A review of climate action efforts, alliances, coalitions, projects and so on would lead one to conclude that the way to “save the earth” is to “confront.” This is usually phrased as “fight.” People want to “fight climate change” in order to “save the earth.” “Confront” is the first C.
This phraseology and cultural meme (a meme is an idea that works like a gene – it becomes part of the cultural DNA that forms individuals) is insidious and wrong. The main reason is that, in one important sense, we have already lost the fight. The enemy, greenhouse gas effects, have already “invaded” the planet.
Despite our strategic failure, that “fight” against climate change effects must go on, but those involved in that “fight” must recognize that, meanwhile, hey guys, we also have to “save humanity.” We also need to collaborate, the second C in CCE.
The 6th Mass Extinction started years ago, labeled The Anthropocene. That extinction includes us, the human species. So, the second word in the 3Cs, collaborate, comes forward as in “collaborate for adaptation.”
Adapting at all levels to the effects of climate change – fires and floods and disruptions to society’s physical systems – is now as urgent as reversing greenhouse gas emission levels. We need to both confront and collaborate.
And finally, we need to educate – not in the general apple-pie way people say this – but educate specifically to create the informed and engaged human workforce needed to get us through this “climate century.” The E in CCE is for educate.
The Last Humans Project offers a plan for how the 19,400 institutions of higher learning can create a multi-million person workforce that grows year by year. Global higher education is the natural and practical choice for who should lead the species-wide collaboration for human survival. (Including working with 15 years and older youth who are already engaged and active and looking for post-secondary programs to help them continue their climate activism.)
The CCE, Confront, Collaborate, Educate trifecta can be called “The Trifecta Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Human Initiative,” or TriCliMaHi. Try to Climb Magnificently High. Let's go for it.
