A final interesting observation from #COP26 about the politics of climate and wealth inequality. I keep thinking about a conversation I had with a clean energy developer who'd built projects all over Europe...
...his observation was that in the Nordic countries where wealth inequality is lowest, support for immediate action on climate is highest. And places like the US are in the opposite situation. He noted that the two things are connected, in a Maslow kind of way.
Namely, if you don't know whether you'll be able to pay rent next week, or feed your family, or keep the heat on, you can't afford to advocate for climate action, even though you are most at risk of climate devastation.
I think there is wisdom there. And it's a reminder that we are all in this together. Not just political leaders to drive change. Not just the wealthy to make charitable contributions. It's on all of us to provide a more just world, no matter where we sit.
And when we do, to trust that folks will look out for the collective good of us all, even if our current, more self-absorbed era can't conceive of that reality.
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