Climate action is not just a catchphrase

Kim Ho-ki
The author is a professor of sociology at Yonsei University.

Futurist and author Jeremy Rifkin was among the first to point to climate change as the cause behind the Covid-19 pandemic. Climate calamities such as extreme wildfires and hurricanes forced wild animals to relocate their habitats closer to the human populations, causing the virus transportation and zoonotic spillover. The global spread of strains of influenza virus — such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome, the Middle East respiratory syndrome, Ebola, Zika, and Covid-19 — were some examples. No one can know when and where a new virus wave could break out after Covid-19. Unless the climate crisis is contained, the sporadic virus storm can arrive at any time.

The record-breaking extreme heat wave streak across the world this summer underscores the menacing development of the climate crisis. The planet Earth, according to the Gaia theory, is a synergistic and self-regulating complex system that can recover from external shocks. But an upset to the balancing mechanism is expected to exacerbate the climate crisis.

The human civilization is living through the age of an ecosystem crisis through climate disasters like extreme heat and cold, floods, typhoons, wildfires, waning biodiversity, worsening air pollution from a surge in fine dust and the reduction of staple food production.

Climate crisis augments the inequalities in the danger. As the damaged ecosystem hits differently on nations, generations, and classes, climate perils can be harsher on the people of poor countries, the lower-income class, and the socially-weak such as the family-less elderly and small children. A hot summer, for one, can feel differently to fully air conditioned homes, or homes with a single air conditioner, or homes who can afford just fans. Everyone must endure the extreme climate, but the experience and outcome can be unequal.

Although the existence and viability of the planet where humanity is at stake, its response to climate change is put aside as a future — not present — issue. The reason is simple. People prioritize the gains of today, and not of tomorrow. If a certain country acts proactively to deal with climate challenges, other countries choose to wait around to free-ride on the benefits. Global governance should be in action over the global phenomenon, but it is not, as governments doubt if the pledges will be upheld.

The psyche behind climate change poses another hurdle. The values and ideology forming biases should be studied with as big an importance as the relationship between greenhouse gas and climate change. Many want to deal with such a complex issue later. The psychology of wishing to turn blind eyes toward the realities of climate crisis can influence the response to the challenges. The mindset that the challenge is ongoing and evolving — not something of the future or far away — is important. This is the psychology of climate change.

Climate changes demand actions through political decisions. As climate action is urgent, it must not be deferred any longer. Here, the role of the government, community, and individuals are all important in climate action. The government must carry out the Green New Deal policy to shift energy policy more towards to renewable energy, while raising income and reducing inequalities in the process. On the civilian level, expert and civic groups can contribute with their activities to raising awareness on climate challenges. Individuals should be more sensitive to climate crisis and become conscious consumers.

The solutions are laid out. It depends on how well humanity acts them out. Headline news flash out that the United Nations warns, “The era of global boiling has arrived”. India is grappling with extreme floods, the Mediterranean region is sizzling under the hellish and deadly summer, and the Siberian permafrost is melting to wake unknown organisms and causing mysterious outcomes to raise fears of a rush to a novel pandemic. Climate change can spike food prices and fuel sticky inflation. Climate change have become crisis and possibly catastrophe in the making that can endanger mankind.

Our beautiful planet is not just ours. It must be well preserved and sustained for future generations and all the living existences. We cannot hand down an Earth in crisis. Climate actions to cope with the crisis should not come from romantic impulse but from realistic actions. I hope I am not the only one who hope we can start acting before this sizzling summer ends.

Translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily staff.