Making the transition to a green economy: What is our responsibility as citizens?

ABSTRACT

Large-scale structural change is essential if we are to decarbonize the economy rapidly enough to avert the worst of global warming. Individual actions by the well-meaning won’t be enough. Yet the two aren’t mutually exclusive, and there are both moral and pragmatic reasons to do both at the same time. Individuals must act collectively, as engaged citizens, to push governments and fossil fuel companies to change their behavior. But actions to reduce our own individual carbon footprints can also change the culture so that political change in favor of decarbonization becomes more likely.

KEYWORDS:

• Green economy
• decarbonize
• carbon footprint
• divestment
• climate change
• global warming

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes

1. Listen: https://a-matter-of-degrees.simplecast.com/episodes/give-up-your-climate-guilt-Qukdv5PD

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Adam Sobel

Adam Sobel is a professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Engineering School, where he studies the dynamics of climate and weather phenomena, with a focus on understanding the risks to human society from extreme weather and climate change. He is author or coauthor of over 150 peer-reviewed scientific articles; a popular book about Hurricane Sandy, Storm Surge; and numerous op-eds. Sobel also hosts Deep Convection, a podcast featuring real conversations between climate scientists.