EARTH- Best Before: 24/12/30

📷 Chris Saunders

Action or Extinction - it’s as simple as that. Our world’s best scientists have confirmed we have 12 short years to prevent the exponential acceleration of catastrophic climate change.

There will be millions driven and displaced from their homes, the very crops we rely on will fail, starving some, making insecure others; deserts will grow, the sea overwhelm the coasts, smog fill the air; ecosystems will collapse and year by unstoppable year this pace will accelerate after 2030.

If we act now, if we act from this Christmas, then there is a glimmer of hope. If we do not, the consequences will be apocalyptic for civilization and the natural world.

We have driven the Earth to the edge of its capacity to harbour life. We have voraciously plucked and plundered its essence for the sake of profit and the reproduction of capital with innumerable and irredeemable destruction; we have plunged ourselves and life as we know it into the imminent and palpable possibility of a dystopian sixth mass extinction.

Politicians cannot escape or hide or ignore their historic responsibility. Their cowardice in the face of corporations has to end. There’s no second chance, there is no planet B, this is not a game - this is our Will Smith in ‘Independence Day’ moment; now or never, action or extinction.

We can’t wait 12 years to get our house in order: ASAP we need to reduce emissions to net zero, ban diesel and fracking, replace fossil fuels with renewable energy and a re-trained and repurposed workforce, reverse deforestation and ecological devastation, wholeheartedly support conservation projects, and create a truly fairer and Green economy and society.

The greatest injustice of climate change is towards our young, the inheritors of this small island of life in this ever vast universe. Our selfishness has ruled us out from leadership. We must look to them to show the urgency and courage we have failed to inculcate in our governance and policy.

We need to launch a fully funded ‘Climate Force’, a 12 year international scheme for young climate leaders and activists with the courage to stand up to multinational corporations, as fearless advocates of the Earth in the face of those who have stopped caring about it being destroyed.

We - humanity as one - have less than a dozen years to implement a holistic and total upheaval of the status quo, as the UN stated earlier this year. Twelve years is but a few grains in the hourglass of existence. The line in the sand has been drawn, clear to see for all except those who foolishly choose to keep their heads buried in it.

The decisions we choose to make, this Christmas onwards, will be our collective fate.

Magid 👊🏾💚

Just thought I'd clarify and add a little disclaimer:
The picture has been edited for effect and is not intended to reflect the actions of any specific company.