Climate Change or Climate Crisis?

Every time I hear the phrase "climate change" I want to scream.  "Change" suggests something that we can adapt to relatively easily, as in the change of the seasons, or the change of a job, home or hairstyle.  The reality is that, even in the best case scenario, climate change will be enormously costly and dangerous.   

Just think of the ongoing disruption caused by Hurricane Katrina to the people of New Orleans, and imagine this kind of thing happening in many different locations at the same time.  Add to that all the costs of trying to prepare for and prevent similar catastrophes.  Right now in Britain, there is  talk of building new trainlines to replace a number of sections of track that are perilously close to the coast.  And that's a relatively predictable problem.

The term "climate change" is in fact a phrase that numbs or lulls us (which is why it makes me want to scream -- screaming being a restorative, healing reaction to psychic numbing).  I have recently heard the phrase "climate chaos", which is more accurate but  suggests confusion rather than disaster.  I prefer the term "climate crisis" or even better, if you don't mind the lack of alliteration,  "climate emergency".  There is a certain spiritual connotation to the word emergency, because it contains both the sense of danger and the sense of "emergence".  It conveys the reality that there is a real crisis, but that if we deal with it, something altogether new might emerge for the planet and its inhabitants.

Comments

[Scott]

Climate Emergency - Excellent. Very well stated.

[Johannus]

Im not sure if I believe in the whole fear based climate change that's spreading throughout the world. I think it has more to do with what's being sprayed into the upper atmosphere and the H.A.A.R.P technology in Alaska invented by Nicoli Tesla. When I viewed the fear based movie of Al Gore, it reminded me of what the current administation is doing with the War on Terror. Keep people in fear so they are easier to control.
I loved your youtube film and the interview with Regina. Thank you.
Now for my one minute meditation...

[Martin]

Johannus. I hadn't thought before about the climate crisis as a projection of fear, as is the 'war on terror'. Very interesting. However in the case of the climate crisis, whether or not we can be sure of human involvement, the risks are so great that I believe we should be doing everything we can to prevent it. A parallel, on a much smaller scale, might be the the 'millenium bug': remember that? There was a lot of fear, quite reasonable in my opinion, and a lot of preparation and care taken, and then nothing happened. Did nothing happen because of our preparation? Or was our fear of catastrophe misplaced? I don't know the answer to that, but I'm glad we didn't take the chance. On the subject of our fear of catastrophe, you might like a chapter I deleted from The One-Moment Master called 'The End of Time'. You can find it at http://www.martinboroson.info/bonus-chapters.html, though that address may change soon. Best of luck with your minute!