The Existential Threat
Understanding climate change, its far-reaching effects, and why we need to act now
As the world continues to remain fixated on the COVID-19 pandemic, there is another pressing crisis that is not necessarily front and center for many, but one which still poses an existential threat — climate change. For decades, scientists and activists have issued stark warnings about the future of our planet, but they were often viewed as alarmist, questioned by skeptics both on the merits of their data and projections, as well as the premise that humans play a role in changes to the Earth’s climate. Today, there are still millions of people in denial about climate change and the looming crisis. While the needle has shifted, with much of the global populace now acknowledging that humans have indeed influenced these climate disruptions through our activities, the overwhelming majority of people are reluctant to do the one thing that can save us — act.
Most people, myself included, will admit that they have done very little in their daily lives that will reduce their impact on the environment, and thus affect positive change. A major reason for this is because we are woefully under-informed, which may seem counterintuitive given we live in a world where technology allows for the greatest flow of information in history. The reason we do not have a better comprehension of the issues around climate…
