By John Day and Jean Arnold

Profound change is needed in the operating systems for our society and our economy. The public and the policy makers do not understand that both profound and fundamental change is necessary for survival, and little time remains for several necessary U-turns. In his recent book “AFTERBURN: Society After Fossil Fuels,” Richard Heinberg explained “…we must make fundamental changes to industrial society. Before these changes can be approved and implemented, citizens and policy makers must first come to understand that they are essential to our survival.”[1] So if we are to save humanity and the Earth that houses us, we must first recognize the dire situation we are in, and then quickly take action.

With the Paris climate summit fast approaching, isn’t it a good time to use the insights of Richard Heinberg’s AFTERBURN: Society Beyond Fossil Fuels as a context and starting point for a conversation about what can come next, about what is needed following the current world-wide conflagration? Heinberg’s penetrating understanding of the crises and dilemmas we face precedes suggestions about what we might actually do to respond constructively and cooperatively.

The climate is gushing CO2; the oceans are bleeding acid—tipping points are right around the corner.  Without a U-Turn on carbon fuels we will cook ourselves to death. So, how do we create a viable future amidst all of the grim news? This blog provides a plausible answer, starting from outlining what is needed for us to collectively decide to stop the poisoning.

The great unacknowledged elephant today is our collective inability to respond effectively to the life diminishing and civilization threatening crises well underway. How can we effectively confront these crises?