Ingmar Rentzhog’s Post

Pardon me if this comment comes across as blunt. The 'utopian vision' tone has a lot of appeal. I would love to see such stories influence us to work together to create a brighter future for all. However, if the goal is to win a general election, will that type of story do the trick? Are there examples of when such communication has led to landslide wins? Would it stand a fighting chance given the general sentiment that seems to prevail in many of the western democracies? Looking at the recent Swedish election, was it not simplified storytelling aimed at appealing to the ego that dominated? Messages that took as a starting point the tendency that most ask "what's in it for me?", and related to perceived problems in the here and now. The stories, and offered solutions, were dominated by a few simple themes: The personal financial situation ("We will pay your electricity bill this winter", "We will slash the price of your fuel"), and fear ("We will prevent you from being gunned down", "We will stop those scary immigrants"). None painted a grand picture of a bright future for all. That said, would it be possible to both appeal to a wider audience in such a simplistic fashion, and also paint the image of that brighter future?

We have the story you are looking for at www.GoesProject.com carbon dioxide is a minor GHG, the primary GHG is water vapour which accounts for 75%. The world is trying to control temperature and GHG concentrations by regulating CO2. However this assumes that CO2 levels will be reduced and that temperature is the only mechanism controlling water vapour pressure. We are wrong on both accounts, CO2 is going up and may eventually stop going up in 30 years. Water vapour pressure and temperatures are increasing. The reason is that the SML (surface micro layer) that covers 100% of the ocean and 71% of the planet is degrading. The SML layer or skin, regulates gas exchange including water vapour in the atmosphere. Plankton build and maintain the layer, which is only 1mm thick, but plankton are dying due to pollution from toxic for every chemicals, plastic and black carbon soot. 50% have died since 1940, most will be dead in 25 years. It will then be impossible to regulate climate. The full explanation and the solution is provided in our report; https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4210551 We need a toxic free ocean by 2030 and a non toxic world to allow nature on land and marine life in the oceans to regenerate.

Ingmar Rentzhog, the problem is not (primarily) CO2, although, of course, emissions have to be reduced. Water vapour represents 70% of GHGs and it has been ignored. The primary reason we have climate change is the constant stream of toxins reaching the ocean, which has destroyed ocean life (50% since 1950) and particularly plankton, which are key to survival of life on earth as we know it. The horrible truth/reason for optimism is that even if we got to Net Zero by 2030, (not happening) we would still lose ocean life as we know it and face an existential crisis/extinction by 2045. The corollary is that if we treat the 80% of waste water currently reaching the ocean untreated, plus rapid phase out of e.g. forever chemicals, new tire standards/technologies, halting toxin-based agriculture, we can solve climate change, (AND avoid having toxins in every drop of water, passing from mother to child, etc.). And it is not that expensive. This is explained in Howard Dryden's presentation at COP26: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORGxHr7GqrQ and here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/goesfoundation_climatechange-microplastic-blackcarbon-activity-6975305958688227328-qfiN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android Diane Duncan

Storytelling has been at the bedrock of how our civilization has been woven into what it is today. But in the same time…one change in the narrative that is needed, and becomes a no brainer, even for the climate change deniers, is showing the numbers. A CFO that sees how it reflects on the bottom line, is swiftly convinced by the argument. It is rather pragmatic, but it what moves the needle. And what we need now is that tipping of the scale. In the startup world we have a saying that defines the actions of a founder in “war and peace times”, and needing to do what needs to be done. Same in the case of the narrative and reworking it, in war times.

Completely agree Ingmar, and something I've been thinking about a lot this week at UNGA. Almost every event has a mention that the doom and gloom stories are not helping anyone--they're demotivating, causing anxiety and making people feel like giving up. And yet not 10 minutes later, we hear another horrific stat! I don't think I'm even close to the answer yet, but for me, the narrative has to be something around how advances in technology can lead us back into our roots--our close connection with nature, our reliance on the land. I still think, perhaps naively, that humans still love this planet and want to protect it. I just think we need to visualize a bit more the shiny cool new ways to make that happen. After all, when we picture an idealized future, we think of clean, whites and greens. We don't want the dirty grays and browns that we've gotten from the Industrial Area and fossil fuels.

I was talking to my wife about this this evening after she told me that SD were proposing removing the discrimination laws. I've been doing an experiment over the last 6 years observing how people respond to my t-shirts which have very specific messages that explore the different ways to engage or start a conversation with a stranger. One of my t-shirt messages asks "What's the opposite of fear?". Surprisingly that is the one t-shirt that gets people to dive deepest into a meaningful conversation, usually even skipping the "hello, how are you" phase of an engagement. Anyway, I've had numerous conversations and heard many many opinions. My take on it is that Hope is a huge contender but it can not be in isolation. One needs bravery & desire too. I say those three things in conjunction because I can't find a single emotion that moves one to action the same way fear does. One needs a combination of emotions to get the same effect. The "fight" in "fight or flight" is made up of hope that there can be a positive outcome, bravery to take an action even though you're scared & a desire to make that positive outcome a reality. So like my t-shirt experiment, we need to experiment with messages that explore this possible trifecta.

Completely agree, we need new positive visions of a sustainable future. Degrowth has a very appealing vision that I think many would fight for if they got into it. An economy that creates maximum public health within the limits of the planet. A world where we no longer need words like 'poverty', 'billionaire' or 'Sunday anxiety'.

I think you are wrong in your assumptions. The climate movement is not about the few that are the loudest and discuss about radical changes of lifestyle which don’t take into considerantion the impact they have on the least privileged or the groups who bring fear with apocalyptic results which are also hard to envision by the normal person. Defining the climate movement based on these people is like defining feminism based on those groups of feminists whose aim is to manage to create babies without the need of men. There is a side story that is much less loud, but much more adopted: if we all take small steps towards a more sustainable, circular future, there will be more comfort and resources available for all! Is the line that big corporations and ESGs are supporting and working towards: sustainability for the people with the people. It is a story about not sacrificing the planet and the future generations for our needs or our need for the future of the planet and future generations. And of course appling such a story is more difficult then proposing that we all become vegan and stop having children or travel anywhere, but is it much more efficient long term, equal in opportunities and actually sustainable for humans.

Maybe we don't need another story to believe in. Too many lies already.. Maybe we are ready for reality. That we create. We have done all this by choice. We can do it again by another choice. People, face your own powers. Do what is right, don't listen to who you don't admire. Follow big hearts and be a big heart too! Cultivate love for yourself, your parents and kids, the bird, the planet, the being, for health, for the togetherness, for connection. What ever doesn't fit that culture, is not worth any attention anymore. Buy what you want, but chose who is worth your financial support. Eat what you want but chose your health first. Hug who you want but chose children first. Love, my dear. Chose to love the future. And then go for it. Carry it in all your actions and don't accept less at any day for the rest of your life.