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The Climate Countdown

10/14/2020

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The climate clock in New York reminded us of how time is running out to reduce carbon emissions before the effects are irreversible. But who’s responsible? Are we as individuals powerless in the fight against climate change?
Picture
For over 20 years, the public art installation, ‘Metronome’, told the time to the people of New York. But for a brief week in September, it became a ‘climate clock’: a countdown showing the time we have left until the effects of climate change are irreversible.

The clock was initially installed by the artists Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel in 1999, their intention being for the viewer to ‘question their existence in relation to their natural and built environment’. The idea to reimagine ‘Metronome’ came from Andrew Boyd and Gan Golan, 2 other artists who believe the countdown may be a way of ‘drawing the world’s attention to the urgency of action’. It shows the time humanity has to burn through the ‘carbon budget’ while limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

The deadline itself looms on the 1st January 2028. The message of the countdown is clear: we need to act now. The question is can we, as the general public, truly make a difference?

On the one hand, perhaps we can. Some believe that awareness is the first step towards becoming environmentally conscious. For example, people can support ‘eco-friendly’ companies and actively try and reduce their carbon footprint. 

But can individual actions truly make a difference in the face of a problem so vast? According to the Carbon Majors Report, 100 companies account for 71% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions over the last 30 years. Conscious choices to shop ethically can be difficult when most industries are dominated by a few large corporations. Even companies who declare themselves to be committed to reducing carbon emissions in principle do not carry out their targets in practice. This is seen in P&G, who promise to ‘reduce annual emissions to 50% by 2030’, when in fact, their target only accounts for a fraction of their total output. This means their initial 50% reduction becomes just 1% when considering their carbon emissions from raw materials and distribution. It is troubling how easily these companies can lie to their consumers and are continuously unregulated by the government.

This is not to say that individual actions aren’t important. We should all try, when possible, to be eco-friendly and conscious of our everyday choices. But it is not fair to shame individuals or ask them to take all responsibility for global warming when, statistically, they are not to blame. 

Those who have the most power to reduce carbon emissions are corporations and governments, and as the countdown continues, it is they who must be held accountable. 


The real-time climate clock: https://climateclock.world 

Take the carbon footprint test: https://footprint.wwf.org.uk/#/

How you can be more eco-friendly:
https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/blog/2017/08/22/ultimate-guide-eco-friendly-living/

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  • Home
  • About Us
  • Literature
    • Book Reviews >
      • The Song Of Achilles
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      • A Tale of Magic
      • The Red Pyramid
      • Keeper of the Lost Cities
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    • Why Funny Girl Should Be The Movie Of This Generation
    • TikTok
    • Among Us Tips & Tricks
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    • LOONA’s 12:00 album review
    • Behind the Scenes
    • Boycott Mulan
    • Were the F.R.I.E.N.D.S really friends?
    • Halloween Myths
    • Dune Review
    • Top 3 Musicals for Teens
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    • IPL
    • Champions League 2021
    • Colour Out Of Space Film Review
    • Uncut Gems Film Review
    • Little Women Review
    • Why Amber is the unsung hero of Sofia the First
    • The Two Popes Film Review: A Cinematic Sleeping Pill
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      • Wake up, Boris Johnson
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    • Diverse Disney Princesses
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    • Feminism and Men’s Rights
    • Why Don't We Speak About Our Mental Health
    • Anastasia Pagonis
    • Penicillin: The Discovery that Changed the World of Medicine
    • Do Video Games Cause Violence
    • Stairs: Would we be better off without them?
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      • Bethany Hamilton
      • Harriet Tubman
      • Susan B. Anthony
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        • Chinese New Year
        • Poverty
        • Laziness
        • Inequality
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    • Contortion: An Introduction
    • Lessons From Covid
    • The Animal Hair Cut Craze
    • Know Your French Fries
    • Why 'OK, Boomer' Is Not The 'N-Word of Ageism'
  • Environment
    • The 6th Mass Extinction
    • Climate Countdown
    • I'm Dreaming Of A Green Christmas
    • What Busy People Need To Know About >
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      • Australian Bushfires
      • Hurricane Dorian
      • Greta Thunberg
      • Melting Ice
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      • One Last Breath
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  • Archive
    • Creative Archive >
      • The Clock: Part 1
      • The Man In the Bank
      • Adventurous Story Of A TV Remote - Part 1
      • Yishun: The Devil's Ring
      • A World With No Borders
      • An Interview With The Divers At The Heart Of The Thai Cave Rescue
      • The Mountains
      • The Day I Woke Up In Troy
      • In Japan
      • Pertinus the Tenacious
    • Current Affairs Archive >
      • Riot vs. Protest
      • #BLM What You Need To Know
      • A World Of Performative Activism
      • Entrepreneurship: The Key To Go From Zero To Hero
      • Why The U.S-Iran Conflict Is Sure To Escalate
      • Why India’s Citizenship Bill And Its Effects Are More Serious Than We Originally Thought
      • The Rise Of Bitcoin In 2019
      • Hurricane Delta
      • Why Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's Murder Is More Significant Than We Originally Thought
      • Why Do Many Technology Startups Fail?
      • What Is The Trump-Ukraine Crisis And What Are Its Effects?
      • Ending The Hong Kong Protests - A Guide For Dummies
      • Why Brexit is Going Nowhere
      • Ending the Yemen War: A Guide for Dummies
      • India-Pakistan Conflict: A Dummies Guide
    • Editorial Archive >
      • Singapore's Latest Nuisance: Electric Scooters
      • Why Artificial Intelligence is the Future of Humanity
      • Self Driving Cars, The Future of The Automotive Industry
      • Should We Really Be Afraid Of Artificial Intelligence?
      • Something Is Rotten In The Heart of Tanglin's Head Team
      • Boeing 737 Max 8: A Question of Safety
      • A World in the Dark
      • The Day That Siri Died
      • Does Brandy Melville Fit into the Future of Fashion?
      • #NOFILTERPOETRY
      • World Cup Conspiracies
      • Is Money Really That Great?
      • Why I Hate Valentine's Day
      • How We Became Enslaved To The Social Media Overlords
      • The Projector VS Golden Village
      • A Little Red Dot
    • Entertainment Archive >
      • The Diary of Taylor Swift's Cats
      • Champions League Comebacks
      • It's Bruno, Possibly The Weirdest Show On Netflix?
      • Why Being a Film Fan in Singapore Kinda Sucks...
      • Fortnite Vs Apex: Let Battle Commence
      • The Dying Art Of One Direction Fanfiction
      • Taylor Swift Cancels Concert At The Melbourne Cup
      • Haji Lane
      • To All The Boys I've Loved Before
      • Thor Ragnarok film review
      • The Ring of Fury - Why Now?
      • The Films You Missed in 2018
      • Kingsman: The Golden Circle
  • Category