountains, a level of fanaticism to shave seconds or less off getting bids (and worse) in ahead of the competition, shows just how mis-focused our spending is. That and on gas pipelines.
When William Black, Robert Kuttner, Russell Mokhiber, Robert Weissma, Dennis Kelleher, Lori Wallach and Ralph Nader start appearing on CNN with some regularity, we'll know we're making progress.
1
We could reduce the domestic transportation carbon footprint if Americans would use, and advocate for, expanded passenger rail travel instead of mythologizing it as part of our nostalgic past.
4
Climate change has it's roots in greed.
The fossil fuel and extractive industries refuse to write down the value of the asset in the ground despite it being less cost to generate kilowatts by renewable means.
If they (the merchants of climate change denial) don't want to do that, legislation to make the price of carbon fuel reflect the true costs to society will do it for them. Elect people who would like to see their grandchildren grow up.
8
Yes we are all responsible. But no we do not need politicians or governments to fix this. Rather, we all need to voluntarily do with less: fewer air flights, fewer car trips, fewer upgrades of electronic goodies, fewer everything. Most of us could thus cut our energy load on the planet by 5 - 10% with no loss in living standards. We would feel better for doing it. The infuriating lie that all “environmental” politicians tell is that we can have it all: two homes, flights to India, the newest and greatest electronics if only... If only, what? A carbon tax.? Ending coal? Nope. The only way to get to less is to: buy less, burn less energy personally, and understand that we do not need government to confront the CO2 enemy at the gates.
8
It's not politicos' and pundits' air travel so much as the business people and vacationers and commuters who fill the planes and cars and the skies with burnt fuel emissions. And everyone who drives a big honking SUV or truck who could do just fine with a smaller car or hybrid or electric vehicle. Going to Grandma's for the holidays? Push Congress for a better rail system.
We invented bullet trains, but the US has never used them for high-speed passenger travel to major cities, with light-rail spurs from major hubs. And improve subway systems within cities, extending lines to more suburbs. Could be done! Lots of jobs for lots of people. We can't have so many wasteful vehicles on the roads.
5
@oh really
" And everyone who drives a big honking SUV or truck who could do just fine with a smaller car or hybrid or electric vehicle."
True. But actually, half of people driving any car whatsoever could figure out how to exist without their car and every single person with a car can figure out how to use it less.
I sold my car over 5 years ago, and use a bike to get just about everywhere I go, supplementing with walking, the bus, train, carshare, bikeshare, or even scootershare. Admittedly, I live in a fairly bike-friendly city (Denver) while many people are stuck in cities and towns that were entirely built for vehicles. But, that's no excuse. Can you walk to the store instead of driving? Can you bike to your friend's house? How about taking transit once a week even if it takes a little longer (it's a great time to read!)? How about carpooling? Reducing the number of trips you take by combining errands?
Americans need to be less car-dependent, get off our butts and make an effort, be creative with our transportation, and above all, support transit, bike infrastructure, good sidewalks and safe crossings for pedestrians (we're all pedestrians sometimes no matter how much we drive), do away with parking minimums, build more densely, support traffic calming measures to make streets safe, stop expanding highways, and build over the gobs and gobs and GOBS of land that we have dedicated completely to storing and moving inefficient, polluting, dangerous vehicles.
Mr. Kerry makes some important points here that we ignore at our peril.
Every new structure should be required to incorporate solar panels into their designs.
Reinstate the Obama Administration fuel economy standards for automobiles and trucks.
No more coal or fracking -- period.
Though I have no children, it's still my responsibility to leave the Earth as least as habitable as I found it. Congress and our so-called president are fiddling while Rome burns.
6
Look , it is not fires , floods or hurricanes wakes up people from their deep sleep, Unfortunately a drastic catastrophe which is called Crop failure will truly open everybody's eyes .
Alas no remedy for that catastrophe once it occurs.
7
There are a variety of possible processes for marine carbon sequestration that could be effective and reasonably economical for producing negative emissions.
These alone will not be enough to meet the targets required to avoid catastrophic global warming, but they may deduct as much as two or three of Pacala and Socolow's "wedges".
Some of these processes might also produce significant employment in industries such as ship building, and may actually produce revenue and valuable products.
There have been a large number of scientific and engineering publications in this area in the last decade, and people concerned about global warming should understand this literature so we can implement these technologies.
Having more viable solutions will also reduce the emotional need for denial of the science and advance policies of all kinds needed to address this great challenge.
1
@Cdb
Carbon sequestration on the scale needed (think about it) is not particularly economical.
It also encourages the magic thinking that we don't need to cut back.
That said, cheapskating by carbon producers is not helpful, as you point out.
5
Can we please retire this "leader of the free world" nonsense? Far too often, American "leaders" choose the wrong path over and over again. Consistently. Trump has abdicated leadership when it comes to global problems, so let's all dispense with this cliché.
But your point is well-taken, Mr. Kerry. We all need to step into this leadership vacuum and enact our own change: solar panels, electric cars, reduced consumption, better insulation, and higher energy efficiency need to guide our actions immediately. We can all do it, as long as we don't abdicate our responsibilities. I don't want my son to question my choices in 5 or 10 years.
10
Time for the Green New Deal. Also, please support organizations that are beginning to find ways to make people face reality. Here are a couple:
No Ordinary Lawsuit:
https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/us/federal-lawsuit/
Climate Science Legal Defense Fund: https://www.csldf.org/
(to counter the lies and bullying of scientists and realists)
Many Attorneys General are on the case too.
Then there are relief organizations for the many victims who have already reached desperation through multiple extreme events.
7
@Susan Anderson -- I'm skeptical of the "green new deal" as proponents currently propound it -- mostly a buzz-phrase not much better than "MAGA."
They are a lot less fuzzy about the "new deal" part than the green part. While it's true that "green" infrastructure would create jobs, they have no comprehension of what and where and how many.
A appropriate carbon tax will spur all the rational infrastructure work EXCEPT long-distance HVDC transmission -- national legislation will be required to advance that, due to regulatory issues.
4
@Lee Harrison
We have to make major changes to avert the worst consequences. Nobody is really thinking about how to do this except the Green New Deal people.
Scientists are said to have been trying to tell us for some time. Look at the hypothetical pathways if we go the way we're going.
1
Giving another lecture to generate a response to the problem doesn't help. Giving step wise advice on what each of us can do individually to limit our personal carbon footprints is a better way to encourage action. I don't need anyone to tell me it's a problem that our so-called leaders aren't interested in tackling. That is self-evident. Organizing communities is the answer! So, practical advice is the single most empowering thing that each household needs. Of course, we do need to keep the pressure up on our elected officials to precipitate change on a grand scale, but we ,just also do our part- one person at a time!
2
For individuals who want to shrink their carbon footprint ... A few things immediately come to mind: stop eating meat; buy locally grown produce (no grapes from Chili!); get rid of fossil fuel powered cars (none of those trendy SUVs!); wear locally sourced and made clothes; reduce needless, conspicuous consumption; turn down house heat and wear sweaters; walk to school; use public transportation. Using cloth bags instead of plastic bags at the grocery store is insufficient.
7
@Blueinred -- it is deeply unfortunate that the Republican party became the captive shill of fossil-fuel interests, and has consequently become an anti-science, anti-reality party, but that is the case, with nearly zero exceptions, top to bottom.
That means that Republicans must be voted out of office, unless they change their anti-science platform.
4
@Blueinred
Ok, right now:
Stop buying things packaged in plastic, including food. Store foods in glass or metal containers, and wrap in foil and waxed paper in fridge and freezer. Use string or other reusable shopping bags for purchases.
Walk when you can, or ride with friends or co-workers. Next car: hybrid or electric, small.
Take public transportation. If not available, call your state reps and demand more of it for your area. Today.
Turn off gadgets and small appliances with itty bitty clocks you don't need (like coffee makers--yes, less convenient to unplug and plug in again for use; get used to it, you're saving the planet).
Use few or no electric holiday lights. Do you need so many?
Turn off devices when not in use. This means office and personal computers. They boot up quickly again, so no real hardship here.
Turn down thermostats in winter & at night, and up in summer. Wear more or fewer clothes as needed. You will be a little uncomfortable, but so what.
Stop mowing your lawn so much. Less lawn, with more native plants in broad areas.
Plant more trees for shade & air filtration.
Stop buying bottled water in little plastic bottles. Get a reusable water bottle; keep a gallon jug filled with tap water (if potable) and refill as needed.
Stop using disposable paper & plastic cups at work. Bring a mug and wash it out. You can do this in less than 20 seconds.
Refuse plastic utensils & straws for take-out food. Use your own--home or office.
6
I am reminded of what the world said to the US no long ago:
Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way!
So many excuses, other andvictim blaming, deliberate deafness and blindness to the abundant evidence of a changing world.
Fake skepticism, promoted by industrial-strength deception, is now in charge in Trump's in-your-face administration.: foxes in charge of the henhouse.
Florence, Michael, Harvey, Irma, Maria, Sandy, Katrina. Many other huge flooding, wildfire, and drought events. The Colorado River system drying up. Insects disappearing or migrating, species extinction, pollinators too. Sea level rise more obvious as it accelerates, Arctic melting, permafrost melt, even East Antarctica showing signs of melt (which alone, over time will be over 90 feet of sea level rise (800 years to completion)), Greenland melting, glaciers disappearing. The list goes on and on.
Mideast and African unrest and famine, exacerbated by war. People trying to feed their children will do anything. The migrations are just getting started.
So blame Obama (who was obstructed from Day 1). Blame Democrats, whose minority is treated as invisible, while Republicans steal majorities by cheating and use offense by claiming others do what they are doing.
The theft of our hospitable earth is the worst thing we've ever faced. The lies do not have it. We've all become too entitled, too wasteful as well.
Yes, action begins at home. But bad actors need to remember their humanity.
Stewardship!
10
The International Criminal Court considers pollution and ecocide as crimes against humanity.
It needs to be escalated in importance just under nuclear war.
This is a bipartisan issue. It is a global issue.
Congress and the UN needs to call it out and keep calling out for what it is and take actions accordingly against countries committing these crimes.
They need to start with America.
We Americans need to start by firing any legislators who won't recognize this crime and speak out against it.
4
Thirty years have passed since the first climate change warning whistle blew. If we won't listen to the thousands of climate scientists, thinkers, observers, ecologists, problem-solvers who have trumpeted the warning again and again and again, why would we listen to Kerry? Even when the acidic ocean is gnawing holes in billionaires' yachts, even when a quart of water costs $10,000, even when the vast wasteland deserts and ash-strewn mountains are the only refugia we will still wait for someone else to solve the problem. Good luck.
2
Face it John, in the annals of history one single person in the entire world will be found more responsible than any other for humanity’s failure to address climate change when it was cheap: Sen. James Inhofe.
As head of Senate EPW chair, he single-handedly prevented the world’s only superpower from leading humanity to fight climate change while a billion people still had a chance at survival.
As last week’s reports indicate, that window is now closed. The best we can hope for is minimizing the carnage in the decades to come.
If there is justice in this world, we will erect a statue of Chairman Inhofe, on the part of the Washington DC coast reclaimed by the ocean, with “It’s a hoax” etched in the base.
9
"The test is whether the nations of the world will pull out of the mutual suicide pact that we’ve all passively joined through an inadequate response to this crisis."
Are you kidding me?
The author of this article was a cabinet member for the most recent Democratic president, while Democrats controlled both the House and Senate, well after scientists started warning us about the dangers of our carbon emissions. The president who did some good things on the edges, but always stopped short of placing the blame where it belonged, who didn't even try to pass a gas tax, who rarely if ever mentioned climate except on lists of things Democrats claimed to "care about" or "accept" as contrasted with Republicans. His climate guy (Stern, I think) said all the right things but always stopped short of using US leverage to make anything binding or give anything teeth.
Give me a break.
There are real progressives who actually care about future generations in office now. And they're making actual demands, with strong moral arguments and actual conviction. And they're doing it WHILE IN OFFICE.
John Kerry needs to go away.
2
Mr. Kerry, how large are your houses? And how much air travel are you responsible for? I think that Al Gore lost all credibility on this issue of climate change when it was revealed that he flys around in a private jet, and lives in a 30,000 square foot house. Oh, but then, the liberal elites of this planet are so much more virtuous and knowledgeable than us peasants who pay the bills that you must be maintained in your own little Cloud City bubble while lecturing the rest of us. How about you at least mention that India has made no effective effort to curb population growth, which is the basis of all resource problems, and is heavily dependent on a particularly dirty brand of local coal? That China opens a coal fired energy plant weekly? That the third world rain forest countries have had their hands in the US government treasury for decades while steadily destroying the rain forest and indigenous populations? You may be having fun criticizing Donald Trump, but this is really serious, it's happening much faster than expected, and we need leaders like you to rise above their political prejudices and address reality.
7
@Mary -- the total fertility rate in India is already down to 2.3 children for every woman, and is expected to reach the replacement fertility rate (the number of children required to simply replace the existing population without it growing) of 2.1 by 2025.
That's far better than your claims. The indian population is expected to grow until about 2040 due to the bulge of young people.
As to India and coal, read here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/energyinnovation/2018/01/30/india-coal-power-is-about-to-crash-65-of-existing-coal-costs-more-than-new-wind-and-solar/#2b2646504c0f
As to China and coal read here:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45640706
but realize that many of the Chinese coal plants under construction will never be finished, or if are finished, will not operate (and hence bankrupt).
China's spree of coal plant building is known to be a bubble that the central government has been trying to stop.
1
@Mary -- if a rich man told you "watch out, don't hit that tree!" ... would you drive into it anyway ... because yes, he does have a bigger fancier car than you do?
2
@Mary
Overpopulation, greed, and power are the real issues. It has been Republicans who have campaigned against Planned Parenthood (which is an international organization, by the way) for distributing contraceptives and for providing abortions so so many children need not be born to families unable to feed or otherwise care for them. The whole world is groaning from too many people!
Trump's appointment of antichoice Supreme Court judges will mean more restrictions on the world's ability to control population by enabling women to control births. Republicans, evangelicals, "orthodox" and fundamentalists of all religions, and the Catholic Church leaders have no moral spine. Earth, our island home, is turning into hell, and they have been stoking the flames.
1
The positive thing about human-induced climate change is that we have worked out how to prevent ice ages by emitting greenhouse gases.
This is brilliant.
Now all we have to do is to survive to be able to use our new tool when we need it and that means we have to stop using it now.
Decarbonise now !
1
Mr. Kerry, what exactly are "alternative facts"? Something is proven true before it can be called a fact. There is no alternative to the truth, unless, of course, your name is Trump.
Please don't muddy up an outstanding plea for sanity by tossing in some Kellyanne Conway confetti.
3
The greatest enemies of capitalism are capitalists, among them the Koch brothers and big oil, especially Marathon which, as this day's Times reporting points out is conspiring with Republicans to make our asthma worse and increase the number of lung cancer victims by sabotaging the Clean Air Act.
By all means the new House of Representatives should legislate, knowing ignorant Republicans Senators will sabotage action.Legislate to establish the sinews for U.S. action on climate change should we be fortunate enough in 2020 to elect a President and a Senate determined to act.
2
There are a couple problems with climate change articles like this:
First, making statements like "By 2050 such and such terrible disaster is going to happen" is counter productive. The fact is, climatologists can't predict what will happen next year, let alone 30+ years from now. Please just present the facts as they are today, they are worrisome enough, we don't need hyperbole to "scare" people into action, since, ironically, most people see through it and from what I see, it actually makes them more skeptical.
Second, if John Kerry believes "We all must act on climate change", I'd like to ask him; John, other than flying around the world and scolding everyone else, what have you actually done? Did you sell your mansion and move into a modest 1,500 square foot house? Do you drive a small car? Do you fly coach instead of first class? I believe the reason we see push-back on global warming policies like the riots in France, is because the hypocrites who scold everyone about the dangers of global warming blithely go about their business of destroying the planet, just like everyone else. Wouldn't it be nice to see some actual leadership by example from people like John Kerry?
5
This is the kind of stuff that causes the Democrats to lose elections. They need to lay out an integrated agenda for addressing:
1. Disparate impacts of "globalization"
2. Rising inequality of income
3. Social (education, healthcare, social security)
4. Climate change.
Making climate change somehow more important won't work, save perhaps for the likes of Kerry. Rather climate change should be addressed as part of a comprehensive approach for dealing with the other problems, too
188
@MKR I agree with you but have a different priority list:
1. Climate change is a national security issue. It should be recast as such. Combating it should be seen as protecting our country and the lives of its citizens.
2. Combating climate change creates jobs. Democrats should take advantage of this fact and run hard with it.
3. Polluters and destroyers of environmental resources should be dealt with as criminals since they destroy lives and property. Their argument that they create wealth and jobs is spurious and should be exposed at every opportunity.
178
Numbers 1-3 won’t matter if we don’t address 4.
90
@MKR WSJ: Paris Riots Reveal Disillusion and Despair in French Hinterlands (Dec 11, 2018). Your list is in the correct order. There's no political will for #4 if you don't take care of 1-3. Leaders will certainly learn from France's example.
16
There are so many things that can be done. Even basic filtration would do a lot to reduce emissions. Toxicity can be eliminated from the entire supply chain. Pollution can literally be designed out of existence, and none of it is happening. The future will be right to judge us failures, and there are no excuses.
2
@Paul Wallis -- you can't "filter out" CO2. It can be separated from flue gas streams or even the atmosphere at high cost, but then were do you put it?
2
@Lee Harrison No, mate, I'm talking about the entire combustion process, not just CO2. you change the elements of combustion, and/or extract the CO2, and filter out the small encyclopedia of toxins which are killing tens of thousands of people, or hundreds of thousands, depemding on your sources of information. As for where you put it - You sell it or repurpose it in other chemical processes. CO2 is a very useful, valuable commodity. It can be used in horticulture, industrial chemistry, etc. You can also scrub CO2 with direct intakes, or that other recent invention, trees.
@Paul Wallis -- "change the elements of combustion" ... you better explain that one.
Do you have any idea of what 40 BILLION TONS of CO2 each year is? I suspect not.
Ditto "other chemical processes"
1
Forget Trump? Trump is merely reflecting the beliefs of his supporters and the desires of his benefactors - both financial and political.
John Kerry talks about Congress and then mentions Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer - both Democrats. When was the last time the Republican leadership in Washington was willing to concede that global warming is a problem? Republicans were refusing to act on global warming well before Trump. Ronald Reagan removed the solar panels Carter had put up on the White House roof. Drilling in the Arctic wildlife refuge and offshore were all Republican goals.
Maybe it's time to stop pretending that there is any kind of bipartisan consensus on this issue. The flip side of taking refuge in the safe space of bipartisanship is to make those people who understand the urgency of this issue and want significant action look extreme. They are not.
Finally, Kerry needs to admit that increasing economic inequality, that is only being made worse with the tax breaks for the wealthy that are also going to strip the gov't of funds, means that those with the means need to dedicate their personal resources to addressing this crisis. Instead of the wealthiest Americans simply making their own homes energy efficient, how about subsidizing solar energy or thermal energy in poor neighborhoods, or subsidizing public work projects to upgrade the energy grid?
Wealth can not insulate people from the effects of global warming. It's time to put your money where your mouth is.
157
@DebbieR Obama passed on opportunity in 2009 to pass a gas tax - and he could have taken measures to offset its impact on low and moderate income Americans. Cost influences behavior.
4
@CDN
If Republicans had supported it, don't you think he would have passed it? There is a limit to how much political capital any one party is willing to spend.
In the meantime, wealthy people need to do more besides driving super expensive electric cars and making their own homes carbon neutral.
15
Obama had unstoppable majorities in Congress. Don’t blame Republicans for not supporting what Democrats could have done by themselves. Surely everyone would have overwhelmingly voted to support Democrats as a result of having to pay far more for energy. Democrats would also have contributed large amounts to the Democrat political campaigns to make up for the lost contributions from oil companies.
5
OMG what a nut! In the last 6 months the IPCC has risen the temperature hike from 2.7 degrees to 12 degrees. Obviously all the stops have been pulled out. The left, Kelly included, is hunkering for trillions, (not billions), trillions to go from American's pockets to universities, government agencies and private government funded businesses.
If the 'scientists" knew within any broad facts we would know when the US will come to an end. Science is NOT consensus.
Science is FACT. Are scientists asking what the temperature is outside? NO. Because we know!
1
I say we need to be absolutely clear about what our objectives are, own up to the failures of war and accept the world shattering problems of climate catastrophe. I'd even vote for say, John Kerry-in a second, if he would ultimately be committed above all else to make treason to his class and to begin his administration by nationalizing about three or four major sectors of the economy for the sake of making the needed changes, based on principles of equality and climate justice.
Progressives are leading on the issue and we can't afford to ignore it anymore. "Few options and fewer decades left." Barbarity is the alternative. If you are in the US, get on your congress people and urge them to join/w the Sunrise Movement, now. https://www.sunrisemovement.org/gnd/
2
So John Kerry is here telling us all we have to act and explains he just got back from New Delhi. Did he fly to New Delhi? Could he have tele-conferenced instead? Was his physical presence so awe inspiring that his disembodied voice would have been a poor substitute? Do as I say, Not As I Do huh John?
3
@GregP He had to go to a rich man's wedding - teleconference wouldn't do. Know your place peasant.
1
It is interesting that the picture accompanying this op-ed is of a thermal solar facility. (That is, a facility that generates electricity by using the sun's rays to boil water to run steam turbines.) These use an incredible amount of water and are usually located in deserts - where there is lots of sun but not lots of water.
Very large scale solar facilities are mostly thermal solar, but it's not the most environmentally friendly process.
1
@J. Waddell But wouldn't you say it's a preferable alternative to coal, petroleum, or natural gas?
2
@J. Waddell Wouldn't it be possible to condense the steam to water again after it has passed the turbines?
1
@GE the water use is not the water in the steam cycle. Plants like Ivanpah, and virtually all thermal power plants (including nuclear) commonly use wet cooling systems to reject the waste heat. This makes the cooling towers much lower capital cost, if the water is available.
Solar photovoltaic doesn't do this, of course.
1
The problem is not the minority of people who deny climate change. The problem is convincing the majority of people that it is worth the cost of addressing climate change. If reducing CO2 emissions was cost-free or, as some claim, would save consumers money it would have happened already. The riots in France demonstrate the unwillingness of people to even spend a small amount extra to address climate change.
So don't worry about deniers. Worry about how you are going to convince the majority that the costs are worth it.
5
@J. Waddell The reason that reducing CO2 appears not to be cost-free is that the cost of CO2 emissions resulting from fossil fuel combustion is externalized. As the recent National Climate Assessment makes clear, the cost of CO2 emissions is large and growing rapidly, reaching hundreds of billions of dollars annually by the end of the century. If those costs were reflected in the price of fossil fuels, reducing CO2 would indeed save consumers money.
2
@J. Waddell. There are economical, efficient solutions that are not odious but still unimpemented. An example from my own northern city of Syracuse, NY is the poor thermal insulation in nearly all homes and large buildings constructed prior to 1980, especially in the city’s extensive poor neighborhoods. Losing a huge amount of heat during our cold winters, these could be remediated with short payback periods if a financing program were in place that would avoid upfront costs, and would be accepted by, or required of, landlords and other building owners.
1
@J. Waddell
It seems the riots in France have more to do with tax cuts on the rich than with Macron's fuel tax per se -- although it was the trigger.
Sustainability measures generally save money in the long term. A good example is New York's Empire State Building. The renovation that began in 2008 cost a total of $20 million, but it saves $4.4 million in operating costs every year. If you want the nitty-gritty details, go to this link:
https://www.ecmag.com/section/green-building/empire-state-building-renovation
A bipartisan climate bill was just introduced--the first bipartisan bill in over a decade--yet no one is talking about it. The Energy Innovation & Carbon Dividends Act is projected to cut US emissions by 40% in 12 years and 90% by 2050. It places a steadily rising fee on carbon and sends revenues directly back to American households. Studies show that 70% of Americans (often the poorest among us) would receive more in dividends than they'd see costs go up. Most importantly, it brings all 320 million Americans and every business into the fold with a concrete monetary incentive to use less energy, use clean energy and to innovate. Imagine the potential!
Putting the horrifying realities of climate change aside, we as a country aren't going to compete in a 21st century and beyond powered by 19th century energy technology.
The bill includes a border adjustment for imports for any country that doesn't have a similar price on carbon. This both protects US companies and incentivizes other countries to follow suit if they want access to the US consumer economy.
This bill is the best chance that Americans have to lead the fight against climate change. I hope that enough ordinary citizens pressure their members of congress to help get this passed. In thirty years if the cataclysmic eventualities of climate change have become all too clear, I want to be able to look my kids in the eye and say I tried. I imagine many other readers do to. If so, help get this bill passed.
15
@Geo The bill number is H.R. 7173. It now has seven co-sponsors—three Republicans and four Democrats. It won't pass in this Congress, but will be introduced again early next year.
5
@Geo
Here is another:
My congressman supports the "Green New Deal" and I wrote to thank him. There will be excellent work in the new House!
CONGRESSMAN ADRIANO ESPAILLAT ANNOUNCES SUPPORT OF GREEN NEW DEAL TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING
the “Green New Deal,” a proposal being touted by Representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) aimed at overhauling energy use, reducing carbon emissions, and creating new jobs.
5
I am pessimistic about the future. Humans have always created gigantic messes, and even the most conscientious of us is still responsible for tons of CO2, mountains of plastic, and other types of environmental degradation.
There are just too many of us. We have exceeded the carrying capacity of the planet. I suspect that we will experience what happened to the Kaibab deer in 1906 when T. Roosevelt banned hunting of the deer and eliminated the predators. The deer population soared, the environment (including the food the deer ate) was decimated, and starvation on a vast scale ensued.
This is our future. I suggest not breeding. This is not a message that would go over well with any politician seeking office.
9
Anyone talking about managing global-warming greenhouse gas emissions without mentioning meat production and the need for people to switch to a plant-based diet should not be taken seriously.
5
@Melissa R
Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Eating less meat is important, but we can cut fossil fuels a lot without all becoming vegans.
1
@Chris Winter -- and then the flip side -- we cannot possibly cut CO2 enough by becoming vegans ... we must tackle actually reducing fossil fuel use!
2
@Melissa R Eat chicken not beef
Write to your House Representative and ask for Climate bills. The House majority will pass environmental, infrastructure and renewable energy bills and send them to the Senate. If the Senate votes these bills down then the Senate gets the heat. If the Senate passes them and Trump vetoes them, then Trump gets the heat. If Trump signs them into law, then we all might get out of the heat. Whatever, we win, and all it takes is for you and me to get your and my representatives to get it started.
5
@R. Turner. I did write to Sen. Marco Rubio, demanding action in harmony with the recently published warning that sounded the alarm that our planet is in mortal danger from climate change. This is part of his reply to me:
"Scientists continue to study the underlying causes of the Earth’s changing climate, including the contributions of human activities. As a policymaker, I have a responsibility to consider the costs and benefits of proposed policies and regulations as we seek to improve public safety and conserve our natural resources. And I must weigh all of my decisions against the potential consequences of increasing financial burdens on families, workers, and job creators, and subjecting future generations to unsustainable levels of debt."--Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida)
There's more, but this is the meat of his reply. No clue.
This is the man who represents Florida, one of the states already at super-high risk. He's the one who said early on that he wouldn't support emissions control because China is a bigger problem, one that we could not offset or affect.
I don't know if stupid pills are available for the taking in Congress each day, or if Mr. Rubio and his ilk really believe this tripe, or if it's a calculated political kiss-up to Trump.
Whatever it is, it's killing Earth and therefore killing us. Keep pushing, Mr. Kerry. Our children deserve to have some adults in the room.
1
Will Kerry's editorial succeed where others have failed? No new information. No more urgent appeal than other appeals.
I'd offer to sell you that bridge, but rising seas levels make it a poor investment.
3
@bruceb
The information is out there. Have you looked for it? A good place to start is /Climate of Hope/ by Bloomberg & Pope.
We should all just stop eating meat, buying palm oil related products and reducing our carbon footprint.
2
@dr. c.c. No to palm poil as one of the biggest producer is Indonesia that is removing rain forests on the double. Over here diesel was mixed with palm oil, but that has been stopped.
1
All of us are guilty, but those who bear the burden are not yet born.
6
John Kerry is preaching to the choir here - the readership of the NYT is largely informed and accepting of the scientific consensus that very shortly the escape hatches will close, and we and our children will witness a worldwide catastrophe that could have been avoided. What is missing here are the concrete steps we can take. The prime issue for us to address is the difficulty of converting climate change deniers. What organizations are addressing this challenge? What support do they need? There is a thin line between being aware, and being in despair. To stay on that line we need a meaningful plan of action. It is not a question of saving polar bears, or the oceans, but saving human society and at worst case life as we know it on earth. We start by changing minds. Tell us how.
4
@patricia "What organizations are addressing this challenge?" There are many. One of the fastest growing is Citizens' Climate Lobby, which for a decade has been advocating revenue-neutral carbon-fee-and-dividend legislation. Our campaign has borne fruit in the form of the recently introduced bipartisan resolution, H.R. 7173, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, which follows CCL's proposal very closely. CCL now has nearly 500 chapters; visit the CCL website, find the chapter closest to you, and help your Member of Congress become a climate activist.
2
The goal should be to replace every petrol powered vehicle with electric power in ten years. Then, the ship will turn.
Also, please stop telling us where all you are flying off to. The hypocrisy of powerful people moving about the globe preaching about climate change is beginning to make sick. That includes everyone who thinks it's cool to preach from 35000 feet. It's not cool.
Where is the leader who says: "We choose to go to the moon!" the moon being a metaphor to achieve what we all imagine: a globe haloed by a natural, clean climate.
I agree: forget Trump. Imagine the moon instead. And then execute lock stock and barrel.
3
No, we won't be to blame. There won't be anyone left to blame!
Why do we frame damages from climate change in economic terms. How 'bout we cite damages in destroyed civilizations and a once beautiful planet that sustained life for millions of species of flora and fauna, now laid to waste by shortsighted humans interested in their own short term gains.
1
Meanwhile, as Kerry plods on blaming Trump for the collapse of the previous Administration's climate policies European states are witnessing the publics refusal to heed or pay for the same.
2
@Samuel Spade
It seems the voters in this country see what's going on -- stronger hurricanes, bigger fires, unprecedented rainstorms, days when it's too hot to fly in the Southwest. Polls indicate they're ready for a Green New Deal -- by 55% to 23%, per the DfP poll.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/09/climate-change-polls-voters-are-ready-for-a-green-new-deal-are-democrats.html
1
Mutual suicide pact? Really? This over-the-top sky is falling rhetoric is exceeded only by the number of persons willing to believe it.
4
Mr. Kerry casually mentions that he was in New Delhi this week. (Press reports say it was for the wedding of a billionaire's daughter.) Any of a number of online carbon calculators show that Mr. Kerry's leisure trip emitted as much carbon as several pickup trucks driving the average annual distance. (And if he flew first class - or by private jet - then the carbon damage of his trip was much more.)
In this behavior, Mr. Kerry is no different from most others in the elite class to which he belongs. At the same time he's blasting the atmosphere with carbon, Mr. Kerry and his ilk advocate anti-warming policies that would fall disproportionately on the poor and middle class. Mr. Kerry can afford to pay more for more costly green energy. He isn't bothered when mileage standards drive up the cost of his vehicles. He don't lose a life-long coal mining job because of carbon reduction mandates.
The coastal elites enjoy their Indian and Tuscan getaways while the rest of us suffer the side effects of their green energy policies. Why are their no restrictions on leisure air travel which is about the most energy intensive activity an American can engage in? Is it because it's something that the coastal elites engage in disproportionately? One must wonder if most air travel were for Texans flying to Alaska to hunt Moose whether the policies would be different.
If global warming really is the emergency the elites say it is, why aren't they sharing in the sacrifice?
169
@Mineral - don't confuse the message with the messenger. Climate change will impact mid-to-lower income people the worst. In fact, it is doing that already. Even if you are spared wildfires, flooding severe weather, etc, you have to shell out taxes for federal disaster assistance for others. Check out the 2018 report signed by 13 federal agencies that warns of more and worse economic losses caused by climate change. Consider climbing costs in food, health, etc. Pay now in climate change prevention or pay even more later. Don't expect elites to save you. They won't be hit as hard as we are. Addressing climate change is saving ourselves.
71
Remember back in 2006 when John Kerry tried to halt the windmills off of cape cod because they were in his own back yard? What's good for us little people is. Or necessarily good for the jet set.
16
@Mineral
Yes, this is the kind of stuff that provoked the gilets jaunes in France. One of them said of Macron he cares about saving the world but we worry about making it to the end of the month. Elites in the media and politics need to demonstrate by their actions that they care. They need to walk the talk.
14
If the media could bring this discussion up to 1/4 of the level of the Trump coverage, we might get somewhere. We need to devote much more attention to this problem. Coverage and effective ads on TV, discussions on news channels , covers on magazines and newspapers, posts on social media. Directions on how to use less plastic, power. Lets get this crisis on the front burner.
20
We are facing a win-win opportunity. The two fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. right now are wind turbine technician and solar panel installer. We have many more jobs in solar than coal today, and with the right policies a high-school or college graduate could get a job in the renewables industry and have plenty of work for decades as we transition our power grid to renewables.
The key ingredient here is leadership, and that starts with never allowing what happened in 2010 and 2014 and 2016 to happen again...people have to treat elections, all elections, as if they matter, because they do. Much of the groundwork for Trump's horrendous policies were laid in mid-term elections when young people and liberals sat on their hands while anti-fact anti-science corporate owned Republicans won over 1000 elected offices nationwide. While liberals were complaining about Obama or Clinton not being "inspiring enough" the oil and gas lobby was busy buying our Democracy. We can never let that happen again.
Everyone needs to realize that you can't wait for politics to be perfect before you participate. Elections don't wait for you to feel inspired. If you don't act like your life and the lives of vulnerable people depend on your vote, you're part of the problem. Don't be part of the problem! Get out there, get active in every election, vote, and let's get rid of these corrupt fools! #voteblue2020!
364
Yes. Get out and vote for Democrats. But also install solar, buy an electric car, and boycott products from trump states like Kentucky. I’ve had my last drink of bourbon until the people of that state wake up and stop supporting fools!
13
@Erik Schmitt
I admire your commitment, but no bourbon? Are you sure? Isn't there any other way? How about no Kentucky Derby? I can do that...
4
@Erik Schmitt incidentally, even in coal-friendly KY, utilities are seeing the value of solar as part of a diverse portfolio. A group of rural coops recently signed the largest solar power purchase agreement in the state by a factor of 10x, which will fix a portion of their power prices for over a decade while providing economic development and of course clean, quiet, emissions-free electricity free from fuel-price volatility. This really shouldn't be a partisan issue...we just need to get rid of the fossils (both the fuels and the politicians)!
11
After literally decades of inaction, it looks more and more like there is no solution US legislatures will be able to enact. We should consider a change in tactics to what worked against the tobacco companies. Energy companies should be sued for damages from natural disasters related to climate change. If Exxon Mobil and Haliburton have to pay for reconstruction of Houston flood damage and the fires in California, they will change their tune quickly and beg for legislative relief, which in turn could be conditioned on their verifiable reduction in green house emissions. They are liable for the same reason that big tobacco is, not because of the product they sell, but because they systematically lie about it and hire fake scientists and lobbyists to deceive the public and nefariously influence public policy. Maybe the legal system can tackle a problem that legislatures are incapable of.
6
we are going backwards. how long will it take to undo the damage caused by these policies. is it not better to err on the side of caution? we cannot bring back the arctic to its pristine conditions...
6
I truly fear for the future safety of the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the owners, board members and executives of the oil, natural gas, coal and pipeline companies and their sponsored political “leaders.”
As living conditions on our planet become unbearable due to the severe, relentless impacts of Climate Change, generations of devastated citizens around the world will ask: “Who is most directly responsible for this existential catastrophe?”
When these citizens look around, they will find many of the culpable carbon barons and carbon-sponsored politicians have already passed on to whatever afterlife awaits them. But the direct descendants of the carbon barons and the carbon-sponsored politicians will still be here. And there will be no escape – not even behind their gated communities – from the wrath of billions of incensed citizens on every continent.
For the carbon barons, it all comes down to one essential choice to be made right now: harvest their carbon assets and sacrifice their descendants – or – strand their carbon assets and save their descendants?
For the carbon-sponsored politicians, it also comes down to one essential choice to be made right now: continue to dither on Climate Change legislation and sacrifice their descendants – or – pass sweeping and meaningful Climate Change mitigation legislation and save their descendants?
The time on the clock is quickly running out...
11
I'm all for saving the planet and humanity and all living things on it, in fact I use to believe would all do the right things but isn't it already way too late? The time to act was fifty years ago. I was kind of hopeful in 1990 with the Kyoto accord but have we really made much progress since? This is a worldwide problem that will never be solved or be solved when there is no more fossil fuels left in the ground so... enjoy your lives while you still can.
2
I'm beginning to wonder if there will be "future generations." Once the ice is gone, there will be nothing left until the water is evaporated everywhere. Maybe heavy clouds would form, blocking the sun and bringing cooler temperatures, but that would take centuries or millenia.
2
Kerry is 100% correct, we can't wait for climate change deniers to have the water lapping at their feet to stir them from their comas. We can exert influence and show leadership, but not control what goes on in other countries. What we do have some control over is categorizing our leadership here as self interested traitors to future generations welfare or on the front lines of assuring at least as good an environment as we were handed to us. Once categorized accurately, reward or punish them at the ballot box and when they seek campaign contributions. Suggest starting now instead of 2020, every day somebody's beachfront house is currently being re-categorized from a home to an ark.
7
I am sure that Chuck Schumer’s first idea for a good infrastructure project is two new tunnels under the Hudson.
And he is right. That is good idea.
1
Please stop calling the President of the United States “the leader of the free world”. The President of the United States was elected by a minority of eligible voters of one country, not just in 2016 but historically. The United States is near the bottom of the list for turnout among countries with free elections.
8
Don't forget overpopulation. We're ignoring the 800lb gorilla in the room if we don't. Overpopulation is killing life on this planet.
27
@rational person Overpopulation and changes in weather patterns potentially will cause mass emigration of people escaping unlivable conditions in the not too distant future.
It is madness to ignore this,and it ain’t gonna be pretty.
6
destroying this administration is the critical, necessary first step in preventing it from destroying the planet. DRAIN SWAMP FIRST!
10
As long as losing Democratic Presidential candidates like John Kerry, Al Gore and Hillary Clinton with no scientific education nor experience who said and did nothing when they had governing political power in the Senate and Executive Branch are purporting to lead this discussion they have no credibility on this climate change issue.
As long as Donald Trump has no science education nor experience and has scientifically stupid idiots in his Cabinet as Secretary of the Departments of Energy and Interior along with Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency none of this climate change stuff matters.
As long as 40% of the human race lives evenly divided in a rising democratic ethnic sectarian diverse India and a risen autocratic China any meaningful climate change discussion is doomed.
As long as the United States with 5% of humanity has 25% of nominal GDP and Europe with 7% of humans has 23% of nominal GDP then any climate change discussion will fail.
1
1883, due to Republican negligence, because they were too busy exploiting the natural resources of our pristine western lands and exterminating a valuable native culture....Krakatoa blew up.....causing the planet to experience climate change. People began starving in russia, leading to serious blowback....the Communist Revolution.
Now is the time for USA to admit its guilt for creating this volcano problem.....the only solution is to put John Kerry in charge of a slush fund to "create jobs" for Americans building giant Volcano Corks.
Forget Trump. Kill the GOP! Trump is not the problem - only a symptom of the problem.
Don't forget the Koch brothers!
9
You had me at Forget Trump
5
I trust that nobody here was a “eh, Hillary’s just the same,” non-voter.
By the way, Don, good luck getting anything through the House before you’re booted down the White House steps and we get an exorcist into the Oval Office.
1
“...Instead of reining them in, the Trump administration would unleash more by replacing the Clean Power Plan with a rule that could allow power plants to unload 12 times more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere...
So – let’s look at the facility in your lead-in pic...
https://www.pe.com/2017/01/23/ivanpah-solar-plant-built-to-limit-greenhouse-gases-is-burning-more-natural-gas/
“...The Ivanpah plant was at the center of the Obama administration’s push to reduce America’s carbon footprint by using millions of taxpayer dollars to promote green energy, but little was said about the plant’s own carbon emissions before it began operating at the end of 2013...
“...Less than 25 percent of the gas burned at the plant counts toward this 5 percent limit, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That’s because most of the gas is burned at night for maintenance purposes when the plant is not producing electricity...
“...These rules may be favorable to the plant operator, but do not make a lot of sense, said Sadrul Ula, managing director of the Winston Chung Global Energy Center at UC Riverside...
Several such questionable initiatives underway on the Left Coast...
There’s a scheme that takes in natural gas and generates electricity – but less efficiently than a cogeneration gas turbine would...
But it, too, magically exempt under the – aptly monickered – Golden State’s Glorious Green Energy Extravaganza...
1
We need legislation that is effective in reducing fossil fuel use and emissions, promotes human health, is good for our economy, is bipartisan, and is revenue neutral. What are the chances of that?
Wait, this is exactly what the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act(H.R. 7173) proposes!
Join citizensclimatelobby.org. Call your representatives and express your support.
https://energyinnovationact.org/
8
John Kerry, frat bother to George W Bush, at Yale.....is NOT to be trusted.....with anything. Ever. Mr. Kerry, ever the political opportunist is now trying to convince me that Climate Change is my country's fault.....and its entirely up to the USA to "fix" Climate Change.
Now, I understand that Yalies never listen to anybody but themselves...so I will excuse Mr. Kerry if nobody from the real world ever informed him of the Tale of King Canute. King Canute demonstrated the futility of ordering the Tides to Stop.
It would make far more sense...and probably a lot more advantageous to our national economy....if Mr. Kerry would advocate for Preparation for the inevitable changes in our climate....maybe address the underlying cause for this....which is OVER POPULATION...not "evil republican capitalists who ignore the warnings because they are too busy oppressing the masses"....or some other ridiculous narrow- minded, short range, self-interest political agenda.
As a perfect illustration of the wrong-headedness advocated by Mr. Kerry...the NYTs chose to post a photo of the Ivanpah Solar Collector...little more than a deceptive boondoggle...Ivanpah destroys at least 3 square miles of Desert Wilderness, using an outdated, impractical technology...that relies on boiling water...from a desert...and due to numerous maintanence issues, it mostly runs on the back up system, more exploitable Natural Gas.
Y'alls being played.
4
And the Marathon Oil article is the lead story on the front page?
Global Warming is not just about corporate greed, think the tobacco industry’s history of lies, or about us. It’s about every living thing on the planet, from insects to whales? And don’t forget all the plant life including our food chain?
As Noam Chomsky has observed, this is the greatest crime against humanity ever? Surpassing even the Holocaust! And as a Jew, he didn’t say that lightly.
American conservatives (ie: Republicans) are the largest group of denialist in the world. Maybe when GWing initiates the greats human mass migration in history they might wake up, but it will be too late.
This is FRIGHTENING.
5
Are there any estimates on potential volume, value of methane trapped under the ice? If we can frack from the ground let's use warm air to 'frack' between the earth surface and the bottom of an iceburg. Think of it as a small vein of methane. Small fields to have better control of blowouts, then just keep moving the bottling works. OK, so I'm not a scientist, but is there any way to capture the methane for use a a fuel? Silver lining and all..
Here’s a suggestion: think and act on every gallon of gasoline you use driving your car. Each gallon’s carbon represents roughly one tree’s ability to convert and store that carbon. Buy offset carbon credits from reputable organizations that invest in rainforest protection, clean water and cookstove projects in the developing world, and forest and urban tree planting worldwide. One of these is called “Native Energy.” But a few internet searches can help you find the organization that best matches your interests. Paying in tree terms for your carbon footprint is no panacea, but it will hit you like a carbon tax, and will alter the amount if gasoline you consume,as well as the way you consume energy. We do not need to go gently into that dark night. Stand up for what you know is right.
9
Mr. Secretary, I need a little help with your initial directive: Forget Trump. How do I forget about the president. Your command is a bit like, "Do not think about dying. Or an elephant." When I think about our grandchildren, I think about Trump and warming. When I think about Trump, think about our grandchildren. When I think about warming, I think about Trump and our grandchildren.
Act: What would you see us do... besides turn to congress?
A clear statement of the problem leads to a series of steps. These are dramatic, and needed.
How about your list? Should you call, I will give you mine.
I'm ready.
Obviously we all have to do whatever we can to reduce greenhouse gases. But there is blame to go around, and it is not just on the "Luddite in the White House." It is also on the more than 60 million troglodytes who put Luddite-in-chief in the White House in the first place. A large share of U.S. voters will put more effort into research when buying a new toaster than when choosing a president. And it is a dirty rotten shame.
1
There is a fix!
Tax the carbon content of fossil fuels and give the money directly back to American households as a dividend. It's called "Carbon tax and Dividend". Its very fair, and will give us all a reason and the means to wean ourselves off fossil fuels. As events in France show, you have to give the money back as a dividend so people can make necessary adjustments in their housing and transportation Every one gets the same dividend, rich or poor.
Check it out at https://www.clcouncil.org and ccl.org.
A bill has been proposed in the House (HR 7173) currently with 4 democrats and 3 republicans co-sponsoring.
We can do this!
15
While John Kerry is right in his general statement, that we must all act on climate change, his "all" (Congress) is too narrow, and dangerously wrong. Everyone in the world is waiting for governments and industry to tackle the problem. John Kerry says its not Donald Trump's fault, but the fault of the legislature.
That's wrong.
It's your fault. It's my fault. It's the collective fault of individuals and societies (not governments, societies).
A woman here at work, overtly conscious of climate change and its impact on her children, just bought a new Ford Explorer.
That is what has to change. People need to "vote" with their buying and living habits. You can't expect to cut emissions if you won't do it until the government makes you.
It's a sin that electric and hybrid vehicles have been available for a decade, and yet only "tree huggers" buy them.
Do you believe in climate change? Do you understand how utterly horrible it is going to be? Do you understand that no matter what you do 20 years from now, it's your actions today that matter?
If the answer is yes, then start living smarter. Consume less. Drive a hybrid. Try not to buy a new car unless it is absolutely necessary. Use public transit. Fly less. Adjust your commuting habits to save time and gas.
Start changing the way you, personally, live your life. That's the only way this problem will be solved.
If we wait for the government to make us do it, or to fix it by magic, then we are to blame.
18
Yes. So what can the individual do at this point, please give us at least 3 action items that make s difference!
Also, NYT, please publish daily front page articles on climate change. That way our kids can look back and see some people were concerned when food shortages and extinctions become daily life.
4
Hear! Hear! Get to it, America! You can redeem yourselves, and lead, instead of being what you are now: a country the rest of the world is increasingly angry at over climate inaction. Lead! And the rest of the world will follow!
What really "gets my gourd" (as the saying goes), is how so many of these global warming deniers, and climate change ignorant Republicans, i.e. Trump and Mr. Pence (aka Mr. Styrofoam), claim to be Pro-Life when fossil fuel pollution, and deforestation, is killing all of God's creations on Earth. Plants, animals, and human life. The Green House Effect is 5th grade science. But they ignore the simple facts. "Pollution for Profit" is their motive.
This is what really kills me (as the saying goes).
9
Here are some facts:
“As a meteorologist with access to the best weather-forecast model data available, I watched each hurricane’s landfall with particular interest. Harvey and Irma broke the record 12-year major hurricane landfall drought on the U.S. coastline. Since Wilma in October 2005, 31 major hurricanes had swirled in the North Atlantic but all failed to reach the U.S. with a Category 3 or higher intensity.”
https://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/climate-change-hype-doesnt-help
Seasons with the most major hurricanes, 1851 – Present
1. 1950 8
2. 2005 7
3. 1999 6
3. 1996 6
3. 1964 6
3. 1961 6
3. 1955 6
3. 1926 6
https://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/top10.asp
2
@Kurt VanderKoi
Here are some clarifications for some of your facts.
Climate science has clearly stated that the number of hurricanes that form on the future cannot be predicted with certainty. Whether hurricanes hit land or not has absolutely nothing to do with anthropogenic climate change.
What is a real fact…warmer ocean waters will lead to more powerful hurricanes due to the laws of thermodynamics. The energy of hurricanes is increasing...
“…We also conclude that it is likely that climate warming will cause hurricanes in the coming century to be more intense globally and to have higher rainfall rates than present-day hurricanes. In our view, there are better than even odds that the numbers of very intense (category 4 and 5) hurricanes will increase by a substantial fraction in some basins, while it is likely that the annual number of tropical storms globally will either decrease or remain essentially unchanged. These assessment statements are intended to apply to climate warming of the type projected for the 21st century by IPCC AR4 scenarios, such as A1B.”
https://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/global-warming-and-hurricanes/
We need a Manhattan Project for carbon capture. Unlikely it will happen with this administration.
1
@Barbara Colman -- thermodynamics (jocularly known as thermo-god-damnics) makes it intrinsically very expensive to recover a dilute species ... one must reverse the entropy of its dilution, and this requires energy.
Capturing CO2 from concentrated flue gases is therefore automatically less costly, and the bad news that the progress to date is dismal. Most of the CO2 captured and stored today in the US is injected into oil fields, to produce more oil. This is not a net benefit on CO2.
Carbon capture will only become relevant when it is competitive with renewable power and/or nuclear, and the CO2 is put down into storage without producing more fossil fuel. The prospects for economic competitiveness look dim.
3
I have unsuccessfully been fighting for 10 years to get our small condo complex on Kauai to install solar hot water. But I am unable to convince our condo board, who instead, prefers to pump 33 tons a year of CO2 into the air just to heat water, Trump is a problem, but he has nothing to do with our board's intransigence. www.princekuhiosolar.com.
7
I am heartened to see all of the comments here from people recognizing the need for dramatic action and self sacrifice. That genuinely gives one hope.
Then I scroll down and see the NYT is recommending I spend 36 hour is Chamonix.
The extent to which we need to rethink our lives is nothing short of revolutionary.
14
@AMoore
It's scary. I just got a mailing from the University of Iowa advertising a 17-day luxury cruise on an enormous ship (starting from Iceland and ending in NYC) with regular fares ranging from $44,000 per person to $14,700 but offering special reduced fares at about half price. Staterooms will be decorated with "artistic masterpieces." Both cooks and artists-in residence will be on board offering instruction. "Multiple dining venues" will be offered along with "unlimited cappucino" and Belgian chocolates. You'd think the U of Iowa would care about climate change and NOT want to sponsor nonsense like this.
1
@Barbara
I happen to know a number of historians, professors with desirable positions at California universities. It never ceases to amaze me how much they fly around the world. Conferences, research, whatever. I'd always imagined historians, of all people, would have a sense of what can be lost when humans misbehave. I don't expect them to be 'futurists' (most of whom seem to know little of the past or the future) but I'd have thought they'd have a little more perspective.
Agree with most posters, and please read this loud and clear, John Kerry - you cannot write a column like this and include the sentence, " While I was in New Dehli this week'.". . There is no video link that cannot be made, these days..No-one needs to fly to these climate change conferences - just start the trend, lead by example, please!!!
5
@Grace Thorsen I am not so sure. Sometimes you just have to be there in the room to make the strongest connection. I acknowledge the carbon cost of travel but you're probably going to get better results if the key people are there in person.
4
Thank you for pushing the only important issue that faces us now. Every other worry is equivalent to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic: healthcare, there won’t be any healthcare for our kids if civilisation collapses; gun control: those of us who survive will need guns for hunting if we can buy bullets; inequality, there will be very little inequality once the Dow has gone to zero.
7
How can Donald Trump look at his grandchildren and not grasp what kind of world they will inhabit? The answer is simple: He believes that their money will insulate them from suffering the effects of climate change, and tough luck to the grandchildren of the rest of us. The essential selfishness of his very narrow worldview will condemn us all to the ravages of global warming.
We need real leadership, and a realistic, detailed action plan to address the challenges we are facing. Like the Great Depression and WWII, these are major obstacles that we all need to acknowledge and address. Denying them puts us on a course to utter failure.
6
Temperate climes far north or south of the equator seem more survivable than exhortations to politicians to curb emissions. We must face reality and abandon fantasy.
1
@Tiger shark 'temperate climes'? You have no comprehension of climate change, if that is what you think it looks like. Think instead drought, massive fires, massive hurricanes, species die-off...'temperate climes'? Get a grip.
4
Exactly, that's what I 've been saying for years, and people go about their business with throw-away cups, bags, takeout, etc. Where's the private companies that created all this waste,,,,they too need to be held accountable besides us.
6
John Kerry to U.S. Western and Midwestern states:
Let's pave your deserts with solar panels and blanket your prairies with wind turbine farms. That's the ticket!
When several hundred wind turbines are stationed off the coast of Cape Cod, and when he is seen sailing and biking en route to New Dehli, we can be impressed with Kerry's leadership on climate change.
2
Here are some facts
California drought: Past dry periods have lasted more than 200 years, scientists say:
Through studies of tree rings, sediment and other natural evidence, researchers have documented multiple droughts in California that lasted 10 or 20 years in a row during the past 1,000 years — compared to the mere three-year duration of the current dry spell. The two most severe megadroughts make the Dust Bowl of the 1930s look tame: a 240-year-long drought that started in 850 and, 50 years after the conclusion of that one, another that stretched at least 180 years.
“We continue to run California as if the longest drought we are ever going to encounter is about seven years,” said Scott Stine, a professor of geography and environmental studies at Cal State East Bay. “We’re living in a dream world.”
https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/01/25/california-drought-past-dry-periods-have-lasted-more-than-200-years-scientists-say/
1
@Kurt VanderKoi Your comment is irrelevant. Past drought conditions do not obviate facts around the current climate crisis.
3
But it is not just the legislators, Mr. Kerry, who must act. It is the normal consumers in their everyday choices who can make an impact. From the giant gas guzzling vehicles rumbling down American highways to the giant trash bins out on street, overheated homes in the winter to over-cooled shops in the summer, Americans must choose to use a little less now to be able to use it for a long time. The alternative is to do without a lot or die - for a long time to come.
11
Ignoring climate change isn't as dramatic as shooting a gun into one's head or flying planes into tall buildings, but it is just as suicidal - only in slow motion and on a larger scale. Climate change is a worldwide problem, and if it's to be addressed successfully, there will need to be a paradigm shift in human thought. Currently, we are all the victims of belief systems that must be eliminated if we are to survive as a species on this fragile planet.
In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer based on a linguistic "survival" algorithm, which will provide irrefutable proof as to how we trick the mind with our ridiculous beliefs about what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for destruction. These minds would see the survival of particular beliefs as more important than the survival of all. When we understand all this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
3
There is so much we could be doing as individuals if enough of us cared. First we could be insisting that our politicians start moving with a crash program to convert from fossil fuels to renewable energy. As individuals we could also make sure that our homes and vehicles are as energy efficient as possible. For example, wear warm clothes in winter and turn your heat down; make sure that your house is well insulated; drive small energy efficient cars; walk, ride a bike and use mass transit when you can; put solar panels on your house; etc. Our family is doing all of these things and more with just a small sacrifice to our life style.
11
Wise words from an exemplary man with the public service record to back it up, however, Mr. Kerry is preaching to the echo chamber. The true challenge of climate change nowadays is preaching the facts on deaf ears - the oil industry, Fox news, Trump supporters, and the majority of the GOP.
13
@Bun Mam - please don't waste effort preaching to the oil industry, for two simple reasons:
1 - they've known since their own researchers confirmed the impact of burning fossil fuels back in the 1970s
2 - corporations, as "people" are sociopaths. They will not sacrifice themselves to protect the humans around them.
So we have to move ourselves away from them.
Look to use electricity instead of fossil. I'm getting a microwave-convection oven to cut down use of my gas stove and oven (until I replace those with electric whenever I redo the kitchen).
Buy your power from non-fossil providers if the option is available. Deregulation of the power utility means the company that fixes the wires is often getting the power provided by third parties.
Buying a vehicle? Really look at electric or hybrids. The Chevy Bolt gets pretty good ratings, and all-electric needs less maintenance - not as many parts, fewer fluids and things. Plus the power is cheaper than gasoline already on a per-mile basis.
Most important is to push your elected officials for a price on carbon. There are a couple of plans out there, each with at least a few GOP sponsors.
https://www.carbontax.org/blog/2018/11/30/revenue-neutrality-rises-from-the-dead/
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/energy-innovation-and-carbon-dividend-act/
3
Secretary Kerry,
Your article is frustratingly out of touch and unhelpful. It tells us that Mr. Woodward's comment that the president makes decisions "often without a factual basis" jumped off your iPad at you. The president's inability or refusal to grasp facts when making decisions should not be a revelation at this point. The article then lists many of the devastating effects of global warming, tells us we need to act "now" and builds up to what should be a grand plan to take action. And, what's the plan? Get Congress to pass legislation to present to the president. Urgggh! Even if the Senate passed this legislation (it wouldn't), your solution depends upon Mr. Trump choosing to sign this bill. Presumably you don't think the president would sign the bill given your epiphany that he "makes decisions often without a factual basis." Watching President Trump and Congress do nothing and then "voting the bums out of office" in two years is not a solution -- and it's not taking action "now." Your article notes that cities and states can make up for Mr. Trump's rejection of reality, but you never tell us how. Please present solutions to global warming that "we" can undertake now. And, if it's not clear enough, such solutions must go around the president and Congress, not through them.
9
An example:
Sea otters protect kelp forest from attack on their hold fasts by sea urchins (by eating them) the current population of sea otters is about 1% of the historic level due to fur hunting but supports kelp that sequesters 4 - 8 megatonnes of carbon per year. Increasing otter population by 100 (to the historic level) might sequester 400 - 800 Mtonne. Electrical coal power used about 750 Mtonne of carbon in 2017.
Donate to efforts to restore the world otter population.
Then talk your favorite restaurant into installing heat recovery stove hoods. They make hot water (for clean up) from waste stove heat and pay for themselves quickly. They also condense grease vapors, keeping the flues from building up grease that can cause fires.
Ask an engineer for as many more as you can stand to listen to.
1
"Our own ancestors handed down a degraded globe, and we accepted that inheritance as the normal state of things. As our parents and grandparents did before us, we go about our lives in the midst of an ecological catastrophe that is well underway."
J. B. MacKinnon - "Once and Future World"
7
Should individuals recycle or should society require recyling?
Should individuals choose paper over plastic when grocery shopping or should plastic not be an option?
Should individuals build their own transit systems so they don't have to drive or should society?
Should individuals rebuild the built environment so that we don't need cars or should society?
Should individual take shorter showers or should our plumbing fixtures be more efficient.
What exactly is the role of the individual in situations like the BP Oil spill which was caused by lack of proper regulation or oversite?
What exactly is the role of the individual when the arctic wilderness is opened to oil extraction.
What exactly is the role of the individual when our government pushes the virtues of coal at a 2018 environmental conference?
What exactly is the role of individual in setting strategic energy policy?
What exactly is the role of the individual in stopping micro plastics at an ecological scale?
What exactly is the role of the individual in forcing efficiency across multiple industries?
Individuals do not want the head of the EPA to be run by a former coal industry lobbyist, climate change denier.
Individuals do not want the interior department to be run by an industry shill or the budget of NOAA to be cut.
Individuals do not wake up and say "how much can I pollute today". They live in a system that was designed by result of policy that they have no agency in.
25
@Harris Silver "Individuals do not wake up and say "how much can I pollute today". They live in a system that was designed by result of policy that they have no agency in." this is true but mainly because we let everyone off the hook by not taxing carbon and other pollution and including it in the monetary cost of things.
6
@Harris Silver
Individuals still hold the power to vote, corporations do not.
Individuals do not need to pay attention to corporate money or to PAC money.
Individuals can ignore simplistic slogans on Twitter and social media, and inform themselves with well researched, factual articles in the legitimate media.
Individuals can choose to live in an ecologically and environmentally-friendly manner.
Individuals can support only businesses, politicians, and organizations whose values align with their own.
Individuals can vote rationally rather than reflexively.
The effect of an average individual on global-scale issues is microscopic. When acting in concert, the collective action of a large body of informed, committed individuals is transformative.
3
Climate change is going to drive human migration to levels hard to imagine for us today. With that in mind, Trump's ill conceived wall on our southern border will become a political necessity, if the country is going to maintain its integrity. A similar problem awaits Europe, or is in fact happening now. It does seem that Russia could absorb a considerable amount of northern migration.
5
@Solon Rhode Practical. Retreat north and close the southern door.
@Solon Rhode
Imagine our world as it is today but with the climate change problem solved by some miracle technology. Don't know what it might be that's why you have to imagine it. Now that we have licked that problem can you sleep better at night knowing that it won't be global warming that destroys our species. Or will the Population Bomb that is also ticking be what keeps you up at night? If you can sleep soundly it is because you are not aware of the real threat.
Why do politicians become climate activists only after they leave office when they are no longer in position to actually implement the policies they advocate? Two words: yellow vests! If the problem is as severe as Kerry says it is, then the solution must involve draconian policies like steep carbon taxes that will disproportionately hit working and middle and lower-middle class people. From their standpoint, global warming starts to look like a neoliberal scam perpetrated by out-of-touch elites who won't suffer from the policies they come up with as they jet around the world from conference to conference. You can have democracy or you can address global warming with draconian policies, but increasingly it looks like you can't have both.
3
@J
The fact is, clean energy would be a boon for our economy if it was fully supported. Focusing on taxes is the wrong direction. Expanded tax breaks for individuals/businesses who install wind, solar, electric cars, etc is the right direction. All of these technologies are already very competitive with traditional forms.
9
You can tax the carbon content of fossil fuels and redistribute the raised money directly to american households based on number of people in the family. It has a wealth equalizing effect, boosts the market for clean energy, and its transparent. No favored sectors, no gaming the system. The proposal is called Carbon Tax and Dividend (or Carbon fee and dividend). Look it up : )
Thank you, Mr. Kerry.
This is not a Democratic or Republican party issue. This is a problem for our country, and the entire world.
Why are we not following the counsel and guidance from the scientists and experts?
We are already witnessing several incidents of natural disasters, here at home, and in several countries around the world.
The disasters in California, and the floods in various States, is very worrisome. It is heartbreaking to see how people are impacted from these disasters. It is such a hopeless situation.
Due to the importance and seriousness of addressing Climate Change, the US was able to convince over ninety countries to come together to sign the Paris Climate Accord. We have now withdrawn from the Accord. This is disturbing. Why is it that we are thinking differently from the other signatories to the Climate Agreement?
A subject such as Climate Change deserves the desired awareness and education among all of us. Ignorance is not an excuse. Perhaps, if not already happening, the subject should be initiated in the schools. While we see that as important to address the future, we need our elected leaders to take action now, and do whatever it takes to preserve the environment.
2
Does anyone believe that Trump, the executives of oil companies and their shareholders think global warming is anything other than man-made. The evidence is clear, but on the other hand the profits are so wonderful. Short term gain, but devastating pain for the planet and the people including the children of those executives and shareholders. Time to look into the mirror people and stop this insanity. No one is immune.
9
Mr. Kerry is right. The world can wait for Trump to leave the office, because climate change is a long-term issue. However long-term problems go badly together with the short-termism of politics. Climate change cannot be stopped if we change course every four years. Tackling climate change requires us to reduce emissions that will inevitably cause pain for a large share of the population. Therefore we need a firm commitment by all nations that will span over many election cycles so that politicians will not roll back plans to placate voters. The difficult part is getting everybody on board.
4
@OP
We do have a " firm commitment by all nations". It is called the Paris Climate Accord. Trump is the only one to pull out of it. But the US can't actually do that until 2020. Likely Trump will be "pulled out" of office by then. But he is doing far too much damage now with deregulating every US environmental law his admin can find.
2
Every time I drive on the freeway I am passed by most people, who are going 10 miles an hour over the speed limit. As I live in the Bay area, I assume these same people rail at Donald Trump. They take no responsibility for their own actions. At the same time, I wish I could afford a hybrid or electric car, but because they are expensive I cannot. Only the government can make electric vehicles affordable.
10
@Anne Next time you need to replace your car, test drive some EVs. They are not as expensive as you think. My monthly payment on a Nissan Leaf is $425. In 2.5 years and 45,000 miles of driving, I have not bought $4000 of gasoline, and am charging with a combination of home solar and electricity. It's much cheaper. There are no oil changes, spark plugs, transmissions etc to repair.
5
@Anne
Electric cars are not as expensive as it seems when you consider the entire picture. Electrics are far cheaper to maintain, brakes and tires is just about it. No oil changes, no differential, no radiator, alternator etc. I plug it in at night and it is ready to go in the morning, no having to stop and get gas -- ever! Much cheaper per mile to travel too, especially if one combines with solar panels. Also, as a bay area resident, it gets me into the HOV with one driver. The one drawback is range. If one needs to go more than 160 mi (in my case) ones either needs a second car for traveling or simply rent a car when you need to travel. Very easy to drive, cheap to maintain. Leasing is not all that expensive.
5
Don’t forget the big rebate.
1
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
I think of this saying frequently when thinking about Climate Change. All these days that go by without action aren't just leading to days of future suffering, but weeks, months and years of it. We all can make changes now to help minimize the affects of Climate Change.
Think of yourself as a preventionist, in acts big and small; every one of which will lead to a better outcome in the future. We've got to accelerate positive change, every one of us.
6
Our political & scientific authorities are asking us to think of the climate and our behaviours which effect it in terms of decades & centuries when the vast majority of us don’t even think about putting aside some money for our own (relatively) imminent retirements! Anthropogenic climate change will continue (perhaps somewhat abated) with only human cultural adaptations to buffer the effects.
5
Thanks to the NYT for publishing Mr. Kerry's important op-ed, along with the piece regarding the manipulation and lies of the major US oil producers in getting the roll-back of fuel emission standards. This information needs to be front-and-center in the news, until we see legistlation and policies that promote alternative energy sources. Meanwhile, I drive my Prius at, or under the speed limit, combine my errands in the most efficient way, turn off lights, unplug electronics, etc.
5
Dear Mr. Kerry:
My message is short: we need leaders who will tell us that we live in a finite world that cannot sustain economic and population growth. We need leaders that tell us we will have to sacrifice, and this can mostly all be done without catastrophe or serious discomfort, which I think it can.
9
Let's re-focus efforts on how to remove the CO2 from the atmosphere and solar dimmers. CO2 isn't poisonous - let's stop treating it as if it were. It merely retains heat - let's focus on reducing the heating -retaining capacity instead of helplessly and hopelessly trying to stem CO2 production.
@Tiger shark
It's much more cost effective to 1) prevent CO2 formation, and 2) capture it at the source where the concentration is high then it ever could be to remove it at a low concentration (around 400 ppm) out of the atmosphere.
1
@Tiger shark
Photosynthesis is the only way to get CO2 out of the atmosphere - combine it with emission reductions and move forward.
2
@Michigander It’s pointless to continue to focus on prevention or sequestration because you have to deal with people - and nobody is doing anything. Human nature, I’m afraid. My point is we must align our proposed solutions with human motivation
From the column: The president, he said, “makes decisions often without a factual basis.” This isn’t a mere personality quirk of the leader of the free world. It is profoundly dangerous for the entire planet.
Two things: First, can everyone please stop calling Trump "the leader of the free world." He is not -- he's not a leader at all. He's corrupt train-wreck of a US President and a reality TV guy playing to his fans. Not a leader, and certainly not a leader of the free world.
Second, Mr. Kerry has it mostly right, but I'd say forget Trump all together, and the all the climate denying politicians for that matter -- Climate Change requires action -- now! Not political rhetoric and posturing. This is a grass roots issue -- people need to start making their opinions known through economic means - vote with your dollars.
Support things that support the environment, stop supporting things that don't. Quite simple. Stop or reduce your red meat consumption for a start. And or, get a hybrid vehicle or even better an electric vehicle, etc., etc.
9
Mr. Kerry give us Americans some credit. We can focus on eradicating both climate change and Trump at the same time.
4
Al Gore and John Kerry. Can somebody please explain to me why these men choose to become climate activists only AFTER they are out of office? While they were in office, in power, with considerable influence, able to effect policy change - we heard and saw very little.
I have no doubt that both Gore and Kerry remain influential and connected. But they are nevertheless one step removed from the policy makers.
The cynical side of me sees this as a way for them to go down in history as "having tried". But is it genuine effort when you DON'T ACT when you could have effected change, and then merely SPEAK about the change we must absolutely have afterwards?
The less cynical will say, "Yes but Mike, these gents are able to bring this issue to the forefront! It's important. " Time for talk/debate is over! Time for action is probably over too - can't you all see that?
ACT!
ACT? Best be careful, 'cause the FBI probably continues to think that Climate Activists are the greatest homegrown terrorist threat there is. (FBI - For Business Interests...?) In the end those continuing to deny climate change will end up causing the death of millions and millions. Aren't they the true and real terror threats to us all?
5
@Mike Bonnell You sort of lost me with the last paragraph, but your basic question is a good one: why do politicians become climate activists only after they leave office? Two words: yellow vests! If the problem is as severe as Kerry and Gore say it is, then the solution will involve draconian policies like carbon taxes that will disproportionately hit working and middle and lower-middle class people. From their standpoint, global warming starts to look like a neoliberal scam perpetrated by out-of-touch elites who won't suffer from the policies they come up with as they jet around the world from conference to conference. You can have democracy or you can address global warming with draconian policies, but increasingly it looks like you can't have both.
@Mike Bonnell
Why do you assume they weren't active on the environment when they were in office?
They both ran for President and lost. IF they won they would have been far more influential than they are now as private citizens. They just have more time now.
@Mike Bonnell I have to say I have always looked at Al Gore a bit cynically after he came out during his 2000 run for President in favor of tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to keep oil prices down for consumers: https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/22/us/2000-campaign-vice-president-gore-asks-release-us-stored-oil-stabilize-price.html
1
I believe the shift to solar and wind and the growth of electric vehicles are keys to successfully combating climate change. These industries are very viable now but are in need of considerable investment. They do produce jobs, and in many cases more jobs than what exist in fossil energy industries. The problem is that oil and fossil energy are the largest money making industries to ever exist in human history, and we have a political system that allows unfettered money to buy the elections and our politicians. So all these dirty industries have more than enough money to protect their own money interests. The bottom line is that a reasonable plan for a transition is not allowed by our leaders. I suggest that since the only thing that the people who own our government care about is money that what we need to do is intentionally tank the economy. It will be painful, but necessary. It's not like the average person has any way of succeeding anyway. Most people face a life of labor at poverty level wages now, with no guarantee that they will even have social security by the time they reach an advanced age. Clearly reducing consumption would be necessary and you could choose certain industry that target the worst perpetrators. Stop driving so much, stop flying, turn out some lights. These are obvious. Also look at where the worst lawmakers are from and boycott products from their states. However, in general consume less. Most of it is from China anyway.
104
@Chris
Solar and wind can't cut it alone. We should be building nuclear power plants like our lives depended on it. . . with the national focus and effort of the moon shot. We should be working to spread our nuclear technology around the world as well. The environmentalists and media will figure this out eventually, but it's already getting too late. We also need to reduce human population. . . politicians and the media will never advocate for this of course. If you did a root cause analysis of the global warming problem, it would be your first corrective action. Encourage people through taxes and social pressure to have less children. Yes, it will cause a burden for the younger generations to deal with the aging population, but eventually the population will be reduced - one way or another. Better to be proactive and humane. I'm all for solar and wind, but to think that they can solve our global warming problem will only serve to delay even more the much needed actions to deal with this issue. Time is quickly running out. . . we need a plan, we need a leader, . . . we have neither.
7
@Tim
No we don't need nuclear. First and foremost we need to be more efficient and use less energy. Then in the most humane way possible we need to gradually reduce human population.
17
@Chris "Tank the economy" Trump is doing an excellent job of it.
3
It looks like the right wing climate change deniers have latched onto the use of private jets by climate change activists as a weapon to justify their scorn. This is just another example of their ignorance. No doubt we’re seeing so many of these comments because it was featured on Fox News. Sure traveling around in a jet hurts the environment but measured against the damage caused by coal fired power plants, etc. it’s like comparing a bucket of sand to Venice beach. Of course, what they hope is that climate change activists will just stay home and shut up.
Keep up the good work Mr. Kerry. I personally don’t think the political will exists to curb climate change and we are destined to fall off that cliff into a catastrophic future. But a footnote in those future histories may note there were some who saw the danger and tried to stop it. I will join you in the effort because there is nothing else that makes sense and hope is better than silent resignation.
13
@Tfstro
So true, let's shoot the messenger if he's flying a private jet!
I would bet big money that John Kerry, Al Gore and Bernie Sanders et al are taking pains to fly commercial whenever possible.
It continues to astound me how little media attention is being given to this international crisis. I can only conclude that they too, like our national legislative representatives, are in the pockets of of corporate America. How else to explain their lack of interest and sense of public responsibility?
It was pitiful watching Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC last night proudly announce that he would focus on policy issues when talking with 2020 presidential candidates and then when interviewing a Democratic candidate not ask one question about climate change. Something is "Rotten in the State of Denmark" and we all are paying the price.
2
“Will he say no to deploying solar technology that would turn the American West into the Saudi Arabia of solar? No to turning the Midwest into the Middle East of wind power? No to a manufacturing revolution that could put West Virginia back to work in ways that his beloved coal never will?”
The answer to that is, “it depends”. If Trump profits off of that list financially or politically then he wouldn’t say no. It’s all contingent upon whose payroll he’s on at the moment and who empowers him. As of now big oil, the Russians, and Mohammed bin Salman own him. We are not dealing with the garden variety quid pro quo politician much less one concerned with doing what’s right by the American people. We are dealing with a reality TV snake oil salesman and Page 6 personality that operates out of profoundly pathological self interest and enmity.
3
And who's waiting til 2020? Walk more. Drive less. The body was designed for walking and where are Americans? In their cars--alone! Egregious that older Americans who know climate catastrophe first hand---- voted Trump.
4
When Trump's precious Mar-a-Lago is flooded by a 10 to 12 foot rise in sea levels, maybe he'll think differently about climate change.
6
@Marisa Burke
He'll just call it an "act of God", collect the flood insurance, and get FEMA to pay him too.
Facts do matter. And all this column argues is reasonable. But the elephant in the room is population growth. We dare not discuss it, lest we be labeled racist, nationalist....whatever. But I thought I read long ago that population growth had a ‘mention’ in one of the first reports on global warming.
Even assuming we ever discuss population control, the other giant elephant - brontosaurus- in the room is religion. All of them. If any of them ever get on board with contraception, family planning- we might have a chance at slowing climate change. Not hopeful.
11
As long as Donald Trump is our President, America will fail to act on climate change. As long as people won't give up traveling by trains, planes and cars, greenhouse gases will be the ruination of Earth. Mankind -- all oxygen-breathers --are in an existential crisis brought about by the undeniable truth of climate-warming and the use of fossil fuels to heat and light our planet's people and fauna. Donald Trump rejects this reality in word and deed and tweet. There is no historic precedent for the scale of warming at Earth's frozen and now melting poles -- only successive extinctions since the big bang. Since a lot of us won't be living 100+ years from today, the American people won't be turning to solar technology and windpower any time soon. Only catastrophic changes on earth -- major die-offs of humankind, flora and fauna -- will prove the truth of climate-warming. How will a paradigm shift occur to change mankind's understanding of this planet's fragile life? Technology is sinking human life on earth. Our planet isn't going to rebound from accelerating climate change since the start of recorded history. Thank you former Secretary of State and Senator John Kerry for your service to America, to our democracy.
3
(The following limerick is fantasy, in that it assumes
integrity, humility, and candor where there is none)
Is it true that our globe, it is warming?
Are we due for more floods and more storming?
My name's Donald Trump
But call me "The Chump" . . .
I've answers neither sound nor worth forming.
1
Yes, and welcome back, Mr. Kerry. You are sorely missed. We say that the buck stops at the Oval Office. But the hard fact is that it stops within us, the electorate, the voters. The flagrant abuse and exploitation of our environment is our responsibility and ours to rectify. WE are the ones who elect those amoral fools to Congress, with McConnell leading the pack of ravenous wolves. From coast to coast, WE out of ignorance, misguided, or self-serving agendas, insist on electing manipulators and liars. With the help of Mother Russia, WE put in Office the most corrupt and inept president of modern times. While our country still (barely) remains a democracy, we need to take it back. We need to seriously think of the earth we are leaving to our kids and grandkids. Washington DC only cares about lining their and their wealthy donors’ pockets. One would say they are throwing us under the bus. But it is we who are doing it to ourselves.
180
@Kathy Lollock
We also need to look to our Democratic leadership for failing to educate and remind voters about Climate Change. Most Democrats, and many swing voters (primarily women), care deeply about the environment... if you don't effectively campaign on this issue, it is not on the minds of voters.
12
@Kathy Lollock yes, we miss him giving away the store to the medieval Iranian terrorists. they say no, and he just gives them more. a real crack representative.
4
I have lived for 32 years in Weld County, Colorado, the most heavily fracked county in the country. A few years ago I developed asthma, and my husband, a non-smoker, died of lung cancer last year. As I looked out my bedroom window last night, the previously pristine prairie was lit up with the glaring lights of two rigs close to my house along with various gas flarings along the horizon.
And none of us can seem to stop or even slow down the greed that is taking our lives and our planet. We are determined to elect people who in turn are determined to continue this insanity.
37
Kerry's description of the issue, and prescription action is spot on, and should be followed.
BUT …
Let us focus on the main issue, and less on the kaleidoscopic array of side effects. The facts demand that we take action, although it is likely already too late.
Population explosion: At 7.7 billion, increasing by 80 million annually.
This drives everything. This alone swamps out any and all attempts at 'damage control'. And we are not going to do anything about it. The population of this planet more than doubled in my lifetime. It's all over folks.
Climate change is simply one of many looming disasters.
The Keeling curve currently at 411 ppm CO2 and rising drives the rise in sea level, temperature, and acidity. This is already baked in, and will continue for many decades to come no matter what mitigating attempts are made.
We have already passed a number of tipping points. I'm not going to enumerate these any more. It is an exercise in futility. I will support any person or entity that will do the right things, even though it is utterly pointless at this point.
ps. Need following disclaimer: I'm well aware that the US represents 6% of world's population, and generates 25% of the CO2. It is completely disgusting, it embarrasses me to be identified as an American citizen on this point.
8
Do you know, I often wonder just Who is behind these messahes of hopelessness and despair, which can only encourage division and a “let’s just do what we want,” brainset.
Even if it is a “leftist,” what’s the use of a nihilism that’s indistinguishable from Trump’s own?
3
@Robert
Think "serenity prayer" (w/o the god crapolla), not nihilism.
Serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
Courage to change the things I can change.
Wisdom to know the difference.
Please note that I completely support Kerry's narrative. This is hopeful, even if it is highly probable that homo sapiens will drive itself to extinction. Trump is simply is simply a dark empty hole.
If we fail, future generations will not judge us--there will be no future generations.
22
I am afraid there is too much heavy lifting for people to make the needed changes.
1. Drive less - and when you do drive it should be in a vehicle that is electric or hybrid.
2. Stop eating all meat and switch to a plant-based diet. If not all meat then once or twice per month.
3. Stop buying stuff you don't need to survive.
These are tall orders (and there are many more) that "the west" will be unwilling to follow.
30
@ZigZag stop eating meat? Umm no. That's not even healthy. I'll continue eating grass fed steak at least 4 times a week.
1
@K I am not a vegetarian either but you can be a vegetarian and eat a healthy diet. I say this not only as a healthcare professional but as an avid cook/ eater of international cuisines.
1
All of you people railing against Kerry & Gore and air travel need to get real, and be honest.
I'm an ordinary guy. In a few days I will get on an airplane and fly to the west coast, to see family I have not seen in 4 years, including close relatives who are not likely to be alive in another 4.
I cannot realistically make this trip any way that is lower-carbon. All of the railing about jet air-travel ignores the fact that I cannot drive that distance in a car for less CO2, unless it is an electric AND the electricity comes from renewable energy, and that would take me 5 days each way.
Amtrak takes 4 days, diesel powered ... and I don't sleep well sitting up. A sleeping berth ticket costs $1,000, one way. CO2 is less, but this is not an answer.
Aircraft are 9% of the total GHG emissions from the Transportation sector in the USA. The transportation sector itself is 28% of US GHG emissions. Do the multiplication, it's 2.5% of US GHG emissions.
Air travel is an issue, but it is a minor one. The big issues most people have some control over are how much CO2 their house uses, their car uses, and to some extent CO2 they produce in other ways, including food.
In every one of these areas it's very hard for me as an ordinary guy to make a big change without these changes being systemically.
Pass a carbon tax, and let's get on with it!
315
@Lee Harrison
A meaningful carbon tax means a meaningful change in standard of living for working class and middle class people. They are not willing to be driven into that pen by people who are themselves not affected. It is why people resent conscription when Senators and Congressman sons get a break. It is poor leadership. Leaders go out front and make the sacrifices that they demand of others; else they are drivers, not leaders. I am no slave. I won’t be driven.
12
@Lee Harrison
I've read that the fact that aircraft emissions are released at high altitudes compounds their impact. The IPCC has said that the climate impact of aircraft is 2 to 4 times the impact of their emissions alone. Just food for thought.
8
@Lee Harrison If I judge by the number of people I see idling for crazy amounts of time, gas is definitely too cheap - or people are too rich. In Michigan they want to reduce budgets for schools to pay for much needed road repairs, taxing gas would make much more sense. Then again, what about the numerous people who live in secluded places, and school buses, and ambulances? Everything has to be carefully studied if the tax is to be accepted, and, yes, people will only make sacrifices if they know everybody is doing their fair share.
7
I applaud John Kerry's support of climate change coalitions for action and legislation. It simply does not go far enough. Oil companies (like Marathon whose planet threatening behaviour is documented in today's edition of NYT) mock your strategy. They only care about the money. We must boycott these bad actors as well as penalise their congressional supporters. Quite frankly, The U.S. should be boycotted by the rest of the world for Trump's actions. The time to act is now, but with severe monetary penalties to those individuals, companies and countries destroying the future of our planet and the lives of our children and grandchildren. At the same time we should reward those individuals, cities, states and countries that are trying to do the right thing. In the end we cannot depend on Norway (population 5 million) and other leading action oriented countries to save us from self-destruction, as hard as those counties try.
11
There is a saying - Be kind to your children, they will chose your nursing home. However, if your children look back at your life and see the lifestyle you obtained via free carbon emissions and then realize as a result they must devote most of their energy and resourcefulness, not to prosperity, but to basic survival, how guilty will you feel when they come to visit you?
7
I very much agree with all of the points Mr. Kerry makes in this article. Climate change IS an existential threat to all life forms on the planet. And make no mistake, the human race very much needs as much bio-diversity as this planet can sustain or we will certainly perish.
All of us as individuals should be conscious of our daily carbon use and seek ways to lower or eliminate our personal carbon emmisions. All need to analyse their fossil fuel use and determine what clean alternative is availabe to replace the gasoline, the fuel oil, the diesal, the natural gas, the jet A fuel, any and all equipment that burns petroleum based fuel.
My family has done this and we are actually amazed at the financial benefits of solar panels on the house, electric cars in the driveway, and electric gardening tools. Once you make the switch, your perception of going back to 100% utility electricity and the internal combustion engine seems "so 20th century". The cars of the future are already here, the electricity production technology of the future is already here. It is simply a matter of people willing to make the change. And really, that is the biggest issue here. People REALLY don't like change. They do not trust things they did not grow up with. Especially when it comes to the automobile. Most muscle car fans have never been inside, much less driven an electric car. They are not aware they actually have more torgue than an ICE car.
Hopefully, people will open up their minds soon.
12
At my age I won't be around to see the worst impacts of climate change. And its just as well, as I don't think I could stand to see news footage of polar bears drowning in melted sea ice. Lion cubs starving because prey has died off because rains that filled savannah watering holes are now late by a few weeks or months or no longer come at all. Extinctions of exotic and familiar species. So many hang by a thread as it is.
Everything is connected in and by nature, everything is essential to the whole, down to the tiniest species. Ecosystems operate like precision clockwork, with climate foundational. Species already diminished by human encroachment might still adapt to natural climate change through migration or evolution. But the swiftness of man-made climate change pulls the rug out from under them. We have become death.
Earth is the only planet in the known universe to support life. If we were in our right minds we would give thanks every day, and respect it above all else. Nothing is more important. Please write or call your congresspeople today.
206
@gw Thank you for this eloquent response.
9
@gw I would add one more tragedy which I couldn't live through as a member of the generation which brought a doubling of atmospheric CO2 on the world. And that is the inevitable response to the mass migrations of those who live in areas ravaged by never ending environmental events such as flooding in coastal cities, severe droughts in the midlands, and excess heat in the tropical areas. Migrants will move closer to the poles whether they are wanted or not. And the residents there will have no choice but to build walls and shoot to kill anyone who breaks through.
We've already had a taste of this on the Mexican border and southern Europe, although most of these refuges are escaping from war and failed societies. It brings out the worst in humanity from the "haves."
Is this how our story is going to end? I sure hope not.
7
@danh
"And the residents there will have no choice but to build walls and shoot to kill anyone who breaks through."
There is ALWAYS a choice.
Please, do not frame your moral calculations as if they are universal. They are not.
3
the thing is that only a fraction of the world's population is actually aware of what will happen if we fail in 10 years. there are billions and billions of people out there living in total ignorance.
and there are currently very powerful (and very rich) people and companies trying to keep people in the dark. for what? for money i suppose.
this is a true gordian knot of world wide, human wide awareness. and we have 10 years to solve it.
13
I guess that Democrats liked all of the campaign donations from energy producers. What other explanation is there for their lack of action while Obama was President? Many alternative energy projects were “shovel ready” and should not have encountered much opposition. For example, solar panels could have been installed on all government buildings. Wind turbines could have been put up on public land next to expressways but far from homes. Small existing dams could have been retrofitted with hydroelectric power generation. All of the equipment could have been made in the USA. Many unemployed citizens would have been put to work manufacturing, installing, and maintaining these non polluting power sources. Laws could have been passed requiring more efficient vehicles and subsiding buses and trains. In the depths of the recession Democrats had the Presidency and control of the House and Senate. I wonder what Democrats were working on in 2008 and 2009 that was so much more important. But now it is Trump’s fault that he has not corrected Democrats’mistakes in less than 2 years?
7
@Robert Winchester
Sir, did you not read this op/ed?
Secretary Kerry makes the explicit points that:
(1) President Trump is not SOLELY to blame; and
(2) Democrats (like all leaders) bear a significant burden of taking action to effect change.
Of course more could and should have been done in the past. But we are now here in 2018, facing dire consequences. One party (and its leader) are showing no desire to take ameliorative steps. The other has shown desire. But, as Secretary Kerry points out, they must also take concrete action.
3
@Robert Winchester Democrats had only a short time barely in control of Senate, house, and president, and managed to pass significant healthcare reform before they lost their slim advantage and were blocked for the next 6-7 years by corrupt Republicans. Contrast that real action with the ineffectual Republican rule with their majorities for the last 2 years and you will see the Democrats did the best they could with the time they had.
2
@Robert Winchester: Don't you remember anymore that Republicans led by Mitch McConnell opposed EVERY proposal by Obama? Obama had to push through most of his many environmental protection regulations by executive order, against intransigent Republicans screaming presidential overreach. Lazy Democratic midterm voters didn't help much either.
2
Impassioned, as well as accurate, as this is, Mr. Kerry’s analysis is not the main story in today’s paper, nor is it even the main point in the climate fight.
The article on Marathon Oil’s greedy, self-interested scheme to lower auto mileage requirements is where we all need to focus our emotional and intellectual energy.
Greed is the story that ought to animate this battle: pure, unadulterated, self-interest, masking itself as public interest. That’s the story the needs to be trumpeted to the rafters, called out in every town hall in our country and in every news outlet the modern world has to offer.
Greed. Call it what it is and hold the robber barons’ feet to the fire for what they are.
26
My wife and I were watching TV in separate rooms the other night. My 8 y/o daughter walks in and, with a confused look on her face, asks "Dad, isn't that a waste of energy?" Chagrined, we pulled out a board game instead.
A true story with little impact on its own. A metaphor for how difficult it truly is for everyone to break habits and begin marching in the same sustainable direction.
10
Ironically, it was John Kerry (and Al Gore) that killed the most promising Climate Change solution our government was ever involved in. In 1994, they put a halt to the Integral Fast Reactor IFR program at Argonne West in Idaho just as it was ready to demonstrate and prove on a commercial scale.
Had it not been for Kerry and Gore, we would now have this solution available to us. As things stand, and at best, we lost 25 years of precious time in the development of IFR (now PRISM) technology.
So, if we fail to solve the problem of Climate Change we can thank Al Gore and John Kerry for putting the brakes on this promising technology.
8
@Bobcb, as usual, all it takes to refute your point is a casual lookup of '1994 IFR". Turns out that Congress, under GHWBush had curtailed the IFR program, in order to prevent the possibility of continued nuclear proliferation. (It was a concern at the time, but you've forgotten that.) In addition, he and the energy secretary gave a green light for Argonne to profit from their research within the U.S.
Again, according to the "blame only Democrats" crowd like BobCB, one action in 1994, and only that one, is to blame. Not trump's constant rollbacks? Nothing happened since 1994 to aid or curtail progress? Nothing comes to mind?
Whatever.
7
@deb...So, deb, this is taken directly from Argonne's 1993 Year End Report:
Prevention of proliferation of nuclear weapons is a national priority, and is the foremost concern of many critics.
It is important that this be recognized during
the fuel cycle demonstration and that nothing be done which reduces the nonproliferation advantage of the IFR cycle.
Because plutonium cannot be separated in a pure form in the IFR fuel cycle; because the plutonium is always accompanied by higher actinides and highly gamma-active fission products; because even the impure
plutonium is always in a very radioactive state and within a sealed reprocessing plant; and because the plutonium need never leave the reactor site, the IFR
fuel cycle is highly proliferation-resistant, much more so than the solvent extraction (PUREX) fuel cycle normally used with oxide fuels.
FYI, the PUREX fuel cycle is in use world-wide.
1
@deb No, I have not forgotten the bogus proliferation issue..... but it WAS John Kerry and Al Gore that killed the IFR program during the Clinton administration.
The IFR was designed SPECIFICALLY to solve the problems of today's nuclear power plants, including safety, costs, waste disposal and proliferation resistance.
1
Well said, John, thanks.
Unfortunately, there are two other key parties who, like the President, lie like hell: media companies and Republican Congressmen. Our TV networks and news programs rarely even address climate, even including people like Maddow. Republicans long ago got the message that they must ignore or deny if they want to continue to get campaign money.
It's an inner issue with those Americans, but cannot be addressed by appealing to nonexistent connections to facts or morality. Money is what rules what can be generously described as their thinking.
A media company needs to appear that would include a popular TV channel and radio stations that is not afraid to regularly tell the truth about the peril we are in. Included in its mission would be acceptance of the fact that it might not make a profit. There must be a multibillionaire in this country who is willing to take that step.
Otherwise, the bulk of Americans will remain ignorant and unconcerned here.
Fires are another consequence, and people are dying from them. Here's my take, published in the Paradise (California) Post:
https://www.paradisepost.com/2018/12/04/a-look-at-the-causes-of-fires/
[email protected]
7
John Kerry frames his entire argument with the cost of climate change to humans -- property damage, lost productivity, etc. What about the damage done to the millions of other species we share the planet with? Loss of biodiversity and natural habitat is happening on an almost unprecedented scale right under our noses, and yet it's barely mentioned outside of academic journals.
At this point, the only thing that can save the planet is a total collapse of the human race. No amount of conferences, summits, treaties, etc are going to make any difference as long as the human population continues on its upward trajectory.
30
@Rob
Sadly true! An existential threat stares us in the face -- and is very close (and possibly/likely irreversible already. But ACT anyway we must.
I applaud Kerry for this article - however. It is a call to real recognition and the need for real, radical, and PERSONAL changes in actions -- in our everyday lives and in our political organizing and reactions.
1
The simple, unified, repeated-endlessly message on climate change should be this:
The new energy technologies that will create millions of new jobs around the globe, which will help economies in every nation - especially poor ones where migrants come from - are the exact technologies which will solve the climate issue.
Solar panel and battery installations are all local.
Same with weatherization of millions of structures to make them energy efficient.
Local jobs requiring various skills in countless communities.
Wind turban production.
Electric cars.
All kinds of research.
On and on.
Industries that will flourish with a little push from an intelligent government.
This is a JOBS issue with the happy side effect of keeping our planet clean, livable, safe.
There's a reason the US military has called climate change our number one security danger.
We solve it by creating jobs.
You got a problem with that?
19
@Paul King, yes, they have a problem with that. They think coal is still king, and anyone who doesn't want coal powered homes, cars and businesses is not on board the proud smoke-belching trump train!
They actually call it a "war on coal". Notice that there wasn't a war on whale oil, or a war on buggies, or a war on propeller planes? Hate is all they have, and if it doesn't profit trump, they hate it.
@Paul King
I respect your argument, but perhaps it is just another example of 'technology will solve the problem.' This has never turned out to be true. It's a fallacy.
The unfortunate truth is that cars are not the problem, neither is power production, batteries, insulation, etc. The problem is us. There are too many people on earth and we have exceeded the carrying capacity of the planet. The solution: don't breed.
1
I fear for the future of my grandchildren. Solar panels, electric cars, careful use of water, support for progressive environmental policies --- it all feels inadequate, with little direction on where else to turn besides government which, at present, is heading in the opposite direction.
The ugly truth is that the headroom for surviving climate change in first world countries far exceeds that of third world climate refugees, and our approach to the problem reflects this subliminal sense of security, real or not. We wring our hands over how to feed the planet, and throw away 40% of the food we produce. We hear the dire warnings about the burning of fossil fuels, then fly hundreds of representatives to far-flung conferences around the world (Skype, anyone?)
What I fear more than the future for my grandchildren is that when the time comes they'll be forced to make the decision about who lives and who dies as a consequence of decisions we're making now. When there is no water, no food and limited parts of the planet capable of sustaining human life, and the world tries to fit itself, impossibly, into the small space left, what decisions will they be forced to make?
This is the legacy we're creating, that those of us living in wealth and security unimaginable in most parts of the world will survive this climate crisis, at the expense of those with little margin for error. The question is really quite simple: If half the world's population were to disappear, how would we fare?
7
@Jim - I could not think of a better thing than that the population would significantly decline, but by natural means and free choice of course. In fact the "climate problem" is a population problem. And in that schema it is the same corporations whose lobbyists keep us polluting that want an overpopulated world, for cheap labor.
7
I almost stopped at "While I was in New Delhi this week...."
Yes, we need to look to change on a grand scale and yes that needs to happen in Washington and every other capitol across the world. However, all of that energy use they are discussing is happening because of us. Each of us.
John Kerry probably flies too much. At least he is advocating for change on those flights. I have friends who are taking their 9 year old on two overseas trips this coming year. I know a teacher who is flown hundreds of miles weekly to teach a language class. I work in advertising, an industry that sends thousands of people across continents and oceans every year so that they can create beautiful ads for green cars.
The problem is all of us. Buy less. Fly less (if at all). Eat less red meat (if any at all). Radically rethink how you live your life and then commit to doing better. Much, much, much, better.
338
@AMoore
Agreed, agreed, agreed. But. If the work that 10 of us does, is cancelled out because others can pollute 3 times as much without consequence, life on this planet will not be better off. That's why it's not just individual action that is required but action at the federal, state and municipal levels. Policy is required. Now.
61
@Mike Bonnell
Mike, that was the (intended) gist of my second sentence. I agree wholeheartedly. But I firmly believe that change begins with each of us. My friends can't weep about their children's futures and then jet off to Utah for a ski weekend. That mindset isn't going to translate to the kind of political pressure, whether at the ballot box or through direct action, that will bring about policy change. Once they learn to live responsibly, they will demand it of others.
28
@AMoore
Thank you, but don't forget about driving. Walk, bike and take public transit as much as possible. And, all cars pollute in one way or another (including electric cars) as well as create auto domination of public space.
10
Recently Trump came out with his opinion on the trillion dollar addition to the deficit because of the new tax plan. “I’m not going to be around in two years (hopefully), so who cares about the deficit”.
Unfortunately, this attitude probably prevails for climate change as well. “I don’t believe in climate change. I’m over 70yrs old, I’m not going to be around forever, right? So who cares about climate change. Not me”.
Everyone is aware of the changes in our climate, including Trump. The only reason he says he doesn’t believe in scientists and their hard data has to do with the fact that he would not have the leverage to keep rolling back all of the safeguards and policies that keeps controls in place resulting in clean water, air, etc. These special interest groups with their money have a reason why they need to have these role backs in place. Bottom line, it always has to do with growth and profit.
11
Notice that there's not a single mention of the Green New Deal, much less any actual policy proposals. Failure to endorse specific policies and timelines for implementation means opposition to the kind of change necessary to solve this problem. Kerry, Pelosi, Schumer, and other establishment Democrats are speaking out now in the hopes of countering the Green New Deal movement--a movement that would save the environment and help normal people but would hurt the special interests for whom they've long advocated. They're trying to narrow the debate and make it between doing nothing versus making marginal improvements (but never at the expense of wealthy and powerful). There's a third option--the Green New Deal--and it's the only option sufficient to solve this existential threat.
9
@Alexei P-G, actually I think the last few paragraphs concerning an infrastructure bill is probably same or similar to a New Green Deal. I do think that is what we need and I think it is important that people recognize that the New Green Deal has at least 2 components: (1) a plan to address climate change and (2) a plan that will put people to work in industries that the US, not China or Germany, need to lead the world in over the next several decades.
7
@jonathan Agreed, and I hope so! I just can't help but notice how vague he is about all these proposals. No specifics, no timelines, etc. Seems like the kind of thinking that will lead to some marginal shifts in energy production and maybe a non-binding resolution at some point to incrementally decrease emissions by 2050 or something, which wouldn't be nearly enough even if it weren't inevitably going to get killed by the next republican president.
2
Thank you, Mr. Kerry, for this timely piece and for your exemplary service to our country.
This morning I read of Marathon Oil and Koch's conspiring with Mr. Trump to force our citizens to buy and burn more gasoline. The forces of greed have captured our politicians and body politic into doing the bidding of the fossil fuel industries. We must rid ourselves of these forces of darkness and set personal goals for our own reduction in carbon footprint.
One subject we don't hear about very often that troubles me to no end: A gigantic portion of our mined fossil fuels go into manufacturing fertilizers for our crops; our whole system of farming and the incredible increase in crop yields over the last decades depends on this destructive introduction of carbon into our atmosphere, soil, and oceans. How can we escape our dour fate when feeding the enormous human population depends on ammonium nitrate fertilizers?
15
Climate Change is only one of a suite of problems we face which include related ocean acidification, the beginning of a mass extinction (got 'insectaggedon'? yet?), degraded land (salinization, soil loss, etc), depleting water supplies (unsustainable depletion of aquifers). A lot of this is driven by tenets of capitalism which are demonstrably false: 1) We cannot grow forever - There ARE limits to growth, 2) There is no invisible hand guiding individual greed to produce socially optimal outcome - we've known about the tragedy of the commons for a while, and 3) Distribution of wealth and income DO matter (Piketty has recently got credit for this observation but its been around for a while). Solutions to address the climate crisis will have to address all of the other crises too. Here are a few suggestions from the perspective of Ecological Economics:
1) Live withing planetary boundaries
2) Distribute wealth and income fairly in space and time
3) Allocate resources efficiently (old school economics). However, Efficient allocation MUST be in service to planetary boundaries and fairness.
10
@Paul Sutton
I would add to the idea of living within "planetary boundaries" to mean accepting ecological limits to industrial and agricultural growth, and to "do no harm" as a pro-scriptive on human projects.
2
Mr. Kerry,
I am still waiting for a single politician with the courage to tie climate change to either our paradigm of perpetual economic growth or to population increase. Climate change, as does all types of destructive pollution, correlates to total economic and population growth. We think we are reducing our carbon footprint here in the US, but we merely offshore dirty manufacturing and import the goods.
No, we cannot convert to 'green' energy and keep up our religion of growth, living happily ever after. Solar and wind require lots of mining, smelting, hazardous materials to make batteries. Trucks would need 20,000 pounds of batteries to run on solar- reducing their load by 25%. Which is greener- an acre of trees or an acre of solar panels with lithium batteries? I have seen a study where under our paradigm of maximizing growth, renewable energy merely supplements the energy needed for growth and leaves no fossil fuels in the ground.
Unless we look at our whole 'growth' culture, we will not put a dent in global warming.
73
@John Dyer Economic growth has been decoupled from carbon emissions for 20 years in advanced economies, including the US.
@Adam that is because we don't manufacture much in the US. All those carbon emissions in China making the products we buy at Walmart, and all the freighters transporting them, are not included in our carbon calculation.
4
Excellent point on how perpetual growth as a standard economic model is unsustainable. It’s especially obvious during the holidays when the “success” of the retail scene apparently requires increased sales relative to the preceding year. That’s nuts! There have been many proposals for alternative ways of measuring national GDP, like including measurements on the health of the population and the environment. We need to get smarter fast.
4
Trump is just the latest example of the world's inability to deal with the gravest danger facing humankind in millennia. The root problem - population growth - had been known and ignored for decades. Even if fully implemented, Kyoto and Paris fell far, far short of what needs to be done. Our systems of government are simply not up to the task; even those governments which acknowledge the seriousness of the problem offer inadequate solutions, and none of them are doing anything about population control.
48
@David
They can’t do anything about population control. The survival of the entire western fiat currency based financial structure requires steadily climbing population to support retirees.
2
Look over there in the living room. Is that an elephant I see?
What elephant? I don't see anything but the living room.
Without reducing population, there's no chance of preventing these negative scenarios.
That doesn't mean that when country A reduces its population, they import workers from country B to keep their economy going. It means figuring out how to keep an economy going while the population shrinks, and dealing with the inevitable geezer glut at the same time.
Once you figure that out, you have to convince country B to reduce its population too, because you can't just let them in to take over country A. Population control will be a cosmic joke if it just means that the people who do so will inevitably be overwhelmed by the people who don't.
Improved clean energy is necessary, but so is reducing population all across the world.
199
@mlbex -- The United States, all of the EU, Japan, the Nordic Countries, Russia (!) are below ZPG other than immigration.
China is close to ZPG and expects to go below it soon, despite government efforts to increase birth rates due to worries about economic support of an aging population:
https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/chinas-worrying-decline-in-birth-rate-china-daily-columnist
India is close to ZPG, but behind China.
High birthrates now exist only in smaller poor countries with low carbon intensity, and a few petro states with low population.
We have about 40 years in which to make massive reductions in CO2 fluxes. You cannot do that by reducing population other than by murdering something like 6 billion people.
We must figure out how to support the people who are alive with a lot less CO2 production.
50
@Lee Harrison: I thought I said that.
"Improved clean energy is necessary..."
My main point is that not only do we have to reduce population, we need to figure out how to do it without collapsing the economy. Like you say, it's not going to happen overnight without murdering 6 billion people, so we'd better get on with (the non-murderous solutions) as quickly as possible.
9
@mlbex
I have a dark suspicious fear that underlying all this "resistance" to converting over to renewable energy and embracing ecological best practices is a deep animus to human beings in general.
What a better way to reduce human population growth than by doing nothing to alter global warming.
9
"The president, he said, “makes decisions often without a factual basis.""
The President made the decision to withdraw from "Paris"
with plenty of facts.
The main one is that we were duped as patsies, a trademark method of Obama. Look at the Paris "promised" graph for
China. It goes UP not down.
What idiot of a president, or failed presidential candidate,
has us going DOWN with the biggest polluter in the world is promising to go UP?
Also ... lets hear the "facts" of Global Warming. All Kerry talks about are purported BAD effects ... they will, of course, be GOOD ones too, such as milder winters here where I live.
Lets see maps of the world with the good effects shown on them.
4
@Doug McDonald
Regarding "good" effects, if they truly happen at all they will be very short lived.
In reality, as we can see in the Midwest already, there are actually no good effects. Winters aren't getting more mild they are getting more erratic. As the jet stream responds to warming and loses the consistency we have depended on for stable farming for centuries, crop yields are falling. As rainfall patterns become even more erratic as warming continues, those yields will continue to fall.
Keep in mind, too, that reducing emissions isn't just about global temperatures. Ocean acidification is a rolling catastrophe. Higher emissions lead to poor heath outcomes in the cardiovascular realm. Higher levels of co2 lead to reduced nutrient levels in plants (including the ones we eat.) Increased emissions even lead to impaired cognitive function.
Unfortunately, there is no map of good effects.
7
@Doug McDonald - are you joking? Facts are everywhere.
Did you read the report recently signed by 13 government agencies warning of impacts of climate change to economic stability?
Did you read the Pentagon report warning of national security threats posed by climate change?
Do you understand how ecosystems function and the species extinctions that will happen?
One must assume your comment is intended to be facetious. Nobody could possibly be so poorly informed.
4
Ah, yes-- the milder Winters in Illinois! When the hordes of crop pests will not (naturally) die off from the cold. When the fruit trees will not have enough cold-dormancy to flower (and bear fruit). When the parallel warmer summers will burn the vast soy and corn field to nothing by July 4th... I can't wait.
8
“While I was in New Delhi this week....”
After you swells have given up your jetting about the world, come talk to me about my truck.
You first. Until then, I don’t hear you.
9
@KBronson
Ad hominem attacks on John Kerry are a foolish response to a global crisis that threatens the future of our species. We may already be doomed unless some future genius comes up with a viable way to capture all of the carbon that is already in the atmosphere, but we still have a shot at survival if we act immediately to deal with the problem. The current administration, backed by wealthy dinosaurs like the Koch Brothers, is setting the world back decades. It is literally life and death and they want to line their pockets by increasing fossil fuel consumption with inefficient cars and more coal plants. I weep for today's young people. They will face economic and environmental collapse long after these immoral money grubbers are dead.
3
@MM
It is not an ad hominem attack. It is setting a condition for a discussion of me agreeing to make sacrifices.
He may be a fine fellow and may make excellent points, but has not earned my ear with action. Until I see personal actions by those who want to lead, their words don’t mean anything. I just don’t hear them.
If we are in the trenches and you blow the whistle and say “Let’s go. Out of the trenches boys.” While keeping both of your feet firmly planted in the mud, this free American is going to look at you as if you were speaking a foreign language.
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@KBronson
The leaders are the young, Mr. Bronson. Many are making sacrifices in what they eat, what they wear, how they move, and what they buy. Will you follow THEIR lead?
Mr. Kerry:
How are all those multiple residences of yours in excess of 5,000 square feet, fleet of vehicles, private jets, and pontification helping reverse or slow climate change?
Lead by example and quit spouting off about others when you and your ilk have a carbon footprint vastly larger than 99% of the citizens of this wonderful blue planet.
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@Indy voter
you are so right.
4
No, we won't all be to blame.
The Koch brothers, Exxon Mobil et al, Fox News, most Republican politicians - the people knowingly and wilfully spreading disinformation and doubt - they are and will be to blame.
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I think we are, living in Los Angeles I see a lot of “resist” stickers in the back of huge gas guzzling cars with one person inside. What is the message there? we are eliminating bike lanes from the roads, not changing our diets and now ordering our food online for home delivery all the while blaming the companies at the top who we choose to support out of convenience. Yeah, we all know those companies are working against our interests but it doesn’t look like the majority is giving a ounce of effort.
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@Bill in Yokohama
If you drive a car, fly, eat meat, or have more than one child at this point, you are partially to blame. Certainly there are those who are more culpable such as the corporations and organizations you mention and the climate denying "Merchants of Doubt" that do their bidding. They are the drug dealers, we are the addicts. One doesn't exist without the other.
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@Bill in Yokohama
The hypocrites calling for “Austerity for others” are perhaps even more to blame. That includes the author, Al Gore, Obama, etc.
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Thank you Mr. Kerry. All the drama in DC is secondary to this.
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"If we fail, future generations will judge us all as failures, not just this president. They will have no time for excuses."
If we fail, all fail. Like no other, this problem requires man to act with logic and discipline, long term courage, not short term greed.
If we fail, life itself may well fail.
If we fail, our children and theirs will disrespect us...
And we will hate ourselves.
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People like John Kerry and Al Gore (and so many more) - who are regularly flown by private jets from place to place in order to lecture the rest of us, sans cesse, about the imminent perils of climate change - might gain credibility were they to forego their own sumptuous habits and consumptive life-styles and exhibit a degree of simplicity, restraint, and temperance.
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This will not be resolved by the status quo or by resorting to prior technologies. To be blunt, it requires a full industrial and a political revolution. As with all past revolutions, it will engage everyone and will start at the bottom. (Revolutions do not come from the top down.)
It will require the participation of every one of us, in our daily choices of lightbulbs, cars, sustainable foods, and of course politicians. We need to vote at the cash register, the grocery store and the voting booth. If we don’t make these relatively easier decisions now, there will be more difficult and fewer choices in the future.
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@Dan K.
This is more than just lightbulbs and electric cars. This challenge is massive and there are important questions about overpopulation that we have blithely ignored. What is fair distributon of planetary resources with differential rates of population growth? I would suggest that all nations must live within the biocapacity of their national boundaries. This suggests that the US, China, India, Japan, and most of Europe are severely overpopulated (e.g. have exceeded their ecological footprint). The only way these countries can live within limits is to dramatically reduce consumption of material and energy per capita or reduce their total population. Are we really ready for that? We better be. The alternative will likely be even more human suffering.
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@Dan K.
The necessary revolution is not what most people think it is. Technology is not the solution, and in fact contributes to the problem because it leads us to think that the answer is just over the horizon, and someone else's responsibility to boot.
Take transportation. Electric cars are the supposed fix, but there are many problems. First, replacing our fleet of 90% I.C. engines will take a lot of time, and there is a lot of embodied energy in all those replacement vehicles. More importantly, the personal automobile is the driver of sprawl, which creates huge resource inputs in the form of asphalt roads and parking lots, larger buildings, etc.; as well as destruction of CO2-absorbing vegetation and loss of productive agricultural land. Additional concerns include continuing to spend hundreds of billions of dollars yearly on lifestyle diseases, with personal automobiles occupying front and center in that lifestyle. These healthcare dollars could have instead been spent on climate change mitigation.
All of the above is true regardless of the eventual source of the electric power, currently fossil fuels. There are much better solutions, which involve ensuring that our towns and cities are adapted for non-motorized transportation complemented with public transit. There is no form of personal automobile that can compete with mass transit, either in terms of energy use from concept drawing to scrap yard - or in density and healthfulness of the built environment.
"We'll all be to blame." True. For starters, rein in your holiday habits: limit your purchasing of unwanted items, unnecessary wrapping paper and decorations, and food waste. Gift meaningful experiences, donations towards climate organizations and conservation, plant a tree, wrap gifts in reusable boxes, cook what you will eat and take care of your leftovers. Think of the environment when you make new years resolutions. Enjoy the holidays, together.
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Unnecessary wrapping paper? What's the carbon footprint of wrapping paper? Cut down on unnecessary car use instead.
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Sir:
You were at a climate change conference in New Delhi this week. Another conference was underway in Katowice, Poland.
How many delegates came from all over the world, with their aides and, in many cases, their significant others to these conferences? How many pounds of jet fuel were burned to bring these people to the same location? Could the same results have occurred by teleconferencing them together?
If we are to reduce pollution, a goal that must be met, we must all do our part. On my level, that means turning off unnecessary lights and walking or busing whenever possible, rather than driving. On the level of politicios and pundits, however, that means sacrificing the chance to see the world on the taxpayer's dime, staying in the office, and talking via the Internet rather than face to face.
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@mikecody: It's not just their airline flights, it's everyman's flight to Hawaii or Europe. You'd need to turn down a zillion lights to make up for a single airplane trip.
We all need to do these things, but we'll have to give up some things that matter too. Nothing less will get the job done.
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@mikecody
The elites ask us to go on a war-time like austerity program while for them, nothing changes. That isn’t leadership. Leadership means going out in front and setting the example.
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@mikecody
The answer to your question "could the same results have occurred by teleconferencing" is no. There is no substitute for experts and decision-makers conducting multiple levels of discussions at the same time, conferring in small groups, reconvening in large sessions, and even having one-on-one communications that then affect the larger consultations. The issues of global warming and conservation must be solved to save humanity. I think that's worth some conferences.
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"And if Mr. Trump says no, make climate change the galvanizing issue for 2020 for millennials who will vote as if their lives depend on it — because they do."
This is undoubtedly the case, and yet I fear that climate change, with its future-focused agenda, simply will not cut it as a debate topic. Certainly it should be high up on the agenda, but using it as a primary issue would be a mistake.
However, rallying millennial voters around climate change causes is and should be a viable strategy, especially if schools and parents can communicate to young people just how important this issue is.
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