Convergence of threats and solutions in NY Sept 20-22nd

A Convergence of threats and solutions.  What to consider this weekend at the NY Climate march & UN Summit starting Sept. 21^st, 2014:

At this moment in the news cycle we appear to be facing three existential threats:

1.       Religious extremists instigating a permanent war that will cost lives, more loss of privacy, human rights and the hope for real security …as it depletes valuable resources and attention from other vital concerns.

2.       Changing climate that promises to change every aspect of life as we know it… costing the health of our environment, our children and our economy… while exacerbating scarcity and other factors related to national security and individual freedom and security.  

3.       Ebola, a rapidly mutating hemorrhagic fever that is spreading exponentially in poor nations with inadequate health/medical infrastructure threatening to destabilize African nations. It could also be adopted by suicidal extremists to further terrorize the world and disrupt civilization as we know it.

What do ISIS, Ebola and climate change all have in common?   None can be stopped militarily. None can be stopped by any single nation.  None can be stopped by the United Nations as it exists today.  None will be stopped by unenforceable International laws.  None can be stopped without the devotion of timely and sufficient economic resources applied to immediate needs, workable and sustainable solutions, and long term efforts to prevent the re-emergence of war, disease or other factors leading to environmental collapse.

War, climate change and Ebola are not the only existential threats we face.  Others not mentioned have the same characteristics of these now grabbing our immediate attention.

Realistically, what can environmentalist achieve in gaining the attention and focused action of those engaged in an escalating war against terrorism, stopping the threat of genocide or controlling Ebola?

There appears to be only one rational approach to changing this hopeless equation so that we, our children, and our children’s children can live healthy, relatively safe, free, prosperous, and fulfilling lives in a fruitful environment.

We must replace the current systems (economic, governance, security, social…) that got us to this point and institute a global system of enforceable laws that put the protection of fundamental human rights and the environment ahead of short term national, corporate or extremists’ interests.

The evolution of weapons, disease and environmental insults is accelerating.  Things are changing rapidly.  Can We?

 
  “Science is my passion, politics my duty.”  Thomas Jefferson