Mónica Araya for PS Say More

The PS Say More Newsletter | [View this message in a web browser]( [PS Say More]( Welcome to Say More, a weekly newsletter offering readers exclusive insights into the ideas, interests, and personalities of some of the world’s leading thinkers. In each issue, a Project Syndicate contributor is invited to expand on topics covered in their commentaries, address new issues, and share recommendations about everything from books and recordings to hobbies and social media. This week, PS talks with Mónica Araya, Transport Lead for Climate Champions, an independent international team coordinating Race To Zero campaigns for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. To read the full interview – in which Araya calls for an intersectional approach to climate action, assesses Joe Biden’s climate proposal, and proposes how to clean up road transport – [click here](. Mónica Araya Says More… Project Syndicate[Monica Araya]( In 2018, you and [Carlos Manuel Rodríguez]( [discussed]( the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [report]( showing conclusively that we urgently need to limit the increase in global temperature to 1.5° Celsius above the pre-industrial level. Nearly two years later, what progress has been made? How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected this effort, and how might it reshape climate action? Mónica Araya: Recognition of the climate emergency has entered the mainstream among people on every continent. This is especially true for young people, who have woken up to prospect that, to [paraphrase]( the teen climate activist [Greta Thunberg]( their futures could be “stolen” by climate change – or, more specifically, by leaders’ [failure to address it]( properly. This awareness was emerging in 2018; today, few question its salience. Collectively, we have also gained clarity about what addressing the climate crisis actually requires, including halving global carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 at the latest. The energy and road transport sectors are among those that will require the biggest overhaul this decade. Fortunately, in both areas, we have the technology we need. Yet – and this must be made clear in communications with the public – addressing climate change doesn’t come down to a technological fix. As the pandemic has highlighted, the crisis also has an important social-justice component. While no one is exempt from the effects of the crisis, some – those who are already the most vulnerable – are suffering far more than others. So, we are not only seeking to protect our planet; we must also work deliberately to protect people. And we are not only seeking to safeguard our future; we must also address the suffering that is happening today. PS: The question of social justice has lately fueled popular protests in much of the world. Back in 2014, you and [Hans Verolme]( [touted]( the power of the People’s Climate March in pressuring governments to act on climate change. How can climate activists capitalize on the momentum generated by today’s protest movements, which focus on issues like systemic racism, political corruption, and economic inequality? How important is an intersectional approach to effective climate action? MA: In 2014, the prevailing sentiment... [Continue reading]( [The Latest Climate Science Must Mobilize Us, not Paralyze Us]( [The Latest Climate Science Must Mobilize Us, not Paralyze Us]( By Mónica Araya and Carlos Manuel Rodríguez The long-awaited new report by the United Nations' climate panel makes for grim reading: To avoid severe economic and social shocks and protect essential ecosystems, we urgently need to limit the increase in global temperature to within 1.5° Celsius of the pre-industrial level. But how? By the Way... PS: The US is the world’s largest cumulative emitter of greenhouse gases. How do you rate Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s platform in this regard? MA: I rate it favorably. Biden and his running mate for vice president, Kamala Harris, have put forward a proposal that both aims high and is pragmatic. What I like best about their proposal is that it is climate action with a human face. One pillar of their proposal comprises measures to build resilience, with a focus on the most vulnerable communities, which stand to face devastating damage. Another is ensuring clean air and water – essential to protect human health. Yet another is employment: this entails both creating jobs in the new green economy and supporting workers in the transition as employment in polluting industries declines. I would, however, like to see an even stronger message from the Biden ticket about the shift to zero-emission transport. PS: Much of your work focuses on transport. What approaches to shifting to sustainable transport deserve more attention? MA: Shifting mentalities and lifestyles are... [Continue reading]( [Say More: Ian Goldin]( Previously in Say More [Ian Goldin]( – Professor of Globalization and Development at the University of Oxford – calls for a global Marshall Plan to support developing countries during the current crisis, says why migrants are indispensable in the battle against COVID-19, and shows how he predicted the pandemic. [Read more](. [Check out the full Say More archive]( [Register now to attend our virtual sustainability event on September 16 and 17! Register at project-syndicate.org/event/the-green-recovery]( Project Syndicate publishes and provides, on a not-for-profit basis, original commentary by the world's leading thinkers to more than 500 media outlets in over 150 countries. This newsletter is a service of [Project Syndicate](. [Change your newsletter preferences](. Follow us on [Facebook]( [Twitter]( and [YouTube](. © Project Syndicate, all rights reserved. [Unsubscribe from all newsletters](.