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Len Rosen's picture
Principal Author and Editor, 21st Century Tech Blog

Futurist, Writer and Researcher, now retired, former freelance writer for new technology ventures. Former President & CEO of Len Rosen Marketing Inc., a marketing consulting firm focused on...

  • Member since 2018
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  • May 20, 2022
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Have we found leaders in government, business, technology, and science, that can help us navigate the challenges we presently face and that lie ahead? Based on the decade, and our indifferent lack of progress on climate change issues, it appears that there remains a dearth in the type of leaders needed to make the tough and responsible choices.

The planet and humanity need a livable climate future, and our chance of collective success is predicated on actions coming from leaders in governments, industry, academia, and the media. But today's world leaders are happy to throw money at the fossil fuel industry in the form of subsidies. They are happy to subsidize big agriculture, forestry, mining, car companies, land developers, and other business players who lobby them and are happy to receive government largesse.

If this money were to be redirected to tackle climate change through sound mitigation and adaptation practices all of us would be the beneficiaries. We are talking about redirecting trillions of dollars that today are going into the wrong hands to finance the degradation of the planet.

So why are our government and financial leaders happy to continue to finance the instruments of our potential extinction, rather than preserve the only inhabitable planet that we know of at present in this Universe?

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Matt Chester's picture
Matt Chester on May 20, 2022

If this money were to be redirected to tackle climate change through sound mitigation and adaptation practices all of us would be the beneficiaries. We are talking about redirecting trillions of dollars that today are going into the wrong hands to finance the degradation of the planet.

The problem also comes from all the competing voices about where that best spending would be. Even if we all in earnest want the most climate beneficial spending, opinions on where that optimal spending lays has no consensus. How do we navigate that? 

Rick Engebretson's picture
Rick Engebretson on May 22, 2022

Matt, I have recently found a learning resource that gave me great hope. Barack Obama has a great documentary series on Netflix called (something like) "Our National Parks." The series I've watched so far (up to Monterrey Bay Ocean sanctuary) are excellent advocates of learning to live with nature. It's high school level, but as an old Biophysicist everything is new to me.

As far as political leaders, I mostly support Donald Trump and AOCortez. I hope the current octogenerian war-mongers leave some of the planet and money left for the innovators still out there. As an old Woodstock generation "back-to-the-land" type, the "Green New Deal" is a great start. But clearly the windmill/solar panel/etc. crowd need some serious college science learning. And restoring education's original intent and affordable access is important, too. We need a new youth movement unbound to the horrendous old timers (like me).

Len Rosen's picture
Thank Len for the Post!
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