Climate crisis: lessons from the past

by Bob Hughes

In my online answer to John Kape’s “GDC regulatory system remains broken” column, I commented that climate change is here to stay, and our infrastructure is ageing.

Sea levels are rising and the frequency of heavy precipitation events will very likely increase over most areas during the 21st century, with more rain-generated floods.
I add here that our district infrastructure systems were built during a time when these kinds of weather events were considered rare and didn’t present a significant threat.
Also, climate systems and civilisations are stable only up to a point. 
In his recent book Our Fragile Moment, climate scientist Michael Mann reminds us that today we are pushing the limits of both.
I say civilisation is reliant on both a stable climate and well-functioning infrastructure. 
To function well, all ageing infrastructure needs continuous follow-up and maintenance. If neglected or exposed to serious damage, human-designed structures will fail at some point — whether they are designed for a long lifecycle or not. And what lies beneath the ground out of sight is more vulnerable than the surface structures in daily view.
On Radio NZ on Monday, Michael Mann argued that former denialists had changed their tune and now attempt to convince us of inaction. 
Professor Mann’s counterview was that for real action to occur, we must put despair to one side. Also, and the subtitle of his latest book: Lessons from Earth’s Past Can Help Us Survive the Climate Crisis.
I like this good news that hope remains. 
For any still in despair, the world overcame a similar challenge last century.
Beginning in the 1970s, concerns mounted that the ozone layer, which protects Earth from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, was being damaged by chlorofluorocarbons. Scientists accumulated evidence that the ozone layer was in an even worse state than thought and that human-made chemicals in the atmosphere were responsible for the damage.
In 1987, global leaders, scientists and industry representatives gathered in the Montreal Protocol, involving 197 countries, and passed laws to reduce and eliminate all ozone-destroying substances. I add, with great success — and a lesson, surely, for our current efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
As one who grew up during World War 2, and a pacifist by nature, I also remember how we coped back then. A combined wartime spirit was invoked. 
If the public and political will is there, human ingenuity can prevail and with remarkable speed. 
Not all were on board at the outbreak of WW2. It took leadership to mobilise the public — in frequency and tone, in words and action.
The same is needed now for climate mobilisation. It has to look, sound and feel like the emergency it is. Everyone needs to be involved — people of all classes and ethnic groups. The public must have confidence that the rich, middle- and modest-income people are all making sacrifices.
The climate emergency demands this approach. 
We must again conduct an inventory of conversion needs — heat pumps, solar power, wind farms, electric buses, and virtually everything else. We will need much greater electrification to end our reliance on fossil fuels.
During WW2’s early years, the outcome was far from certain. Yet we gladly accepted restrictions, and surprised ourselves with what could be achieved with the changes we were compelled to make. That’s exactly the spirit we need today.
During the RNZ interview, when asked, Michael Mann said we should vote for the political parties with the best climate change policies.
I say vote for a Labour/Green/Te Pāti Māori government.