Citizen Dialogue

On June 23, 1988, a group of scientists, led by James Hansen testified in front of the United States senate. They told the politicians they where 99 percent confidence that the climate system of the world where changing, and that humans where contributing to this change. This where very strong in the media, but where forgotten a few years later when global politics around the fall of the Soviet Union took over the scene.

Then, in the early months of the 21st century, the IPCC launched their third report on the subject. The global media factory once again focused on the issue for some time until the global politics around 9/11 took over the scene.

And now, we have entered a third wave of focus on the issue of climate change. It´s been lasting for almost three years and do seem to be more lasting then the other two. So, unless we face some other eminent threat, maybe this will be the time when we actually got from knowledge to action. We need to do a lot before we see that. In our own lives, and on a national and global level.

What have 20 years of knowledge taught us? That we got from 99 to 100 percent sure that climate change is a problem?

Whatever we learned, one thing is sure. We don´t have 20 more to debate the issue.

I got over some fantastic NY Times articles on the topic “Generation Faithful”. It´s covering young people in the muslim world.

Read them at The New York Times.