#5SmartReads - August 10, 2021

On climate change, leadership, and when we'll finally be able to stop masking

UN report: Effects of climate change even more severe than we thought (Axios)

“Only rapid, steep and sustained greenhouse gas emissions cuts, down to net zero and eventually net negative values, could avoid exceeding 1.5 or 2°C (3.6°F) of warming over the longer-term, the report states. The world has already warmed by 1.1°C (2°F) relative to the 1850-1900 average.”

Well, this is terrifying. And I understand the billionaire space race urgency even more now.

But can we please do the hard things of ramping up carbon sequestration and cutting emissions when we can? Upgrading our grid to deliver energy more efficiently is a necessary and very doable thing once the infrastructure bill is signed into law.

Yes, this is bad. But there are so many things we can do to cut emissions. So let’s do them.