World We Dare to Imagine: Post I

I believe our generation's biggest challenge will be to slow the progression of climate change. However, through education, capitalist incentives, and diplomacy, I believe this is a manageable task. 

Growing up in Washington State, I spent a lot of time in and around nature. I believe that the proximity of people to natural resources somewhat influences the liberal-leaning policies of this area. However, this is not the case for most people (and for most voters). We cannot approach environmental education from a naive position. Many people who protest environmental measures do so to protect their own livelihood. We must approach environmental awareness in a way that does not shame certain demographics (e.g. coal miners). Instead, we should spread awareness of the objective threats that climate change poses. Awareness, paired with national and global environmental measures, will help us to achieve our goal.

These fundamental changes will require several tools, including incentives and disincentives for polluting companies. I also believe that we must do more to limit the lobbying (and therefore, the influence) of corporations in congress. If we allow lawmakers to accept handouts from, for example, big oil corporations, we will never be able to pass the necessary environmentally-conscious laws. 

Furthermore, we cannot solely operate within the United States. When it becomes too costly to extract fossil fuels from within the US, we see these operations transferred overseas- oftentimes to areas where production and labor are cheaper. In some of these areas (e.g. the Niger Delta), big oil companies are able to operate with fewer restrictions (and therefore produce far more emissions). These operations also tend to take a significant toll on local populations. 

We must practice diplomacy with other countries around the world. We must be smart about how we arrange these agreements (for example, the marginal cost of cutting emissions in certain countries might be lower than it is for others). If we can work across the globe to limit emissions, then we will have more success in limiting emissions within our borders. These two measures, when paired with widespread awareness, are the key to slowing climate change.