Our current pollution levels are equal to 400.000 Hiroshima bombs a day and contribute to the rise of temperatures. Fourteen of the fifteen hottest years were measured since 2000, with 2014 was the single hottest year measured ever. More storms, floodings, draughts and fires are coming in our backyards. The well-known African country Kiribati (far from my backyard I must admit) is even buying land in another country to harbour its climate refugees. The new normal that is. Another hidden side effect of global warming affects poorer regions of the globe. Hunger and disaster and political inability lead to pitchfork revolutions and uprises.

The Good news is that last year for the first time a stabilisation of carbon emissions in the world was noted.  Solar and Wind energy are becoming cheaper and go hand in hand with economic growth. Good to hear that beside Belgium also Bangladesh is seeing a fast adoption of solar panels on their roofs. Most striking example of progress on the matter comes from Germany with 74% of German energy coming from solar and wind energy. This bring us to the Godwin point (As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1), when Al Gore made the parallel with Nazism. It’s no longer a debate about describing the horrible facts it’s about developing a common vision to root out the problem. “Wir haben nichts gewusst” will not be applicable.

Everybody’s invited to join the movement on June 16th 2015, date on which the awareness campaign starts for the next United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris end November. Unanimously the hipsters scratched their beards and rattled their piercings as Al walked off the stage to catch his private jet home.

by Gauthier Elslander @ #SxSW