Down to the wire : confronting climate collapse / David - Index of
Down to the wire : confronting climate collapse / David - Index of
Down to the wire : confronting climate collapse / David - Index of
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governance S 35<br />
line. I write in <strong>the</strong> belief that we are, but more than ever before<br />
a great deal <strong>of</strong> that optimism is based on <strong>the</strong> hope for wise and<br />
farsighted leadership at all levels.<br />
Our models <strong>of</strong> great leaders, however, are most <strong>of</strong>ten military<br />
fi gures in situations in which <strong>the</strong> stakes were clear, <strong>the</strong> adversary<br />
dependably loathsome, and <strong>the</strong> duration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> crisis reasonably<br />
short. Public morale was expressed as fi erce devotion <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> nation<br />
or <strong>the</strong> cause until a fi nal vic<strong>to</strong>ry quickly won. Morale in <strong>the</strong> century<br />
or more ahead, however, will require an extraordinary stamina<br />
and more extensive loyalties that unleash creativity, not animosity.<br />
In such circumstances, people will respond with greater intelligence<br />
and alacrity if <strong>the</strong>y see <strong>the</strong>mselves as part <strong>of</strong> something<br />
noble, not just as consumers and cogs in an economic machine. In<br />
short, beyond better technologies and policies, morale in <strong>the</strong> years<br />
ahead will depend on a widely shared vision <strong>of</strong> a livable future in<br />
radically altered conditions.<br />
The list <strong>of</strong> things <strong>to</strong> be done is long. We must, accordingly, summon<br />
<strong>the</strong> clarity <strong>of</strong> mind necessary <strong>to</strong> separate <strong>the</strong> urgent from <strong>the</strong><br />
merely important and identify strategic leverage points where small<br />
changes will generate large effects. To stabilize and <strong>the</strong>n reduce<br />
concentrations <strong>of</strong> greenhouse gases we must make a rapid transition<br />
<strong>to</strong> a resilient economy organized around energy effi ciency and<br />
solar energy while reversing ecological deterioration and fending<br />
<strong>of</strong>f probable terrorist attacks on cities and critical infrastructure. On<br />
<strong>the</strong> global level <strong>the</strong> United States must help <strong>to</strong> lead <strong>the</strong> effort <strong>to</strong><br />
forge a global bargain that fairly distributes <strong>the</strong> costs, risks, and benefi<br />
ts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> transition within and between generations. Theologian<br />
Thomas Berry calls this our “Great Work” (Berry, 1999).<br />
GOVERNMENT AND MARKETS<br />
But how will we organize <strong>to</strong> accomplish that Great Work? We<br />
presently have no system <strong>of</strong> governance adequate <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> stresses<br />
and challenges <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> century ahead. This fact has led many