by Scott Chamberlin | Sep 28, 2020 | Mitigadaptation
As we noted a few years back, this is the century of humanity re-deepening its relationship with its surroundings. The reality is, humanity will either reconnect consciously and deliberately, in the process of extricating ourselves from our climate peril, or it will reconnect inadvertently and reactively as we learn to live on a diminished planet with an unfamiliar and hostile climate.
Certainly for some, the pandemic provided an opportunity to slow down, pay attention to the natural world, and get connected. Today the California pepper trees in our front yard are providing just that kind of opportunity. Though it’s not spring, they are in blossom now ….
by Scott Chamberlin | Sep 20, 2020 | Mitigadaptation
Consensus now is that we have a decade to do what needs to be done. Is that a catastrophic problem or a thrilling opportunity?
This consensus formed the backdrop of this week’s Global Philanthropy Forum, whose theme was “Facing the Future — a Changing Climate in a Changing World.” It warmed some cold and callused hearts to see the whole philanthropic community gathered (albeit digitally) to discuss a massive existential crisis which, not too long ago, could escape mention in even the most comprehensive global development meetings.
Even more exciting to this attendee was the sense of optimism that pervaded the proceedings ….
by Scott Chamberlin | Sep 11, 2020 | Mitigadaptation
We’re just going to lay our hand on the table right here and right now.
This morning we are reading the World Wildlife Fund’s “Living Planet Report 2020: Bending the Curve of Biodiversity Loss,” which in the WWF’s words: “provides unequivocal and alarming evidence that nature is unravelling and that our planet is flashing red warning signs of vital natural systems failure ….
by Scott Chamberlin | Aug 24, 2020 | Mitigadaptation
Fire season arrived early, and northern California is losing graceful vineyards, ancient redwoods, oaks on their golden rolling hills, and other parts of its graceful ecology. Reacting in this month’s Atlantic magazine, Leah Stokes expands upon the melancholy thinking we’ve all been doing about trees around here:
“Many people have been grieving from the news that we may have lost some of the most majestic coastal redwoods to these latest fires. These giants have stood for more than a thousand years. […] For my generation, and the ones coming up behind us, the simple ….
by Scott Chamberlin | Aug 12, 2020 | Mitigadaptation
Once upon a time, the collapse of the last fully intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic would have made news. But in 2020 it hardly receives notice, lost as it is in the din of pandemic, politics, protest, and the rest of the front page.
A sizable chunk of the known world can disappear unnoticed for another reason as well ….
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