Curiosity on the magic of life itself has always been a driving force towards discoveries in the scientific field of study. Revolutions, by nature, shatter the existing order of whatever it is they are ‘revolutionizing’ and lay the groundwork for a new paradigm and understanding. In her lecture, Dr. Kerry Emanuel spoke of how this pertained to one of history’s largest, most important and currently ongoing revolutions: the Climate revolution. As humans, we question and we search for answers, and this has given birth to some of the most interesting fields of study out there.
It is important to note that revolutions do not appear out of nowhere rather they have a source that fuels them. Questioning natural elements has led scientists and experts of other related fields of study to discover their answers and through this, humans understanding of our climate has drastically advanced. For instance, decades ago when climate research was still in its early stages, discoveries of large ice sheets led to questions and a new understanding of what caused the Earth’s surface temperatures to shift – this, in turn, helped lead to our understanding of greenhouse gasses. Beyond that figure, it has been over the past two-hundred years that small steps have gradually been taken to understanding the field of science. It is small steps that carry big ideas, and our understanding of such big ideas evolve over time deductively becoming comprehensive.
Climate change is in a current crisis and it has been curiosity about our natural elements that has evolved over time and gotten us to our current state. We are more aware than ever of the challenges facing our planet and because of the knowledge which we have accumulated over time, we are in a technological position where we are able to fight such dangers. Alternative energy courses, for instance, have been a rising industry and countries are becoming more united to pass multilateral legislation.
Every revolution, by nature, comes with an opposing force and the climate revolution is no exception to such rule. Legislative actions are stuck in gridlock as climate change opponents continue to block efforts at taking action. Our society has a greater understanding than ever of the world around us and we now need to embark on the next step to save our planet. Revolutions come from a series of small steps, no matter how small or how large, and our current understanding of climate change has taught us that the planet is in danger and needs saving.