When it comes to climate change anyone can get involved and make a difference. This is a theme that I’ve been exploring through my coaching sessions, as well as with others in and around Winchester who are fast coming to the same conclusion. It might be the most seemingly random contribution that makes a difference – and the most unexpected individual who makes that impact. One example I came across recently was the giant espanola tortoise. There are only 15 of these left in the world but it was discovered that a single male had sired 800 offspring. Apart from anything else, he might have saved his entire species in doing so.
While it’s unlikely that the tortoise had a specific agenda for saving his own kind, I feel like it’s a good example of how we all have something we can do to help save our planet – whatever our talents! At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week it was a little harder to find examples of global leaders who were quite as committed to saving their species as the espanola tortoise. Donald Trump, for example, didn’t even mention climate change as an issue, instead choosing to focus on rejecting ‘prophets of doom.’
However, there were signs that many others in the global community do take climate change seriously and it was certainly at the top of the agenda for a lot of those attending. It was also interesting to see a new wave of acknowledgements that this isn’t just about the planet but the human race too - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, for example, said: "We will be destroyed by climate change, not the planet. This will be for us a clear indication that we absolutely need to change course."
Greta Thunberg was at Davos once again and remains probably one of the clearest and most logical voices on the topic of climate change. She emphasised the need for sizeable, urgent cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and was joined by other high profile voices, such as that of Prince Charles who said climate change was among the greatest threats humanity had ever faced. One piece of information that was emphasised repeatedly was that we are close to a number of scientific tipping points where climate change is concerned. For example, the melting of the ice caps would be a tipping point that could accelerate climate change at a frightening rate. Even financiers and CEOs seem to be getting the message that action is necessary – but is this going to be enough?
It’s now been five years since the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by all United Nations Member States (in 2015) and the Paris Agreement reached. The Paris Agreement was signed in 2016 and has the central aim of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, especially when it comes to minimising global temperature rises. Since then countries such as Gambia, Morocco, and India have forged ahead in taking action to bring emissions down while Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States are very much bottom of the class (you can see how each country is doing via the Climate Action Tracker). Given that many of those attending Davos were leaders in the countries that haven’t covered themselves in climate glory, can we expect to see a shift over the next year when it comes to reaching these climate goals?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see. However, what I hope is that the influence of the likes of Greta Thunberg and Prince Charles – even the espanola tortoise – will serve to remind high profile leaders, as well as individuals everywhere, that if we want to save ourselves (as well as the world around us) we all need to act. After all, there is no Planet B.