Systems thinking: A solution to our many global crises
We are living in extraordinary times. Inflation, rising income inequality, mass species extinction, war in Ukraine, and the climate crisis compete (or should) for attention on the international agenda. Bangladesh also lives under a thick cloud of pollution and the daily tragedy of road deaths. And what is our response? For each problem, there is an array of suggested solutions, but most tend to be extremely limited and focused. After all, many people are specialists who have developed expertise in a particular issue. Unfortunately, that means that they tend to think in silos. Expertise is vital – we probably can't, and shouldn't, all be generalists. But if people are too trapped in their silos, they fail to see how different problems connect. When we think in silos, we develop individual solutions for each of these problems. Since we are so dependent on fuel, the price of virtually everything goes up when the price of fuel rises, so we demand greater subsidies for fuel. Air pollution kills us, so we demand technological or other solutions to magically clean up our air while watching the problem continue to worsen. We make rules about seatbelts and motorcycle use and continue to mourn those dying on our roads. As for the climate crisis, we talk about the need to move away from fossil fuels while also wondering how to adapt to a world of ever-worsening droughts, floods, and violent storms. As I have suggested before on these pages, we would do better if we took a fresh look at these issues. We need to adopt 21st century thinking, rather than continue to believe that the responses that helped us in the previous century will continue to serve us today.
India targets net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, says Modi
India’s economy will become carbon neutral by the year 2070, the country’s prime minster has announced at the COP26 climate crisis summit in Glasgow. The target date is two decades beyond what scientists say is needed to avert catastrophic climate impacts. India is the last of the world’s major carbon polluters to announce a net-zero target, with China saying it would reach that goal in 2060, and the United States and the European Union aiming for 2050.
COP26: What climate summit means for one woman in Bangladesh
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Why China's climate policy matters to us all
China's carbon emissions are vast and growing, dwarfing those of other countries. Experts agree that without big reductions in China's emissions, the world cannot win the fight against climate change. In 2020, China's President Xi Jinping said his country would aim for its emissions to reach their highest point before 2030 and for carbon neutrality before 2060. His statement has now been confirmed as China's official position ahead of the COP26 global climate summit in Glasgow. But China has not said exactly how these goals will be achieved.
Deliver on promises, developing world tells rich at climate talks
A crucial U.N. conference heard calls on its first day for the world's major economies to keep their promises of financial help to address the climate crisis, while big polluters India and Brazil made new commitments to cut emissions. World leaders, environmental experts and activists all pleaded for decisive action to halt the global warming which threatens the future of the planet at the start of the two-week COP26 summit in the Scottish city of Glasgow on Monday. The task facing negotiators was made even more daunting by the failure of the Group of 20 major industrial nations to agree ambitious new commitments at the weekend.