Future Haikus, Future Poems

In the War to Save the Planet, Whose Side Are You On?

A dire warning has just been issued in the journal BioScience on the 40th anniversary of the first world climate conference, which was held in Geneva in 1979. It is endorsed by 11,000 scientist from 153 nations. We must:

.  end population growth.

.  leave fossil fuels in the ground

.  halt forest destruction.

.  slash meat eating.

The world's people face "untold suffering due to the climate crisis" unless we undertake major transformations world-wide.

We declare clearly and unequivocally that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency. To secure a sustainable future, we must change how we live and interact with Earth's ecosystems.

The climate crisis has arrived and is accelerating faster than most expected. And it is more severe than anticipated, threatening natural ecosystems and the fate of humanity.

The climate crisis is directly linked to closely linked to excessive consumption of natural resources.

Despite 40 years of global climate negotiations, with few exceptions, we have have failed to act. Especially worrisome are potential irreversible climate tipping points. These climate chain reactions will lead to the collapse of ecosystems and human society, soon making large areas of Earth uninhabitable.

"We urge widespread use of the vital signs [to] allow policymakers and the public to understand the magnitude of the crisis, realign priorities and track progress," these scientists write.

There are a few encouraging signs:

.  decreasing global birth rates

.  increasing solar and wind power and fossil fuel divestment

But these actions alone are not enough. We must:

.  use energy far more efficiently and Apply strong carbon taxes to cut fossil fuel use.

.  stabilize global population – currently growing by 200,000 people a day – using ethical        approaches ,such as longer education for girls.

.  end the destruction of nature and restore forests and mangroves to absorb CO2.

.  eat mostly plants and less meat, and reduce food waste.

.  shift our goals away from the endless pursuit of wealth.

The good news is that such transformative change, with social and economic justice for all, promises far greater human well-being than does business as usual. The surge of concern among young people must be was encouraged, from the global school strikes to lawsuits against polluters.

The alternative is warning out-of-control pollution and the mass extinction of wildlife on Earth, followed by the extinction of humanity.

Each of us has a moral obligation to use whatever platform we have, like Wattpad, to sound the alarm. It is more important than ever that all of us we speak out.

Are you on the side of death or the side of life? You need to decide now and live as though your and my and your friend's and family's lives depends on it!