People Power Takes Aim at Climate Change
Participlants in the People's Climate March in New York City September 21st hope to persuade world leaders at the U.N. Climate Summit that follows. David Biello reports
By David Biello
SUBSCRIBE TO 60-Second Earth
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Consider the carbon. If you fly to the People's Climate March in New York City September 21st, then you're spewing copious carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Same is true if you're driving or even taking the train, though far less of course.
So the People's Climate March itself won't lower the amount of CO2 pollution in the atmosphere. But the sight of thousands of people at the march—including Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon and other luminaries—might help convince world leaders that the fight against climate change has popular support. And more than 125 such leaders, including President Obama, are expected at the Secretary General's climate summit this week.
The good news is that there are steps to take that we know work to combat climate change. Whether that be international treaties like the Montreal Protocol or replacing fossil fuel burning with renewable power or even nuclear, there are policies that work if world leaders have the courage to adopt them.
So if all those marchers can convince world leaders to take action, then their one-time CO2 output will be worth it.
—David Biello
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism
Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.
When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.
Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber
