UNT/FWOP with many partners on campus and the Citizens’ Climate Change Lobby have sponsored three open forums to discuss prevention of and adjustment to climate change globally, nationally and internationally. Senior Fellow at Harvard, Camilla Cavendish noted in the April 20-21 issue of the Financial Times that the central bank governors of London and Paris said in a powerful joint statement that climate-related insurance losses have quintupled in 30 years, and that only a “massive reallocation of capital” can prevent temperatures from rising by 2 degrees centigrade. She concludes that the Extinction Rebellion needs to be taken seriously. The editorial in the same issue of the Financial Times suggests that we may need to cut back on meat consumption because of the 14.5 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by farm animals. “ Cattle are the worst culprits”.
Our first Climate Change session featured Phil Andres who reviewed which technologies and smart city innovations may lower CO2 emissions. Stan Ingman in the second session focused upon how Denton, Texas has become one model for how each city can be a solution to the climate change challenge. Denton by 2023 will operate on 100% renewable energy electric power. Dan Fette, a local green home builder, explained how all structures can move toward near zero CO2 emissions and lower water use.
The third session had Steve Saunders CEO of Tempo Inc. in Irving, Texas , an employee-owned air and heating system company, explained how we can move home and apartment building companies to improve performance in sustainability, efficiency, comfort and wellness, even while some 40% of his business owners may not believe in climate change. Mr. Saunders and his company, who has received awards from CNN , US Green Builders Council, Energy Star, and National Green Partners , focuses on three factors to operate his business bi-weekly or monthly, People, Profit and Planet. Eliecer Vargas from Costa Rica challenged us to reduce waste and thus avoid recycling which may be too simple-minded as it relates to the very complex issue of climate change.
Regardless of future climate change, we now know about large populations of climate refugees who are on the move across the globe. While we have had some successes in reducing poverty in places like China, we are faced with more and more examples of droughts, flooding, strong winds, poverty and extreme heat driving especially vulnerable rural populations in search of new places to live and work.
Two recent change books lay out the challenges ahead in detail:
https://www.npr.org/2019/04/16/713829853/climate-change-is-greatest-challenge-humans-have-ever-faced-author-says
