Can “We” Rise to the Challenge of Our Climate and Earth Emergency?

Picture by Nancy Price at Fridays for Climate Action, Davis, CA, in May 2021. 

By Nancy Price
Co-chair, Earth Democracy Issue Committee

August 2021

All recent reports make clear that we have passed a tipping point and entered a new level of climate, water, and food security emergency. We must join together now for the sake of present and future generations and Mother Earth. Please join our two Earth Democracy programs on Saturday, August 14 with Vandana Shiva and Sunday, August 15 with Maude Barlow at the upcoming WILPF US Congress.

I live near Sacramento, and these days in California our state is facing a terrifying summer with temperatures running into the 100s for stretches, reservoirs low and running almost dry, forests and grasslands scorched from the high temperatures, and residents in many areas constantly on the alert about out-of-control wildfires. This matches the alarming conditions in other Western states as well as high temperatures and droughts as far north as Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, and record storms, floods, and tornadoes in other states (particularly the south and southeast). All this is coupled with the horrific, destructive floods and storms in so many other countries we’ve seen on the news.

There is no denying that Mother Earth and all her creatures that depend on fresh air, fresh water, and reasonable temperatures for survival are suffering. While many of us may turn on the air conditioner, that is not the answer, especially for those who struggle daily to pay for their simple necessities – to say nothing of air-conditioning. 

It seems to me that the collective “We” can no longer deny that our climate system has entered a new phase. The wealthy in California living near coastal waters now worry that they need to reinforce their beaches with sand and stone from rising seas to protect “their” property. Meanwhile, the conversation about a “Just Transition” to meet this climate emergency with collective community and regional responses is taking place in so many towns and cities across the state. Can we together build plans from the grassroots up that address how best to transition to meet the needs of everyone in our communities? Can we rise together to the challenge of this new reality?  

Depending on many different circumstances, what is desperately needed is to engage in our communities and gather the best ideas from a wide variety of participants so that we learn from each other’s cultures, traditions, and experiences (from the simple to the highly technical). We have the challenge and the opportunity to create new relationships within our communities, with our neighbors both near and far, and with Mother Earth. We will have to work together to demand community, county, state, and federal funding to realize the goals of a “Just Transition” to carbon net neutrality by 2030 – anytime later than that might mean unforgiveable and unforgettable disasters.

Congress Programs and Climate Emergency Planning 

Photo: Vandana Shiva in May 2011. Photo credit: GIACOMO MORINI / Shutterstock.com.

For our WILPF US “virtual” Congress, the Earth Democracy Committee is contributing two programs that will address this climate, water, and food emergency:

• Vandana Shiva will participate from India on Saturday, August 14 at 8:10 am PDT / 10:10 am CDT / 11:10 am EDT to speak about food sovereignty, regenerative framing, and eco-feminism;
• Maude Barlow, author of Blue Gold, will participate on Sunday, August 15 at 9 am PDT / 11 am CDT / 12 pm EDT to introduce the new “Blue Communities” Project. 

More information about both speakers can be found here. 

Earth Democracy looks forward to hearing from you about the climate emergency planning going on in your community, county, region, or state. We look forward to posting your stories with pictures in our monthly eNews and on our new Earth Democracy pages when the new WILPF US website goes live.

Please send your stories and experiences to the Earth Democracy co-chairs: Nancy Price, nancytprice39@gmail.com and Randa Solick, rsolick@gmail.com and put in the subject line: ED climate action story.