Climate Change, Water Scarcity and transition away from fossil fuels represent global triple threat
Keynote Speaker Richard Falk opened the Sixth Annual International Conference on Human Rights, Conflict Resolution, Nonviolence and Peace on Feb. 22, 2012 at the Salt Lake City Public Library. Falk’s speech addressed the conference’s theme – Global Justice: Economic Globalization, Crisis and the Common Good.
“This is a crisis of global proportions that can only be solved globally,” says Falk.
The crisis is the triple threat of climate change, transition from a fossil fuel based energy system and water scarcity.
“It is the scale of the current crisis that makes it unique or almost so,” says Falk.
The threat of nuclear war may be close to the scale, but there are few countries that have nuclear weapons and so fewer agendas to align to get rid of them.
Falk says that “not one of the Republican presidential candidates is ready to accept” the climate change crisis, in spite of the “solid consensus of climate specialists.” It reminds him of what happened with Big Tobacco when scientists were claiming that cigarettes were bad for the health.
“Here one’s not dealing with individual health but with the health of the species,” says Falk. Waiting for the facts to assert themselves in the same way that they did with tobacco may not allow enough time to avert the crisis.
The Barbara L. and Norman C. Tanner Center for Nonviolent Human Rights Advocacy at the University of Utah is presenting the conference which runs through Feb. 24, 2012. Sessions start at 9:00 a.m.
Read part 2 here.
This article was originally published at examiner.com. Links have been updated. Check below for videos.
“This is a crisis of global proportions that can only be solved globally,” says Falk.
The crisis is the triple threat of climate change, transition from a fossil fuel based energy system and water scarcity.
“It is the scale of the current crisis that makes it unique or almost so,” says Falk.
The threat of nuclear war may be close to the scale, but there are few countries that have nuclear weapons and so fewer agendas to align to get rid of them.
Falk says that “not one of the Republican presidential candidates is ready to accept” the climate change crisis, in spite of the “solid consensus of climate specialists.” It reminds him of what happened with Big Tobacco when scientists were claiming that cigarettes were bad for the health.
“Here one’s not dealing with individual health but with the health of the species,” says Falk. Waiting for the facts to assert themselves in the same way that they did with tobacco may not allow enough time to avert the crisis.
The Barbara L. and Norman C. Tanner Center for Nonviolent Human Rights Advocacy at the University of Utah is presenting the conference which runs through Feb. 24, 2012. Sessions start at 9:00 a.m.
Read part 2 here.
This article was originally published at examiner.com. Links have been updated. Check below for videos.
Living well together
Other videos featuring Richard Falk on YouTube:
Professor Richard Falk 2: why global warming is different from past events.
Professor Richard Falk 3: political institutions and their ability to deal with global warming.
Professor Richard Falk 4: The positive way to deal with the global crisis.
Richard Falk 5: The impossible happens
Professor Richard Falk 2: why global warming is different from past events.
Professor Richard Falk 3: political institutions and their ability to deal with global warming.
Professor Richard Falk 4: The positive way to deal with the global crisis.
Richard Falk 5: The impossible happens