Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization, the United Nations agency tasked with protecting global public health.
The UK government is set to back plans for a third runway at Heathrow, the country’s busiest airport, and to expand two other airports near London: Gatwick and Luton. The move is designed to support the government’s “mission” to grow the economy.
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, in February 2024, the average global sea surface temperature (SST) reached 21.06 degrees Celsius, the highest level ever recorded by the service. The previous record of 20.98 degrees Celsius was set in August 2023.
Humanity’s firepower underpins the Anthropocene, which is the outcome not just of anthropogenic meddling but of a particular kind of meddling, made possible by humans’ species monopoly over fire. Even climate history has become a subset of fire history.
But like it’s subject, life, this movement is self-generating. Roots are spreading and it can only grow. Eventually, mainstream journalism will take notice. At that point, the narrative is generating its own rain.
In this Reality Roundtable, Nate is joined by members of the bioregioning movement, Daniel Christian Wahl, Samantha Power, and Isabel Carlisle, to discuss the necessity of reconnecting to our local places for the sake of addressing our ecological, social, and economic challenges.
Just because our brains are incapable of tracking the complexity of the mechanisms that lead to decisions at the level of life does not invalidate the basis. How grandiose to imagine that we have a say in the matter!
Yes, there is much work to do, and nothing is more worth doing than trying to save this place. But if in my rushed, dogged efforts I became distracted from Tahlequah’s call, then I need to ask what I’m doing.
The SAFER strategy is ambitious, even audacious. But in the face of escalating climate impacts, it’s clear that it is our best chance at building a more resilient future. As Trump takes power again, be empowered yourself… the time to pivot toward a strategy centred on adaptation is now.
In his second term, Trump has signaled he would attack Joe Biden’s climate policies any way he can, increase fossil fuel production, and stymie the expansion of renewable energy. Yet he may not be as successful as he hopes, because states will once again take action.
A new and frightening world of climate change is unfolding around us, and Donald Trump’s election will strengthen its hold. I will focus here on three things: What will the emerging climate reality be like? How did we get here? What can we still do?
Davis’ politically strident, stylishly written book explores the interplay between urban development, natural disasters, man-made catastrophes and cultural narratives.
