>> It's perhaps easy to forget that the Paris Climate accords has been around for a while.
Because for the vast majority of that time, we haven't been a part of it, thanks to Donald
Trump.
But it has been five years as of this coming Saturday.
And to raise awareness of this and hopefully get everyone focused and back on the right
path.
Greta Thunberg has released a speech to commemorate that anniversary.
Here is a small section of it.
>> Five years ago, world leaders signed the Paris Agreement.
And they promised to keep the global average temperature rise to well below two degrees
Celsius.
And to pursue 1.5 degrees to safeguard future living conditions.
Since then, a lot has happened.
But the action needed is still nowhere in sight.
The gap between what we need to do and what is actually being done is widening by the
minute.
Commitments are being made, distant, hypothetical targets are being set, and big speeches are
being given.
Yet, when it comes to the immediate action we need, we are still in a state of complete
denial.
As we waste our time creating new loopholes, with empty words and creative accounting.
At the current emission rates, our remaining CO2 budgets for 1.5 degrees will be completely
gone within seven years.
Long before we'll even have a chance to deliver on our 2030 or 2050 targets.
>> So, look, there's more numbers I wanna give, but I wanted to give both of you a chance.
This is I think something that even for people who prioritize dealing with climate change,
we've been hit every day by so much this last year.
That you sort of have to force yourself to remember wait, every day that passes is one
day less to deal with this thing.
And so thankfully there are people like Greta that are that trying to keep people focused
on it.
>> And the climate change you've been calling it that just doesn't do justice to the problem,
right?
I mean, climate crisis really is what it is.
This is a crisis of the sort that we're dealing with with the pandemic.
Only it's happening in relative slow motion.
Although it's not even that slow, but you get what I'm saying.
It doesn't seem as though it's going to end life as quickly as the pandemic might or affect
life this quickly.
But it really is, and she's so right to re-frame the strategies to attack it.
So that they should be employed immediately.
I mean, there is no time.
So last thing, she's right again when she says, hey, show me a 2030 target, show me
a 2050 target that they're completely irrelevant.
I mean by then the cake is baked.
It's a real intense problem, and the intensity of it I think is lost on most of the world.
>> Or mostly Americans who by far emit more than an average global citizen.
And yet the markets that we've spread around the world are ensuring, and the hyper capitalism
and global capitalism that we project is the only way.
And the only alternative ensures that the way that many countries are developing are
only further fomenting climate change.
Because the entire world can't live like the United States.
The planet cannot support that.
So once again, got you capitalism, ha.
For anyone you negative whatever.
I love Greta forever.
I hope to grow up to be like Greta.
I love that it took a 15 year old girl to be like, shame on you.
You're all terrible.
Shut up.
No, you shut up in your suit.
Like I just love that.
And the other thing is you laugh at me.
How dare you.
You're evil, shut up, don't make me a hero.
>> He speaks better than most Americans.
English is not her first language.
>> But it's not- >> And she is the most articulate people I
have heard speak.
>> She is.
>> It's not how she is saying.
It's not what she is saying.
It's that she is saying, literally stop with the bs.
That this is not your pet project, this is not a thing you care about.
This is not you just bringing your own bags to the grocery store and then everything's
gonna be hunky dory.
Like, this is massive inaction and it requires massive mobilization and a huge change that
you're totally not prepared for.
And that we are not being honest with ourselves about.
And so she just comes out with a documentary, and like I watch it with my mom and my mom
like that's cute, du ti, du, ti, du.
And like, same with me, I'm like, my God, that's so cute.
Buy online, shop online, dikidikidi.
She makes us face all of how horribly hypocritical we live our lives.
And I think that's so important.
And the other thing that she's pointing out there is that actually the Paris Climate accords
as much as it is important to re-enter them and yay, Biden, but it is not binding.
And that's so like, when we don't meet the emission levels, like the Fukushima monster
that lives under the former nuclear power plant doesn't get unleashed on whichever country
doesn't comply.
I wish it did cuz it lives there.
But the point is like, there's nothing that binds a country.
So if we don't meet our standards, what, do you get slapped with sanctions?
No, that's not in there.
So- >> So are you saying that basically we need
a swordfish type situation.
Someone outside of the traditional setup of countries to be the arbiter?
No, of course not.
But yeah, it would be nice.
And if it comes in the form of radioactive I'd probably be down for that.
So look, I agree that it's important that she sort of reminds us that our little actions
aren't necessarily sufficient.
Although, should probably be the first person to admit that.
It's been a pretty successful PR move by massive corporations to get us to think that our choice
of straws is the thing that's gonna determine if we successfully fight the climate crisis.
When really it's not.
It's massive, instantaneous efforts by governments and regulation of corporations.
But she also throws that same stuff back in the face of world leaders like, the way this
is supposed to work is that she gets some press.
She goes viral, she gives a big speech.
She gets brought to the UN, and she's coopted, but she has not allowed that to happen.
So she tells these leaders, yes, so you're in the Paris Climate accords, and you've set
up these goals for 2030 or 2050.
And they suck and they're not enough, and so I don't want your speeches.
I love that.
And add to the list of those world leaders, Joe Biden, who's got an okay plan.
But an okay plan maybe could take care of a okay crisis.
But we're not an okay crisis, we are in a goddamn crisis and we need to do something
about it.
And so the only way we're gonna get to that is massive pressure on Joe Biden.
Pressure that would never ever ever work on Donald Trump, at least has a minute chance
of working on Joe Biden.
And that's where our hope has to lie right now.
>> You have to look at a movement and you're right.
It would require a tremendous popular movement to get the kind of change that's needed.
And it's not just America, it's worldwide.
And we are a fat and a happy country of course, and we do just want to sort of maintain that
lifestyle, just like COVID-19.
All right, yeah, well you guys figure out what to do.
Let me know where I need to be and if it works out, I'll be there and everything will be
fine.
This really isn't a get the vaccination to get out of this kind of climate crisis type
situation.
This will require radical, radical change and radical new strategies.
And I just see unfortunately, a bleaker and bleaker picture when it comes to the political
will internationally, not just in America, internationally, to make that kind of change.
>> It's interesting though because I'm not familiar with other climate denial list movements
that are as strong as the one that we've got in the United States.
And of course that is obviously the fossil fuel industry that has been making a point
to cover their tracks for 50 years or so.
But it is, you see this from the right wing perspective.
And you see like that their strategy has been denial, denial, denial, up until it is okay,
sure it's real.
But there's nothing we can do about it, and that seems to be and it is the new strategy
for actually continuing to do nothing.
I always come back to this stupid point.
But for some reason, I decided to read the Trump transit plan, some national Transit
Authority plan.
And they were saying that they were gonna cut the regulations on emissions, because
and this is like a direct quote.
It's too late, there's nothing more we can do.
So why regulate emissions?
So they know, these right wingers know.
And if that doesn't work, let's say, okay, that's the second strategy that doesn't work.
Jesus, God, it's God's will.
God wants this.
This is the end of times, there's gonna be floods.
You just build an ark and we work our way out of here.
Like they always have something.
So Mark is totally right.
The political battle that is ahead of us.
It's like we need to split ourselves, there has to be like folks like Greta and folks
like the Sunrise Movement who are on the ground lobbying, pushing a green new deal.
And then just an entire counter propaganda which I hope we can be part of movement to
really just shine a light on these denialists and these other cynics.
Other cynics who are fine with masses of millions and millions of millions of people dying.
>> Yep, yep, or having to migrate to different countries.
And I'm sure the right wing is going to be very cool about that when that what starts
happening.
>> Well, last thing, John, I know we got to move on-
>> Yeah, absolutely.
My very super, super last thing.
It's agricultural belts are moving.
You're gonna see a radical change in the sustainability of lifestyles associated with farming across
the planet, including America.
So it's not just a bunch of refugees and torn t-shirts who are gonna have to find a new
place to live.
No, it is a substantial, brutal kind of of change that's gonna be ahead for America
as well.