Top Tweets for #FireBombs

Don’t say climate change. Europe is burning - where is the climate movement? I am holidaying in France these days. The heat is intense, but as long as you are on vacation it’s quite nice. But most French are working and western France is hit by massive wildfires. No other continent has warmed as rapidly as Europe, which has been heating up at nearly twice the global average since the mid-1990s. The heat waves starts earlier, last longer and are more frequent. Analysis show that climate change gives 20 times higher risk for massive forest fires. The continent is more than 1.6 degrees warmer than it was three decades ago. By the start of this week, France had recorded 53 heat waves since 1947; 28 of them occurred in the last 15 years. The most frightening aspect of Europe’s terrible summer? This is just the beginning. It will inevitably get worse. But where is the resistance? Why doesn’t the crisis lead to a massive call for change in climate policies? It’s time to take stock. It’s true that we are up against a powerful fossil lobby. It’s true that Europe lacks good leadership at the moment, with Spain as a promising exception. It’s true that political parties all over Europe, not least in my home country Norway, support pro fossil policies. When the world is burning, there are plenty of forces who add fuel to the flames. But I believe this is also time for a bit of introspection in the climate movement. Can we do better? I have four changes to suggest: * Let’s focus on OPPORTUNITY. For the first time in human history renewables are cheaper than fossils. We save money, create more jobs and make better societies if we go green. Green leadership has moved to China and India because Asia says “green is gold” * Let’s be PEOPLE centered. The green movement has burned support by finger pointing to people and focusing on life style changes - driving less, showering less, opposing air conditioning. None of this is central to the big picture. * Let’s speak a SIMPLE LANGUAGE of ordinary folks. I attend many events with the most boring power point presentations no one can follow and the use of acronyms no one comprehends. When people dont understand, they react by walking away. * Let’s REALISTICALLY describe the dangers - without exaggerating. Climate change brings horrifying potentials of loss and damage. But fewer people will die than in previous natural disasters because states are so much stronger. Hardly any humans have perished in the French wildfires, even with massive destruction to environment and properties. This is the time to build a much stronger climate movement!