The imperative of action on climate change

At risk of being overly provocative, and, of drawing perhaps unnecessary attention to myself, I have come up with a new motto by which to lead my life:

"I'm not getting a job until the New Zealand government takes urgent, effective and genuine action on climate change."

My argument is that until the government commits to a future that fully addresses climate change, my time is best spent lobbying them to take such action. The reality is that if we continue on the path that we are on - i.e. all talk no action - then the world that our leaders will hand on to our, and future, generations is one that is destined for catastrophic climate change.

This is not a world that I want.

Therefore it is imperative that I (we) do what I (we) can do to change this situation.

Working out how best to communicate the magnitude of climate change and the need for action is an issue on which a lot has been written. I remember reading an article a couple of years ago published by Futerra, a UK-based communications company that specialises in corporate responsibility and sustainability. They recommend that:
1) you should not provide information without simultaneously providing the agency to act; and
2) you should not harp on about 'future generations'.

Although the people at Futerra undoubtedly know a lot more about these things than I do, I have to say that I find it hard not to break these two rules. For one I think that information is central to overcoming apathy. Besides, the reality about climate change is that we ALL presently have the agency to act.

Regarding the second point, I have just spent a night with a couple of friends and their young son - it absolutely guts me to think that this wee fella may inherit a world that will, by century's end, be largely unrecognisable due to our own and our predecessor's excess.

So, despite Futerra's best efforts, I will continue publicising information that may be frightening and/or overwhelming (on that note I highly recommend George Monbiot's "Heat: How to Stop the Planet Burning"); I will continue arguing that we CAN and MUST act now; and I will continue to think and talk about our unborn children's futures.