We are, truly, in a Climate Emergency. As outlined throughout this book, unless bold action is taken to change the economic system, we may face a long-drawn-out equivalent of the sudden extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago - and certainly the worst set of circumstances since The Flood in Noah's Time. There are real problems ahead: fire, flooding, and loss of entire cities; drought; hundreds of millions of migrants; ocean acidification; increased disease; significant food shortages; and, probably, WW3.
However, one thing that Christians can be certain of is the imminent Return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to sort all these problems out. We need to be ready at all times for His Return, but I can confidently predict that He will Return no later than the Feast of Trumpets in 2028. That gives us 3 1/2 years from now to get our environmental house in order and at least a blueprint for a better world.
But the IPCC 2018 Report makes it clear that the world must target a temperature increase above that of 1900 to no more than 2C - and even better, 1.5C. If we fail, the future looks very bleak indeed.
To achieve this, the bold action required is needed now and, as the Drawdown Report emphasises, this must be done on multiple fronts. As an economist and capitalist, I cannot foresee how the world will forgo economic growth, and so, by way of a compromise, a 2- 2.5% pa increase in world GDP is factored into the Kaya Equations I presented in Chapter 5. What matters pivotally, of course, is what kind of growth we are talking about, and here too, the Drawdown Report is full of ideas. Critically, though, we must:
- End Coal Production
- End Deforestation and begin Reforestation
- Accelerate the transition to EVs and the accompanying clean-up of the energy generation base away from fossil fuels and towards renewables and nuclear energy
- Switch from Natural Gas to Hydrogen
- Reduce beef consumption
The Trade-Off
There remains, however, a direct trade-off between increased technology (including efficiency gains) and population. I am not advocating a general reduction in population size (other than by natural disasters and viruses), but clearly population growth must be addressed. As the Drawdown Report emphasises, family planning and educating girls will go a long way to achieving this. Better managed population sizes will actually bring many benefits to the health of a country's economy and its citizens. Equally, the solution to global warming is not just about controlling population. After all, Genesis states very clearly that Man was to "Go forth and multiply". Technology will play a major role, as will land management practices. And behavioural change is key - being climate-friendly should stop being a burden.
There is a need to seek Western-led global solutions, and in a time frame that will reduce carbon emissions early. If we don't take the lead, China will. But if so, why work to an arbitrary deadline of 2050? If the case has been made that the sooner action is taken, the better, why not aim for 2028? Could this be achieved?
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