Like all other animals, human survival and well-being depends on pure water, clean air, fertile soil to grow food, energy from photosynthesis and a rich diversity of wild plants and animals to supply these vital elements. Nature comprises these elements and is the foundation of our existence.
The explosive growth in human numbers, science and technology and a global economy is undermining Nature and putting longterm human survival at risk. For decades, leading scientists of the world warned of the dangers and urged preventive action. For example, in 1992 in anticipation of the Earth Summit in Rio, more than half of all living Nobel prizewinners signed “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity” that began:
Human beings and the natural world are on a collision course. Human activities inflict harsh and often irreversible damage on the environment and on critical resources. Many of our current practices put at serious risk the future we wish for human society and the plant and animal kingdoms, and may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know. Fundamental changes are urgent if we are to avoid the collision our present course will bring about.
In 2017, 16,000 scientists signed a second updated Warning to Humanity, an even more urgent declaration that we have driven millions of species to extinction and are exceeding the planet’s capacity to support us yet we have not made the necessary adjustments to our demands and activities to achieve a balance with Nature.
Greens understand the fact that humans are biological beings who are utterly embedded in and dependent on Nature for our survival and well-being. Greens work for a rich future for generations to come, living within Nature’s limits and guided by science. It is absurd that this is politically contentious. All parties should focus on what science indicates. Greta Thunberg did and concluded that her future was increasingly uncertain. Children don’t vote so they aren’t on the political agenda but Green policies are based on protecting future generations by fighting for Nature now.
A carbon tax is an instrument to encourage a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, yet politics led the BC NDP to campaign to “Axe the Tax”, the slogan now adopted by the federal Conservatives, while both avoided any discussion about how to reduce the threat of climate change.
At the kickoff of climate week in the U.S., Johan Rockstrom declared humanity has five years to avoid irreversible tipping points by rapidly changing direction on six of nine planetary boundaries (ocean pH, atmospheric carbon, freshwater, etc) that we have already exceeded.
The Green party is the only party that recognizes Nature as the foundation of our existence and pursues a responsibility to put protection of Nature above political and economic demands. All the science indicates we have created a terribly polluted world that is massively depleted of biodiversity. If the kind world we leave to our children and grandchildren is our highest concern, we must indicate that by voting Green.
- David Suzuki