EARTH DAY 2022: INVEST IN OUR PLANET
Earth Day 2022: Invest In Our Planet Photo by Artem Podrez from Pexels While Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd, the month of April is known as Earth Month, and the week preceding Earth Day is known as Earth Week. This year's theme is "Invest In Our Planet," which raises the question of how we can invest in our planet. There's a lot going on around here. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently released two new report (WG 2 and WG 3) that has everyone talking. The reports discussed the urgent need to reduce global emissions and halt new investments in fossil fuels. Rather than listening to the science, Governments are busy approving new oil fields because to them, it's business as usual. This is in the midst of a climate crisis, and only a few weeks after COP26. https://twitter.com/IPCC_CH/status/1511010357627789315?s=19 CLIMATE CHANGE – definition and causesEFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HUMAN Let's look at ways you and I can invest in our planet, in keeping with this year's theme. Accountability: Holding leaders and the so-called Oil Giants and Big Polluters accountable is one way you can play your part and invest. Let's go back to the year 2015. In the Paris Agreement of 2015, World leaders committed to reduce emissions and limit global warming to "ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius." We're still talking about it seven years later, with little to show for it from our leaders - except new oil fields, of course. We must hold them accountable. "Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels. Investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is moral and economic madness."António Guterres, UN Secretary-General EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE ENVIRONMENTCLIMATE CHANGE AND FOOD SECURITY Oil tycoons like Shell and BP released their report early this year, and these folks made a lot of money in 2021 while damaging the environment and fuelling the climate crisis (thanks to the backing of our leaders). Big Polluters like Coca-Cola and Nestlé haven't left this group discussion. They are steadily contributing to the global problem of plastic pollution. Coca-Cola, for example, has remained among the world's top polluter for four years in a row. https://twitter.com/tessakhan/status/1491062082393210881?t=GnXOQ6hNxqW1Td_Z5ahsyw&s=19 Legal action is one approach to hold governments and huge polluters accountable. Individuals and organizations have brought several legal actions against governments and corporations over the years. If necessary and possible, take on governments and big polluters. They must take responsibility for their inaction. It is critical to maintain a clean and healthy environment. https://twitter.com/PaidToPollute/status/1420274366655385603?t=BKhL0GpS0ks817tWbEvrzA&s=19 Protests and Strikes: Protests and strikes are another way to invest in the environment. Protests and strikes are used to raise awareness and demand action. They're…