The Climate Fight at Its Peak
Bill McKibben
Author
10/07/2015
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Bill McKibben is an author and environmentalist who in 2014 was awarded the Right Livelihood Prize, which is frequently referred to as the ‘alternative Nobel.’ His 1989 book “The End of Nature” is regarded as the first book for a general audience about climate change, and has been translated into 24 languages; he’s gone on to write a dozen more books. He is a founder of 350.org, the first planet-wide, grassroots climate change movement, which has organized twenty thousand rallies around the world in every country save North Korea, spearheaded the resistance to the Keystone XL Pipeline, and launched the fast-growing fossil fuel divestment movement. http://enthompson.unl.edu/
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- [00:00:02.001]MUSIC
- [00:00:09.509]TODAY YOU ARE PART OF AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR
- [00:00:12.712]SHARED FUTURE.
- [00:00:30.964]HUNDREDS OF DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS HAVE CHALLENGED AND
- [00:00:34.401]INSPIRED US, MAKING THIS ONE OF THE PREEMINENT SPEAKER SERIES IN
- [00:00:39.639]HIGHER EDUCATION.
- [00:00:41.641]IT ALL STARTED WHEN E.N.
- [00:00:45.345]THOMPSON IMAGINED A FORUM ON GLOBAL ISSUES THAT WOULD
- [00:00:48.448]INCREASE NEBRASKANS' UNDERSTANDING OF CULTURES AND
- [00:00:51.184]EVENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:00:53.720]JACK'S PERSPECTIVE WAS INFLUENCED BY HIS TRAVELS,
- [00:00:58.158]HELPING TO FOUND THE UNITED NATIONS AND HIS WORK.
- [00:01:04.897]AS PRESIDENT OF THE COOPER FOUNDATION IN LINCOLN, LATER,
- [00:01:17.911]JACK AND HIS WIFE KATIE CREATED THE THOMPSON FAMILY FUND TO
- [00:01:22.048]SUPPORT THE FORUM AND ALL THEIR PROGRAMS.
- [00:01:25.718]TODAY MAJOR SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THE COOPER FOUNDATION, LIED
- [00:01:30.957]CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS AND UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN.
- [00:01:35.228]WE HOPE THESE TALKS SPARK AN EXCITING CONVERSATION AMONG YOU.
- [00:01:43.636]AND NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW.
- [00:01:54.314]GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
- [00:01:56.449]IT IS MY HONOR TO WELCOME YOU TO TONIGHT'S FORUM ON WORMED
- [00:02:00.687]ISSUES.
- [00:02:01.020]THANKS SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR EVENING WITH US.
- [00:02:03.389]FOR MORE THAN A QUARTER CENTURY THE UNIVERSITY OF AND THE COOPER
- [00:02:06.993]FOUNDATION HAVE PART NERD WITH THE LIED CENTER TO MAKE THIS
- [00:02:10.530]FORUM POSSIBLE.
- [00:02:11.731]TONIGHT WE ARE PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY OUT COSPONSORS.
- [00:02:15.735]THE INCHES TAUGHT OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES,
- [00:02:19.372]ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM AND THE PLATTE RIVER RECOVERY
- [00:02:22.609]IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM.
- [00:02:23.576]AS YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR THOMPSON FORUM SPEAKERS AR DRESSING THE
- [00:02:27.146]THEME OF ACTIVISM.
- [00:02:28.848]IT IS MY PLEASURE TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE TO YOU A CHAMPION
- [00:02:32.151]AMONG ACTIVISTS.
- [00:02:34.120]BILL McKIBBEN IS AN AUTHOR AND ENVIRONMENTALIST WHO BEEN CALLED
- [00:02:40.093]AMERICA'S MOST IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENTALIST.
- [00:02:42.729]IN 2013 HE WON THE GANDY PRIZE IN 2014, AWARDED THE WRIGHT
- [00:02:46.666]LIVELIHOOD PRIZE.
- [00:02:47.500]OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE ALTERNATIVE NOBEL.
- [00:02:50.336]HIS POCKET END OF NATURE IS REGARDED AS THE FIRST BOOK FOR A
- [00:02:53.439]GENERAL OUGHT YENELS REGARDING CLIMATE CHANGE.
- [00:02:56.042]BEEN TRANSLATED INTO 24 LANGUAGES AND SINCE THEN BILL
- [00:02:59.012]HAS GONE TO WRITE MORE THAN A DOZEN BOOKS.
- [00:03:01.481]BILL IS THE FOUNDER OF 350.ORG, THE FIRST PLANETWIDE GRASS ROOTS
- [00:03:06.819]CLIMATE CHANGE MOVEMENT.
- [00:03:08.388]ORGANIZED MORE THAN 20,000 RALLIES AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:03:10.924]HE SPEARHEADED RESISTANCE TO THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE, AND
- [00:03:14.961]LAUNCHED THE FAST-GROWING FOSSIL FUELS INVESTMENT MOVEMENT.
- [00:03:21.768]AFTER BILL'S REMARKS THIS EVENING YOU WILL HAVE THE
- [00:03:23.937]OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HIM QUESTIONS.
- [00:03:26.139]WILL YOU DO THAT VIA TWITTER USING THE HASH TAG EN THOMPSON
- [00:03:33.780]TALK.
- [00:03:36.416]LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THE TITLE OF THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION
- [00:03:39.819]IS THE CLIMATE FIGHT AT ITS PEAK.
- [00:03:41.688]NOW JOIN ME IN GIVING A ROUSING THOMPSON FORUM WELCOME TO BIG
- [00:03:45.558]McKIBBEN.
- [00:03:52.465]>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- [00:03:54.734]THANK YOU ENORMOUSLY.
- [00:03:56.135]WHAT A PLEASURE -- WHAT A PLEASURE TO GET TO BE HERE.
- [00:04:02.575]THANK YOU.
- [00:04:04.010]VICE CHANCELLOR.
- [00:04:05.945]WHAT A GOOD DAY.
- [00:04:06.713]I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR ALL THAT HAVE BROUGHT ME HERE TO AL
- [00:04:11.684]THOMPSON AND THE COOPER FOUNDATION AND SO SENIOR VICE
- [00:04:15.955]CHANCELLOR GREEN.
- [00:04:16.488]EVERYBODY ELSE THAT I'VE BEEN MEETING.
- [00:04:19.425]IT IS A GORGEOUS DAY IN THIS BEAUTIFUL TOWN.
- [00:04:24.998]AND YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WALKING AROUND ALL DAY, WE WERE OUT WITH
- [00:04:29.302]LOTS OF GREAT ACTIVISTS AND ONE SHOUTED -- THE GREAT BEAUTY AND
- [00:04:36.442]IT IS GORGEOUS DAYS LIKE THIS WHEN I'M REMINDED THAT MY MAIN
- [00:04:43.549]JOB IN THE WORLD IS JUST TO KIND OF BUMP PEOPLE OUT YOU KNOW?
- [00:04:51.024]AND FOR THAT, I APOLOGIZE.
- [00:04:54.927]CHANCELLOR GREEN.
- [00:04:56.162]YOU KNOW, I WILL DO MY BEST TO PICK THINGS UP AS IT GOES ALONG.
- [00:05:03.436]AND NOT TO END IN A DISMAL PLACE AS I'M GOING TO START.
- [00:05:08.107]BUT I AM GOING TO START IN A DISMAL PLACE FOR A MOMENT
- [00:05:13.279]BECAUSE -- WELL, BECAUSE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE SCALE
- [00:05:18.818]AND THE PACE OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE NEED AND HENCE THE
- [00:05:23.256]ACTIVISM THAT'S REQUIRED, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME SHARED SENSE
- [00:05:28.194]OF THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE FAILS.
- [00:05:31.164]AND CLIMATE CHANGE AS IT TURNS OUT IS ALMOST CERTAINLY THE
- [00:05:35.034]GREATEST PROBLEM HUMAN BEINGS HAVE EVER FACED.
- [00:05:38.671]IT IS A LOT BIGGER THAN WE THOUGHT IT WAS, NOT THAT LONG
- [00:05:42.842]AGO.
- [00:05:43.109]I WROTE THE FIRST BOOK FOR A GENERAL AUDIENCE ABOUT CLIMATE
- [00:05:48.247]CHANGE 26 YEARS AGO IN 1989 WHICH I'M ALL TOO WELL AWARE OF
- [00:05:54.487]WAS BEFORE MANY OF YOU WERE BORN.
- [00:05:57.457]AND AT THE TIME, WE KNEW WE FACED A GREAT PROBLEM.
- [00:05:59.892]WE KNEW THAT WHEN YOU BURNED COAL AND GALLONS AND OIL AND PUT
- [00:06:03.730]CARBON INTO THE ATMOSPHERE ITS MOLECULAR STRUCTURE WOULD
- [00:06:10.870]RADIATE HEAT THAT WOULD GO BACK OUT TO SPACE.
- [00:06:12.805]WHAT WE DID NOT KNOW WAS HOW HARD AND FAST IT WAS GOING TO
- [00:06:15.975]BITE.
- [00:06:16.275]AND THE STORY OF THE LAST QUARTER CENTURY IS IT HAS BITTEN
- [00:06:19.779]A LOT HARDER AND FASTER THAN WE THOUGHT.
- [00:06:23.616]SO FAR, HUMAN BEINGS HAVE RAISED THE TEMPERATURE OF THE PLANET
- [00:06:29.622]ABOUT 1 DEGREE CELSIUS.
- [00:06:32.191]IF YOU HAD SAID TO SCIENTISTS 25 YEARS AGO THAT ONE DEGREE
- [00:06:37.563]CELSIUS WOULD BE ENOUGH TO HAVE MELTED MOST OF THE SUMMER SEA
- [00:06:41.768]ICE IN THE ARCTIC THEY WOULD HAVE SAID NO, NO, THAT'S STILL
- [00:06:45.304]75 OR 100 YEARS IN THE FUTURE.
- [00:06:48.541]AND IF YOU TOLD THEM IT WOULD BE ENOUGH THAT -- TO HAVE
- [00:06:52.545]FUNDAMENTALLY DESTABILIZED THE GREAT ICE SHEETS OF THE
- [00:06:56.382]ANTARCTIC TO THE POINT WHERE LAST SPRING WE SAW A BUN.
- [00:06:59.752]OF STUDIES INDICATING THAT THEIR MELTS THAT ARE BEGINNING AT THE
- [00:07:02.688]MELT ANYWAY IS NOW FAIRLY IRREVERSIBLE.
- [00:07:05.458]AGAIN, PEOPLE WOULD HAVE SAID NO THOSE ARE STABLE ON CENTURY TIME
- [00:07:11.364]SCALES.
- [00:07:11.697]IF YOU HAD SAID YOU KNOW, THE OCEANS ARE GOING TO BE 30% MORE
- [00:07:17.570]ACIDIC, WELL NO ONE WHO WAVE -- WOULD HAVE EVEN KNOWN WHAT YOU
- [00:07:21.407]WERE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE IT HAND OCCURRED TO ANYONE THAT WE
- [00:07:25.678]COULD ALTER FUNDAMENTAL A THE CHEMISTRY OF THE EARTH'S OCEAN
- [00:07:29.248]BUT THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE DONE AS THEY ABSORB CARBON FROM THE
- [00:07:33.619]ATMOSPHERES.
- [00:07:34.020]IF YOU TOLD PEOPLE WE WERE GOING TO SEE ALREADY DRAMATIC SHIFTS
- [00:07:39.926]IN THE WAY -- WELL, THE WAY THAT WATER MOVES AROUND THE PLANET,
- [00:07:44.730]THE EXTREMES OF DROUGHT AND FLOODS THAT COME WHEN YOU HAVE
- [00:07:50.002]WARMER TEMPERATURES AND AIR THAT CAN HOLD MORE WATER VAPOR,
- [00:07:53.539]AGAIN, PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED THE EXTREMES THAT WERE
- [00:07:57.510]ALREADY CAPABLE OF SEEING.
- [00:07:58.744]SO THIS YEAR, IS AN IMPORTANT YEAR.
- [00:08:04.450]2015 WILL BE THE WARMEST YEAR THAT WE HAVE RECORDS FOR ON THIS
- [00:08:08.588]PLANET.
- [00:08:08.921]AND BY A LOT.
- [00:08:10.323]AT CURRENT PACE WE WILL BREAK LAST YEAR'S OLD RECORD BY A
- [00:08:15.194]TENTH OF A DEGREE GLOBALLY WHICH GIVEN THE SIZE OF THIS SYSTEM
- [00:08:19.165]AND THE INERTIA OF A SYSTEM THIS SIZE IS AN INCREDIBLE SHIFT.
- [00:08:23.669]JULY OF THIS YEAR WAS THE WARMEST MONTH EVER MEASURED ON
- [00:08:27.940]THIS PLANET.
- [00:08:30.176]WE HAVE LOST MORE ACREAGE TO WILDFIRE ON THIS CONTINENT THIS
- [00:08:33.613]YEAR THAN WE EVER HAVE BEFORE.
- [00:08:38.451]YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO INFORM SOUTH CAROLINA.
- [00:08:45.157]THE METEOROLOGISTS WERE REFERRING TO IT AS A MORE THAN
- [00:08:48.728]GREATER THAN A ONCE IN A THOUSAND-YEAR RAINFALL EVENT.
- [00:08:52.064]THOSE ARE ALL -- THAT IS GREAT AN EVENT AS WE HAVE EVER CHARTED
- [00:08:56.068]AND THIS WAS OFF THOSE CHARTS.
- [00:08:59.772]THAT KIND OF THING HAMS NOW SOME PLACE AROUND THE WORLD ALMOST
- [00:09:03.809]EVERY DAY AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEW WORLD.
- [00:09:07.747]THIS IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST THING WE HAVE EVER DONE AND THE REALLY
- [00:09:12.018]DANGEROUS PART OF IT IS, WE BARELY HAVE GOTTEN STARTED.
- [00:09:17.390]WE HAVE RAISED THE TEMPERATURE ONE DEGREE.
- [00:09:20.559]ON OUR CURRENT TRENDS, THE KIND OF BUSINESS AS USUAL CASE, WE
- [00:09:25.698]WILL RAISE THE TEMPERATURE ANOTHER -- RAISE THE TEMPERATURE
- [00:09:28.000]4 TO 5 DEGREES CELSIUS THIS CENTURY.
- [00:09:33.172]8, 9 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
- [00:09:38.311]THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE.
- [00:09:39.345]I MEAN, IF WE DO THAT, WE CAN'T HAVE CIVILIZATIONS LIKE THE ONES
- [00:09:43.015]WE ARE USED TO.
- [00:09:46.018]AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE WORK THAT GOES ON IN A STATE LIKE
- [00:09:49.722]NEBRASKA, THE WORK OF RAISING THE CALORIES UPON
- [00:09:53.559]WHICH THE PLANET DEFENDS WILL BECOME PROGRESSIVELY MORE
- [00:09:57.396]IMPOSSIBLE.
- [00:09:57.797]YOU ALL REMEMBER WHAT 2012 WAS LIKE HERE.
- [00:10:00.366]THAT WAS THE WARMEST YEAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
- [00:10:02.902]AND IT WAS A YEAR IN WHICH WE HAD WIDESPREAD TROUBLE.
- [00:10:08.007]RAISING THE BASIC CEREAL CROPS OF THIS CONTINENT IN THE RICHEST
- [00:10:12.878]FARMLAND IN THE WORLD.
- [00:10:14.613]IT WAS JUST TOO DAMNED HOT TO DO WHAT WE ARE USED TO DOING.
- [00:10:20.019]COMPUTER MODELING DEMONSTRATES THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE THE
- [00:10:23.189]NORMAL YEAR BY MIDCENTURY ON CURRENT TRENDS.
- [00:10:26.258]WE CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN.
- [00:10:28.394]THE AGRONOMISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND
- [00:10:31.697]STANFORD PUBLISHED A SERIES OF PAPERS A COUPLE YEARS AGO
- [00:10:36.102]DEMONSTRATING THAT FROM THIS POINT ON EACH DEGREES INCREASING
- [00:10:39.772]GLOBAL AVERAGE TEMPERATURE SHOULD CUT THE WORLD GRANT USE
- [00:10:43.976]BY 10%.
- [00:10:44.910]ALL OF YOU CAN DO THAT MATH IN YOUR HEAD.
- [00:10:47.880]UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO LIVE ON A PLANET WITH 20, 30%
- [00:10:51.217]FEWER CALORIES.
- [00:10:53.019]WE CAN'T LET THIS HAPPEN.
- [00:10:53.719]THIS IS THE BIGGEST THING HUMANS HAVE DONE.
- [00:10:57.523]WE CAN'T STOP IT.
- [00:10:59.125]WE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN THE PLANET OUT OF THE 10,000 YEAR PERIOD OF
- [00:11:06.499]BENIGN CLIMATIC STABILITY THAT COINCIDED NOT COULD HE
- [00:11:11.570]INCIDENTALLY WITH THE RISE OF HUMAN CIVILIZATION BUT WE CAN'T
- [00:11:14.507]LET IT KEEP GOING.
- [00:11:16.175]WE HAVE TO REIGN IT IN AS FAST AS WE CAN WHICH BRINGS US TO THE
- [00:11:22.148]TOPIC OF THIS FORUM OF WHICH I'M SO PROUD TO BE A PART AND SO
- [00:11:27.019]GLAD THAT YOU HAVE SELECTED TRULY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND ONE
- [00:11:31.090]THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT ENOUGH, THIS QUESTION OF ACTIVISM.
- [00:11:35.961]BECAUSE YOU SEE, I SPENT AND JUST TALKING WITH STUDENTS ABOUT
- [00:11:40.533]THIS A LITTLE WHILE AGO, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME GETTING THIS WRONG
- [00:11:48.340]FOR YEARS.
- [00:11:52.311]BECAUSE I'M A WRITER, AND ACADEMIC, MY SENSE OF THE WORLD
- [00:11:59.452]WAS THAT WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO WAS KEEP PROVING TO EVERYBODY
- [00:12:03.923]HOW BAD CLIMATE CHANGE WOULD BE AND THEN IF WE DID, IF WE WON
- [00:12:07.226]THIS ARGUMENT, THEN WE WOULD START TO SEE ACTION FROM
- [00:12:12.231]WASHINGTON, FROM ALL THE OTHER WORLD CAPITALS.
- [00:12:14.667]BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WON THE ARGUMENT, WE WON IT BY 1995 OR
- [00:12:20.039]THEREABOUTS.
- [00:12:20.439]BY THEN, THE WORLD SCIENTISTS HAD COME TOGETHER TO FORM A
- [00:12:24.610]WORKABLE CONSENSUS ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
- [00:12:27.246]WE WON THE ARGUMENT.
- [00:12:29.281]WE JUST KEPT LOSING THE FIGHT.
- [00:12:31.784]AND THAT IS BECAUSE THE FIGHT WAS NOT IN THE REALM THAT
- [00:12:35.554]WRITERS AND ACADEMICS AND THINGS BASICALLY COMPETE IN.
- [00:12:40.226]IT WAS OF WASN'T AN ARGUMENT ABOUT REASON AND DATA AND SO ON.
- [00:12:43.929]IT WAS A FIGHT ABOUT POWER.
- [00:12:46.765]AND MONEY.
- [00:12:48.501]THE REASON WE HAVEN'T TAKEN ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT
- [00:12:52.338]BECAUSE SCIENTISTS HAVEN'T WARNED US AND IT IS NOT BECAUSE
- [00:12:55.608]ECONOMISTS HAVEN'T TOLD WHAT'S WE NEED TO DO AND IT IS NOT
- [00:12:57.610]BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY WORKABLE POLICIES.
- [00:13:00.412]THE REASON WE HAVEN'T TAKEN ACTION IS BECAUSE THE POWER OF
- [00:13:03.549]THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY HAS BEEN SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT
- [00:13:06.986]ACTION FROM BEING TAKEN.
- [00:13:08.220]THIS IS THE RICHEST INDUSTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE PLANET.
- [00:13:13.926]NO HYPERBOLE.
- [00:13:15.060]EXXON HAS MADE MORE MONEY EACH OF THE LAST 4 OF THE LAST 5
- [00:13:19.331]YEARS, MADE MORE MONEY THAN ANY COMPANY IN THE HISTORY OF MONEY
- [00:13:23.302]OKAY?
- [00:13:23.602]AND THEY USE THAT MONEY, THEY AND EVERYBODY ELSE EFFECTIVELY
- [00:13:28.040]TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T TAKE ACTION.
- [00:13:31.710]SO, SO EVENTUALLY I WISED UP.
- [00:13:37.116]LONG AFTER OTHER PEOPLE HAD FIGURED THIS OUT AND MANY OF
- [00:13:39.552]THEM IN THIS ROOM.
- [00:13:41.086]BUT IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME SOMETIME AROUND THE FAILURE OF
- [00:13:45.224]THE LAST CLIMATE TALKS IN COPENHAGEN IN 6, 7 YEARS AGO,
- [00:13:50.496]THAT WE NEEDED TO CHANGE COURSE THAT.
- [00:13:52.364]WE NEEDED TO BUILD POWER OF OUR OWN AND SINCE IT WASN'T GOING TO
- [00:13:56.569]COME FROM MONEY IT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE.
- [00:13:59.004]IT WAS GOING TO HAVE TO COME FROM WHERE -- WELL IT WILL HAVE
- [00:14:03.309]TO COME FROM THE CURRENCY OF MOVEMENTS.
- [00:14:06.078]NOT THE KIND OF CURRENCY THAT YOU HAVE IN BANK VAULTS BUT THE
- [00:14:09.448]KIND OF CURRENCY YOU HAVE IN THE PASSION AND SPIRIT AND
- [00:14:12.685]CREATIVITY OF PEOPLE.
- [00:14:14.220]THE MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE CAUSED MOST OF THE IMPORTANT AND USEFUL
- [00:14:17.923]CHANGES THAT WE KNOW ABOUT IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THIS WORLD,
- [00:14:21.894]OVER THE YEARS.
- [00:14:23.429]AND THIS WAS GOING TO BE NO EXCEPTION.
- [00:14:28.567]NOW, HAVING COME TO THAT CONCLUSION, I THEN HAD NO IDEA
- [00:14:32.438]WHAT TO DO NEXT.
- [00:14:33.572]BECAUSE I'M A WRITER, AND WHAT IS -- WHAT IS MORE I LIVE IN
- [00:14:37.476]VERMONT WHICH IS THE SECOND SMALLEST STATE IN THE UNION.
- [00:14:41.680]AND I HAVE -- I LIVE OUT IN THE WOODS AND WHAT DO I KNOW ABOUT
- [00:14:44.650]ORGANIZING?
- [00:14:46.619]NOTHING.
- [00:14:46.952]IN FACT I'M NOT EVEN TEMPERAMENT ALLEY SUITED FOR IT.
- [00:14:49.855]I'M A WRITER.
- [00:14:51.023]WHICH IS TO SAY I'M AN INTROVERT -- I MEAN, IT IS VERY MESS AND
- [00:14:56.128]THE TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL BUT REALLY I JUST AS SOON BE HOME IN
- [00:15:00.399]MY ROOM TYPING.
- [00:15:02.034]YOU KNOW?
- [00:15:02.601]THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO DO.
- [00:15:07.106]I'M NOT -- YOU KNOW AN ACTUAL ACTIVIST.
- [00:15:11.043]AS SOMEONE LIKE MY DEAR FRIEND JANE WHO IS HERE AT UNO.
- [00:15:20.586]AND ALL THE GREAT PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH HER WHO -- TO WHOM WE
- [00:15:24.490]OWE A HUGE DEBT.
- [00:15:27.993]BUT I -- SO, WE DID ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT SEEMED INTUITIVELY
- [00:15:34.433]WRONG.
- [00:15:34.733]WHEN WE STARTED THIS OPERATION 350.ORG WE CHOSE A VERY STRANGE
- [00:15:40.572]NAME.
- [00:15:41.974]350.ORG.
- [00:15:42.308]THE REAP WE CHOSE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS BECAUSE IT MIGHT
- [00:15:44.643]BE THE MOST IMPORTANT NUMBER ON EARTH.
- [00:15:47.413]IT IS THE AMOUNT OF CARBON YOU COULD SAFELY HAVE IN THE
- [00:15:50.649]ATMOSPHERE, ABOUT 350 PARTS PER MILLION.
- [00:15:53.118]A NUMBER WE ARE ALREADY WAY NORTH OF THE ATMOSPHERIC
- [00:15:56.789]CONCENTRATION OF CO 2 PAST 400 PARTS PER MILL THIS SPRING.
- [00:16:00.726]GOING UP 2 PARTS PER MILLION PER YEAR OKAY?
- [00:16:06.265]SO EVERYBODY SAID THAT WOULD BE A BAD NAME BECAUSE WHY WOULD YOU
- [00:16:09.568]CHOOSE A SCIENTIFIC DATA POINT TO CALL YOURSELF AFTER.
- [00:16:13.672]AND ANYWAY WASN'T IT REALLY DEPRESSING ANYHOW SINCE WE WERE
- [00:16:16.575]ALREADY PAST IT AND I SAID NO I THOUGHT PROBABLY THAT IT WAS
- [00:16:20.379]GOOD BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE -- WELL, I SEE THAT THERE IS A FEW
- [00:16:24.783]PEOPLE HERE MY AGE, MY VINTAGE YOU KNOW.
- [00:16:28.420]YOU CAN GO TO THE DOCTOR AN THE DOCTOR CAN TELL YOU OH, IF YOU
- [00:16:32.057]KEEP EATING LIKE THAT YOUR CHOLESTEROL IS GOING TO GET TOO
- [00:16:34.893]HIGH AND YOU WILL HAVE A PROBLEM.
- [00:16:36.929]AND WHEN YOU HEAR THAT, YOU DO NOTHING.
- [00:16:41.967]AS A RESULT.
- [00:16:42.968]BUT, WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR AND THE DOCTOR SAYS OH, YOUR
- [00:16:47.373]CHOLESTEROL IS ALREADY TOO HIGH.
- [00:16:48.941]YOU ARE IN THAT ZONE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE HEART ATTACKS AND IN
- [00:16:52.244]FACT YOU MIGHT ALREADY HAVE HAD A SMALL STROKE YOURSELF.
- [00:16:55.781]OKAY?
- [00:16:56.081]THAT'S THE MOMENT WHERE YOU BEGIN TO SAY YES, AND WHAT PILL
- [00:17:00.219]SHOULD I TAKE?
- [00:17:02.187]YOU KNOW?
- [00:17:03.188]AND GET TO WORK.
- [00:17:04.021]AND THAT WAS -- ALSO WE ALSO THOUGHT THAT 350 WOULD BE A GOOD
- [00:17:08.594]NAME BECAUSE WE WANTED TO WORK GLOBALLY.
- [00:17:10.796]THEY DON'T CALL IT GLOBAL WARMING FOR NOTHING.
- [00:17:13.699]AND WE THOUGHT THAT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WE WOULD HAVE WORKING
- [00:17:17.236]GLOBALLY IN OUR NAIVETE WOULD BE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE AROUND THE
- [00:17:20.705]WORLD INSISTED ON SPEAKING THEIR OWN LANGUAGES AND SINCE ARABIC
- [00:17:25.243]NUMERALS WOULD WORK BETTER THAN WORDS YOU KNOW SO THAT'S WHY WE
- [00:17:28.380]CALLED IT THAT.
- [00:17:29.915]WHEN I WE AND THIS IS THE PART I WANT TO FAME SIZE BECAUSE WE ARE
- [00:17:34.319]HERE ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS, WHEN I SAY WE STARTED 350.ORG IN
- [00:17:38.891]2008 WITH MYSELF AND SEVEN UNDERGRADUATES AT COLLEGE WHERE
- [00:17:42.995]I TEACH.
- [00:17:44.997]OKAY?
- [00:17:45.297]SO KIDS JUST LIKE -- KIDS HERE, SAME -- YOU KNOW TEST SCORES AND
- [00:17:51.937]SAME DEALT LOADS AND SAME EVERYTHING.
- [00:17:57.075]OKAY?
- [00:17:57.776]AND WE PROBABLY WERE LUCKY WE WERE DOING -- NONE OF US HAD ANY
- [00:18:01.213]IDEA WHAT WE WERE DOING BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW PREPOSTEROUS
- [00:18:05.017]IT WAS.
- [00:18:05.584]WE FIGURED THERE WERE 7 STUDENTS AND SO EACH
- [00:18:08.954]ONE SHOULD TAKE ONE.
- [00:18:12.124]THE GUY THAT TOOK THE AN ARCTIC HAD TO TAKE THE INTERNET.
- [00:18:18.330]OKAY?
- [00:18:19.131]AND WE SET TO WORK.
- [00:18:21.099]AND OUR WORK WAS TO FIND OTHER PEOPLE LIKE OURSELVES AROUND THE
- [00:18:24.236]WORLD.
- [00:18:24.536]NORTH OF WHERE THERE IS NOT SOMEONE WHO IS ENVIRONMENTALIST
- [00:18:28.407]OKAY BUT EVERYWHERE THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS WORRIED ABOUT
- [00:18:30.909]HUNGER, PUBLIC HEALTH, ABOUT WAR AND PEACE, WOMEN'S RIGHTS, ABOUT
- [00:18:35.047]DEVELOPMENT, ABOUT ALL THE THINGS YOU CAN'T HAVE ON A QUICK
- [00:18:38.884]DEGRADING PLANET SO THEY WERE OUR NATURAL ALLIES AND WE
- [00:18:42.321]DECIDED THAT JOB NUMBER ONE WAS SIMPLY TO GET ALL OF THEM KIND
- [00:18:45.591]OF ON BOARD TO TRY AND TAKE THIS NUMBER, THIS IDEA AND DRIVE IT
- [00:18:50.863]INTO THE INFORMATION BLOODSTREAM OF THE PLANET SO WE ASKED
- [00:18:52.998]EVERYBODY TO GO TO WORK TO PICK ONE DAY.
- [00:18:55.501]WE PICKED ONE DAY IN THE FALL OF 2009 AND SAID DO SOMETHING THAT
- [00:18:59.905]DAY.
- [00:19:01.773]OKAY?
- [00:19:03.308]AND WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW WELL THIS WOULD WORK.
- [00:19:05.043]WE HAD NO ORGANIZATION.
- [00:19:06.345]WE HAD NO LIST OF NAMES.
- [00:19:07.479]WE HAD NO MONEY, ANY OF THAT STUFF.
- [00:19:10.349]BUT YOU KNOW, WE GOT THE SENSE IT MIGHT WORK TWO DAYS EARLY.
- [00:19:14.586]WE TOLD EVERYBODY TO DO THIS ON A SATURDAY AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:19:18.257]AND ON THE THURSDAY, WE GOT A PHONE CALL FROM OUR LEADER IN
- [00:19:25.664]ETHIOPIA AND SHE WAS A SHE LIKE MOST OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WE
- [00:19:28.233]WORKED WITH, AND LIKE MANY OF THEM, SHE WAS A VOLUNTEER LIKE
- [00:19:31.503]ALL OF US, AND SHE WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
- [00:19:37.042]AND SHE SAID, SHE CALLED, WE WERE SITTING THERE IN OUR --
- [00:19:41.146]AROUND OUR ONE TABLE IN OUR ONE ROOM DOING LAST-MINUTE WORK
- [00:19:46.585]THERE.
- [00:19:47.152]SHE WAS IN TEARS AND SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT TOOK AWAY OUR
- [00:19:49.888]PERMIT FOR SATURDAY.
- [00:19:51.990]SO WE ARE MARRING TODAY BEFORE THEY CAN STOP US AND WE ARE SO
- [00:19:57.529]SORRY.
- [00:19:57.829]WE DIDN'T WANT TO BLOW IT FOR EVERYBODY.
- [00:20:00.465]WE DIDN'T WANT TO JUMP THE GUN.
- [00:20:01.633]WE DIDN'T WANT TO SPOIL IT FOR PEOPLE.
- [00:20:03.535]WE SO WANTED TO DO THIS THE SAME DAY AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
- [00:20:07.005]WE ARE SO SORRY AND WE HAVE 15,000 PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREET
- [00:20:15.447]RIGHT NOW AND -- [APPLAUSE] AND SO I SAID, WELL, DON'T WORRY
- [00:20:26.491]ABOUT THE DATE TOO MUCH.
- [00:20:27.225]IT IS OKAY.
- [00:20:29.494]AND FOR THE NEXT -- YOU KNOW, 72 HOURS, THE PICTURES JUST CAME IN
- [00:20:34.232]FROM EVERYWHERE.
- [00:20:35.400]THE NEXT ONE IN FACT CAME FROM U.S. TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN, SAID
- [00:20:39.004]WE MADE A 350 WITH SANDBAGS AND PARKING OUR HUMVEE FOR THE
- [00:20:42.507]WEEKEND AND WALKING OKAY?
- [00:20:48.413]THERE WERE 5200 DEMONSTRATIONS IN 181 COUNTRIES.
- [00:20:52.551]CNN CALLED IT THE MOST WIDESPREAD DAY OF POLITICAL
- [00:20:55.887]ACTIVITY IN THE PLANET'S HISTORY AND I WILL SHOW PICTURES HERE.
- [00:20:59.391]JUST REALLY AS A GIFT, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE GREAT
- [00:21:03.795]PEOPLE, AND I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF HAVING A LUNCH WITH
- [00:21:06.798]A BUNCH OF THEM WHO HAVE LED SO MANY OF THESE FIGHTS HERE IN
- [00:21:11.103]NEBRASKA AND HAVE DONE SUCH INCREDIBLE WORK.
- [00:21:12.838]I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU APRIL SENSE OF WHO YOUR BROTHERS AND
- [00:21:15.474]SISTERS IN THIS FIGHT ARE AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:21:18.477]IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO SEE OF.
- [00:21:20.278]THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE ALWAYS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TOLD
- [00:21:24.750]ENVIRONMENTALISTS LOOK LIKE.
- [00:21:25.684]I HAVE HEARD A MILLION TIMES THAT ENVIRONMENTALISTS ARE RICH
- [00:21:32.557]WHITE PEOPLE, JUST TURNS OUT THAT IS NONSENSE.
- [00:21:34.960]MOST OF THE PEOPLE WE WORKED WITH AROUND THE WORLD ARE POOR
- [00:21:37.262]AND BLACK AND BROWN AND ASIAN AND YOUNG BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT
- [00:21:39.498]MOST OF THE WORLD IS.
- [00:21:42.434]AND THIS I DO KNOW THEY ARE GREATLY CREATIVE.
- [00:21:52.277]THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE WAS BIG RELIGIOUS
- [00:21:56.314]INVOLVEMENT IN THESE KIND OF THINGS.
- [00:21:59.017]THERE IS THE HEAD OF MUSLIM SOUTH AFRICA AND INDIGENOUS
- [00:22:02.888]COMMUNITIES AND BEHIND THEM THE ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP, THE HEAD OF
- [00:22:06.425]A HUGE MULTI-FAITH MARCH ACROSS CAPETOWN.
- [00:22:09.327]THIS WAS 6 YEARS BEFORE POPE FRANCIS DID HIS AMAZING WORK.
- [00:22:18.036]THAT'S OUR BIGGEST, MOST IMPORTANT EVANGELICAL LIBERAL
- [00:22:22.941]ARTS COLLEGE IN THE COUNTRY WHERE BILLY GRAHAM WENT TO
- [00:22:25.177]SCHOOL I HAVE BEEN THE HOLY LAND TO DO SOME ORGANIZING BUT THE
- [00:22:29.981]DEAD SEA IS DROPPING RAPIDLY AS TEMPERATURES WARMED SO PEOPLE
- [00:22:33.285]WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.
- [00:22:34.152]THEN COULDN'T GET IN THE SAME PLACE BECAUSE THERE ARE TOO MANY
- [00:22:36.955]BARRICADES BUT THE JORDANIANS SAID WE WILL MAKE THE
- [00:22:39.057]BIG 3 ON OUR SHORE.
- [00:22:40.192]PALESTINIANS SAID WE WILL DO THE 5 AND PALESTINE, ISRAELIS
- [00:22:44.529]SAID WILL TAKE CARE OF THE ZERO ON OUR BEACH.
- [00:22:47.032]IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.
- [00:22:52.771][APPLAUSE] THERE WERE 200 BIG DEMONSTRATION
- [00:22:54.806]AS CROSS CHINA WHICH IS A HARD PLACE -- ONE OF THEM GOT BROKEN
- [00:22:58.410]UP BY THE POLICE BUT MOST OF THEM WENT OFF.
- [00:23:00.412]CHINA MS. A BIG ROLE HERE, DOING INTERESTING THINGS.
- [00:23:04.516]THEY HAVE STOPPED THEIR COAL CONSUMPTION WENT DOWN LAST YEAR
- [00:23:07.252]IN CHINA.
- [00:23:10.222]THEY ARE NOW OPENING RENEWABLE ENERGY AT A FASTER RATE THAN
- [00:23:13.225]ANYBODY ON THE PLANET.
- [00:23:16.762]THOSE ARE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE -- THAT'S THE
- [00:23:22.200]STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AND THEY ARE MEETING IN THE
- [00:23:24.903]LAGOON TO MAKE A POINT.
- [00:23:26.571]WHICH IS THAT THAT NATION, BEAUTIFUL, PARADISE, WHITE SAND
- [00:23:31.843]BEACHES, COCONUT PODS, PEOPLE LIVING THERE FOR 5000 STRAIGHT
- [00:23:35.981]YEARS.
- [00:23:36.281]HIGHEST POINT IN THAT NATION IS A METER AND A HALF ABOVE SEA
- [00:23:40.385]LEVEL.
- [00:23:40.685]THAT'S A BAD PLACE TO BE ON A RAPIDLY WARMING PLAN ET BUT THEY
- [00:23:43.889]ARE FIGHTING.
- [00:23:44.790]OKAY?
- [00:23:45.090]PEOPLE FIGHTING EVERYWHERE.
- [00:23:46.825]THIS WAS THE LEAD STORY ON GOOGLE NEWS FOR 36 HOURS.
- [00:23:50.162]I THINK BECAUSE THE PEOPLE TAKING PARTED DIDN'T LOOK THE
- [00:23:53.598]WAY THAT EDITORS THOUGHT THEY WOULD LOOK.
- [00:23:56.134]THERE IS YEMEN WHICH HAS TO BE THE TOUGHEST COUNTRY IN THE
- [00:23:59.037]WORLD RIGHT NOW.
- [00:23:59.704]ALL THE WOMEN IN THAT CIRCLE ARE IN FULL BLACK BURKHA OKAY?
- [00:24:05.110]SO TO US THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE MEMBERS OF THE SIERRA CLUB MAYBE
- [00:24:08.380]BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE IN EXACT LIP THE SAME PLACE.
- [00:24:12.517]THEY ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT THEM SELL, THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE,
- [00:24:15.587]THINKING ABOUT WHAT SOME NEXT, ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN.
- [00:24:21.893]EVEN IN THE -- IT IS THE OIL -- YOU CAN SEE SOME OIL-RICH
- [00:24:29.734]SHIEKS DOWN FRONT.
- [00:24:32.270]BUT WHAT SOMEWHAT SMARTER THAN SOME OTHER OILMEN BECAUSE YOU
- [00:24:36.007]SEE, BEHIND THEM, THE EDGE OF THE LARGEST SINGLE SOLAR ARRAY
- [00:24:40.645]ON PLANET EARTH.
- [00:24:41.379]THESE GUYS ARE COMMITTED TO REMAINING RICH NO MATTER WHAT.
- [00:24:44.049]OKAY?
- [00:24:48.486]3, 4 HUNDRED PICTURES ENDED UP IN A FILE THAT WAS JUST MARKED
- [00:24:52.023]350 ADORABLE.
- [00:24:54.326]ALL RIGHT?
- [00:24:54.726]AND THEY WERE ADORABLE AND THEY WERE ALSO HARD TO LOOK AT.
- [00:24:59.598]I LOOK AT THE EYES OF THAT GIRL IN THE MIDDLE AND I JUST THINK
- [00:25:02.868]THOSE GIRLS ARE GOING TO BE REFUGEES AND NOT BECAUSE OF
- [00:25:06.471]ANYTHING THEY DID, BECAUSE OF STUFF WE DID.
- [00:25:11.810]OKAY?
- [00:25:12.110]SO WE KEPT DOING THIS.
- [00:25:13.645]WE HAVE DONE ABOUT WE THINK ABOUT 20,000 RALLIES AROUND THE
- [00:25:17.382]WORLD OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND IN TOUGH AND INTERESTING AND
- [00:25:22.921]BEAUTIFUL PLACES.
- [00:25:24.022]THE WORLD OVER AND WE HAVE LOVED DOING IT.
- [00:25:26.858]IT MAKES US EXTRAORDINARILY HAPPY TO BE PART AND AS I WAS
- [00:25:31.763]SAYING TODAY, THESE ARE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
- [00:25:34.165]THESE ARE WHO IS DOING EXACTLY THE SAME O THAT PEOPLE LIKE IN
- [00:25:39.004]NEBRASKA ARE DOING BUT IT IS BOLD SOMALIA OR BOLD PHILIPPINES
- [00:25:42.007]OR YOU KNOW WHATEVER IT IS.
- [00:25:45.644]AND IF WE HAD ENOUGH TIME, I THINK WHAT WE WOULD DO IT JUST
- [00:25:52.250]KEEP DOING THIS KIND OF STUFF, EDUCATIONAL STUFF FOREVER AND IN
- [00:25:55.320]50 YEARS OR 60 YEARS IT WOULDN'T WORK.
- [00:25:58.056]IT WOULD BE ENOUGH, WE WOULD HAVE THESE HUGE ART PROJECTS.
- [00:26:01.259]THE BIGGEST ART PROJECTS IN HISTORY AND WHAT A PLEASURE BY
- [00:26:04.029]THE WAY TO SEE THE INCREDIBLE CREATIVITY OF THE ARTS HERE.
- [00:26:11.970]CHANCELLOR GREEN AND I WERE TALK ABOUT AMAZING WORK THAT MIKE
- [00:26:17.108]FORSBERG IS DOING, THIS PLATTE BASIN TIME LINE PROJECT.
- [00:26:23.048]AND THAT'S INNOVATIVE, INNOVATIVE WORK OF A KIND THAT
- [00:26:29.187]WE SEE VERY RARELY AND SO ONE SHOULD BE SO PROUD OF THE
- [00:26:33.325]UNIVERSITY FOR HELPING SPONSOR THAT KIND IF WORK.
- [00:26:38.830]WE WERE DOING THINGS SO BIG WITH SO MANY PEOPLE ENGAGED THAT WE
- [00:26:41.733]NEEDED SATELLITES TO TAKE A PICTURE OF IT.
- [00:26:44.235]THAT'S A DRY RIVER BED IN SANTA FE AND WHEN THE SATELLITE CAME
- [00:26:48.406]OVER ABOUT 3000 PEOPLE JUST WHIPPED UP BLUE BLANKETS
- [00:26:52.544]OVERHEAD TO BRING THE RIVER BACK TO LIFE FOR A MINUTE.
- [00:26:55.747]IF WE HAD 60 YEARS WE COULD KEEP DOING THIS AND WOULD
- [00:27:02.020]HAVE THE CHANGE THAT WORKS BEST FOR HUMANS.
- [00:27:05.290]BUT WE DO NOT HAVE 50, 60 YEARS.
- [00:27:08.626]BASICALLY WE NEEDED TO START 25 YEARS AGO IF WE WERE GOING TO
- [00:27:11.730]REALLY LICK THIS PROBLEM.
- [00:27:12.998]AND SO WE HAVE TO WORK WITH MUCH GREATER SPEED THAN IS
- [00:27:16.534]COMFORTABLE.
- [00:27:16.935]WE NEED CHANGE THAT COMES AT A MUCH MORE THAN EVOLUTION RIP AND
- [00:27:21.506]GRADUAL BASIS.
- [00:27:22.340]WE NEED URGENT EMERGENCY CHANGE AND SO, SOONER THAN WE WANTED,
- [00:27:28.480]WE KIND OF SWITCHED, NOT SWITCHED, SUPPLEMENTED THAT KIND
- [00:27:31.282]OF EDUCATIONAL WORK WITH CONFRONTATIONAL WORK.
- [00:27:35.186]AND ONE OF THE PLACES WE BEGAN WAS WITH KEYSTONE PIPELINE.
- [00:27:43.428]OKAY?
- [00:27:44.262]NOW, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE FOR A WHILE, BEFORE
- [00:27:52.070]2011.
- [00:27:52.504]INDIGENOUS PEOPLE UP IN CANADA WORKING ON IT FOR A LONG TIME
- [00:27:56.241]BECAUSE THEY WERE WRECKING THEIR LAND.
- [00:27:59.177]IF YOU WANT NO SEE WHAT REAL WORLD VERSION LOOKS LIKE, GO ON
- [00:28:03.782]GOOGLE EARTH AND LOOK AT THE TAR SANDS OF ALBERTA.
- [00:28:07.852]IT IS DISGUSTING AND OF COURSE, NEBRASKANS THEN AND OTHER PEOPLE
- [00:28:11.689]DOWN THE PIPELINE ROUTE GOT WORRIED ABOUT ITS EFFECT AND
- [00:28:15.293]STARTED DOING SOME OF THE BEST ORGANIZING THAT THERE HAS EVER
- [00:28:20.098]BEEN.
- [00:28:21.066]AND THEN THE REST OF US, DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD JOIN IN AND HELP.
- [00:28:25.937]AND THE FIRST PEOPLE I CALLED WERE PEOPLE FROM THE INDIGENOUS
- [00:28:29.240]ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK AND THE SECOND WAS JANE AND SAID IT IS
- [00:28:32.911]ALL RIGHT IF WE JUMP IN HERE AND DO SOME WORK TOO ON THIS.
- [00:28:35.613]DO YOU MIND, WITH THIS LARGER CLIMATE MOVEMENT AND THEY
- [00:28:38.349]GRACIOUSLY DID NOT SAY YEAH YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE 3 YEARS
- [00:28:41.419]AGO.
- [00:28:41.686]THEY SAID SURE, COME ALONG AND SO I WROTE THE LETTER THAT ASKED
- [00:28:44.422]PEOPLE TO COME TO WASHINGTON AND GET ARRESTED IN THE WINTER, THE
- [00:28:48.860]SUMMER OF 2011.
- [00:28:50.261]AND INDEED A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME.
- [00:28:51.796]MORE THAN WE EXPECTED.
- [00:28:53.498]IT TURNED INTO THE LARGEST CIVIL DILLS OBEDIENCE ACTION ABOUT
- [00:28:57.135]ANYTHING IN COUNTRY IN 30 YEARS AND 1200 AND SOME PEOPLE WENT
- [00:29:00.505]OFF TO JAIL.
- [00:29:02.740]AND THAT WAS ENOUGH TO KIND OF GET THINGS GOING ON A NATIONAL
- [00:29:06.211]AND INTERNATIONAL SCALE.
- [00:29:07.445]IT STARTED SPREADING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
- [00:29:10.715]AND YOU KNOW, THEN WE FOLLOWED THE PRESIDENT EVERYWHERE HE WENT
- [00:29:14.719]AND THEN WE SURROUNDED THE WHITE HOUSE WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
- [00:29:20.091]PEOPLE.
- [00:29:20.425]WE HAD, YOU KNOW, SHOULDER TO SHOULDER 5 DEEP AROUND THAT MILE
- [00:29:23.528]AND A HALF PERIMETER AND THAT WAS ALL IN THE FALL OF 2011 AND
- [00:29:27.932]WHAT DO YOU KNOW, BARACK OBAMA DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD
- [00:29:32.337]IDEA TO DELAY THE DECISION ON THIS PIPELINE UNTIL AFTER THE
- [00:29:35.940]NEXT ELECTION.
- [00:29:37.742]AND 2012.
- [00:29:38.610]AND THEN WE KEPT UP THE PRESSURE WITH PEOPLE LIKE JANE AND
- [00:29:41.913]EVERYBODY ELSE LEADING THE WAY: SO MANY OTHERS.
- [00:29:47.118]AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW WE DECIDED TO DELAY IT AGAIN UNTIL AFTER
- [00:29:49.721]THE NEXT ELECTION AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW IT IS STILL DELAYED.
- [00:29:54.392]AND I'M A BAD-ENOUGH PERSON THAT I GOT TO SAY IT GIVES ME A KIND
- [00:29:59.397]OF PLEASURE TO KNOW THAT OF TRANSCANADA HAS BIG PILES OF
- [00:30:06.638]PIPE RUSTING IN LOTS ACROSS THE AMERICAN MIDWEST BECAUSE THE
- [00:30:14.612]THING THAT THEY WANTED TO DO WAS FUNDAMENTALLY BE IRRESPONSIBLE.
- [00:30:19.951]THEY WANTED TO TAKE THE DIRTIEST OIL ON THE CONTINTENT AND
- [00:30:22.620]WANTED TO PUT NIGHT ATMOSPHERE EVEN THOUGH THE PLANET WAS
- [00:30:26.024]ALREADY HEATING UP.
- [00:30:27.225]AND HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE AT
- [00:30:30.495]NEBRASKA.
- [00:30:30.862]IT IS NOT JUST THAT YOU HAVE PUT A CRIMP IN THAT PIPELINE AND IT
- [00:30:34.199]IS NOT JUST THAT PUTTING A CRIMP IN THAT PIPELINE PUT A BIG CRIMP
- [00:30:38.336]IN THE EXPANSION OF THE TAR SANDS, PULLS TENSE OF THOUSANDS OF
- [00:30:44.609]DOLLARS OUT OF EXPANSE PLANS.
- [00:30:46.311]THOSE THING WOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH, REWARD ENOUGH FOR YOUR
- [00:30:49.180]LABORS.
- [00:30:49.514]WHAT IS ALSO HAPPENED IS THAT THE WORK THAT YOU HELPED
- [00:30:53.985]PARTICULAR OFF HAS SPREAD EVERYWHERE A BIG SPEECH LAST
- [00:31:06.097]YEAR AN END SAID WE HAVE TO SOMEHOW STOP THE
- [00:31:11.936]KEYSTONE-IZATION PROJECTS ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.
- [00:31:20.111]EVERYWHERE.
- [00:31:20.511]WE FIGHT EVERYWHERE NOW.
- [00:31:22.247]BECAUSE THE OIL INDUSTRY HAD NEVER BEEN BEATEN REALLY BEFORE
- [00:31:26.718]OR AT LEAST HELD TO A DRAW YOU KNOW.
- [00:31:29.654]THEY WON EVERY FIGHT THEY WERE IN.
- [00:31:31.122]BUT THAT GAVE PEOPLE HEART AND PEOPLE FIGHT EVERYWHERE.
- [00:31:35.360]YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN SHELL WANTED TO GO DRILL IN THE ARCTIC
- [00:31:39.597]AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN KAYAKLES IN THE KAYAK AT THIS
- [00:31:44.335]VISITS WE CALLED THEM, AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW SHELL GOT IT SHIPPED
- [00:31:50.975]OUT FINALLY TO DRILL BUT BEFORE THE SUMMER WAS EVEN OVER, THEY
- [00:31:54.279]ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE DRILLING UP IN THE
- [00:31:56.547]ARCTIC ANYMORE.
- [00:31:57.949]THEY SAID FOR OFFICIAL PURPOSES.
- [00:32:00.852]OH WE DIDN'T FIND ENOUGH OIL BUT AS -- IT BECAME CLEAR WHEN
- [00:32:05.256]JOURNALISTS STARTED TALKING OFF THE RECORD TO PEOPLE WITHIN THE
- [00:32:08.626]COMPANY, IT WASN'T THEY DIDN'T FIND ENOUGH OIL.
- [00:32:11.763]THEY FOUND WAY TOO MUCH TROUBLE, YOU KNOW THERE WERE TOO MANY
- [00:32:15.466]PEOPLE IN THE WAY.
- [00:32:16.301]AND THEY JUST COULDN'T KEEP IT GOING.
- [00:32:20.171]LAST MONTH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND
- [00:32:25.009]CLIMATE ACTIVISTS ACROSS AUSTRALIA PUT AN END TO PLANS TO
- [00:32:28.413]THE WORLD'S LARGEST COAL MINE.
- [00:32:32.383]EVERYWHERE.
- [00:32:33.484]EVERYWHERE THIS KIND OF FRIGHT AGAINST FRACKING ACROSS THE
- [00:32:37.255]WORLD YOU KNOW NOW NOT ONLY MY STATE OF VERMONT AND NEIGHBORING
- [00:32:42.627]NEW YORK HAVE BANNED FRACKING BUT SO HAVE FRANCE AND SO HAS
- [00:32:47.498]SCOTLAND AND WALES AND MANY MANY OTHER PLACES.
- [00:32:50.868]CHEVRON JUST PULLED OUT OF POLAND BECAUSE THERE WAS TOO
- [00:32:53.805]MUCH OPPOSITION TO THEIR FRACKING WELLS.
- [00:32:55.440]ON THE WEST COAST THE ATTEMPT TO BUILD BIG NEW COAL PORTS IS
- [00:33:00.144]STYMIED AT EVERY TURN.
- [00:33:02.647]IT IS A REMARKABLE EXPLOSION OF ACTIVISM IN EVERY DIRECTION AND
- [00:33:09.787]AN AWFUL LOT, OWES AN AWFUL LOT TO THE PIPELINE FIGHTERS IN
- [00:33:15.493]NEBRASKA WHO HELPED IT GET ALL UNDERWAY.
- [00:33:22.700]AND SO -- SO THAT'S GOOD.
- [00:33:24.135]WE HAVE GOTTEN GOOD AT PLAYING DEFENSE.
- [00:33:26.771]AND NOW WE ARE TRYING TO PLAY A LOT OF OFFENSE TOO.
- [00:33:31.142]OKAY?
- [00:33:31.442]AND THAT'S BEEN FUN AS WELL.
- [00:33:33.111]3 YEARS AGO WE LAUNCHED THIS BIG DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN, OKAY AND
- [00:33:37.415]THE LOGIC AND I -- AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST PRETTY MUCH ME
- [00:33:42.086]WRITING IN ROLLING STONE.
- [00:33:43.921]AND NOT EVEN -- YOU KNOW ON THE COVER.
- [00:33:46.624]JUSTIN BIEBER WAS ON THE COVER.
- [00:33:49.026]BUT THE ARTICLE THAT I WROTE GOT SHARED VERY WIDELY.
- [00:33:53.464]MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE MOST SHARED ARTICLE THEY EVER HAD AND THE
- [00:33:55.967]REASON WAS IT HAD THE NEW SET OF FIGURES THAT HAD COME FROM SOME
- [00:34:00.872]FINANCIAL ANALYSTS IN THE UK AND ADDED UP HOW MUCH THE CARBON HAD
- [00:34:06.210]IN THEIR RESERVES AND THE COAL AND GALLONS AND OIL THAT
- [00:34:09.947]IDENTIFIED UNDERGROUND BUT HAD TOLD THEIR SHAREHOLDERS OR
- [00:34:13.551]REGULATORS AR WILL STREET THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DIG UP AND
- [00:34:15.920]BURN.
- [00:34:16.487]WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THAT CARBON IT TURNS OUT TO BE 5 TIMES AS
- [00:34:21.025]MUCH AS THE WORLD'S CLIMATE SCIENTISTS SAY WE CAN BURN AND
- [00:34:24.896]HAVE ANY CHANCE OF AVOID THING CLIMATE CATASTROPHE.
- [00:34:28.433]THAT IS TO SAY, IF THESE COMPANIES FOLLOW THEIR BUSINESS
- [00:34:32.402]PLANS, THEN THE PLANET TANKS.
- [00:34:34.272]THAT IS TO SAY THESE ARE NO LONGER NORMAL COMPANIES.
- [00:34:38.275]THEY ARE ROGUE COMPANIES.
- [00:34:40.077]AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REWRITE THAT SCRIPT QUICKLY OR
- [00:34:44.382]ELSE THERE IS NO DRAMA LEFT IN THIS FIGHT.
- [00:34:47.318]WE KNOW HOW IT ENDS.
- [00:34:48.786]AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE WANTED TO GO AFTER THEM WAS THE
- [00:34:51.755]WAY THAT PEOPLE DID A GENERATION AGO WHEN THE SUBJECT WAS
- [00:34:56.494]APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA.
- [00:34:57.428]AND WHEN THIS DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL
- [00:35:01.732]AND POWERFUL WAY TO DO THINGS.
- [00:35:07.371]WE STARTED IN THE FALL OF 2012 OR THE WINTER OF 2013 AND THE
- [00:35:13.077]VERY FIRST PEOPLE TO DIVEST WERE A SMALL COLLEGE -- IN ME, UNITY
- [00:35:20.785]COLLEGE AND A 13 MILLION DOLLAR CANCER AND MAN DID WE CELEBRATE
- [00:35:25.289]WHEN THEY DIVESTED.
- [00:35:28.025]BY LAST FALL THE FALL OF 2014, WE WERE DOING BETTER.
- [00:35:33.531]IN FACT, ONE DAY LAST SEPTEMBER, THERE WERE 400,000 PEOPLE
- [00:35:38.870]MARCHING ACROSS NEW YORK AND BY FAR THE BIGGEST CLIMATE
- [00:35:42.607]DEMONSTRATION OF ALL TIME.
- [00:35:44.909]AND THAT -- THAT SAME DAY, UPTOWN, THAT NIGHT UPTOWN IN NEW
- [00:35:51.048]YORK, THE ROCKEFELLER FAMILY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE
- [00:35:54.352]DIVESTING THEIR HOLDINGS FROM FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY.
- [00:36:01.926][APPLAUSE] THE ORIGINAL OIL FORTUNE AND THEY SAID IT WAS NO
- [00:36:06.731]LONGER MORALLY OR FINANCIALLY SOUND.
- [00:36:09.667]TO BE DOING INVESTING IN COAL AND GALLONS AND OIL.
- [00:36:12.069]THEY DIDN'T WANT ANY PART OF IT AND THAT BROUGHT THE TOTAL OF
- [00:36:16.240]ENDOWMENTS THAT HAD DIVESTED TO 50 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH SEEMED
- [00:36:19.477]LIKE A LOT OF MONEY TO US BUT MAN IT HAS KEPT ROLLING AND 3
- [00:36:22.947]WEEKS AGO WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK AND NOW
- [00:36:25.783]IT HAS BEEN JOINED, THIS DIVESTMENT MOVEMENT BY THE
- [00:36:29.320]UNIVERSITIES OF CALIFORNIA AND WASHINGTON AND HAWAII, BY THE
- [00:36:34.158]HUGE RETIREMENT FUNDS IN STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA, BY THE
- [00:36:37.595]SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND IN NORWAY WHICH IS THE LARGEST SINGLE POOL
- [00:36:40.398]OF INVESTMENT CAPITAL ANYWHERE.
- [00:36:42.800]BY PRINCE CHARLES AND THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND UNITED CHURCH OF
- [00:36:47.371]CHRIST AND UNITARIANS.
- [00:36:48.706]WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCH, STANFORD AND OXFORD AND GLASGOW
- [00:36:52.944]AND EDINBURGH.
- [00:36:55.346]THE NUMBER ISN'T 50 BILLION.
- [00:36:57.682]IT WAS 2.6 TRILLION DOLLARS.
- [00:37:01.719]DIVESTED FROM FOSSILIZED FUEL.
- [00:37:06.591]THERE WAS A STORY JUST THIS AFTERNOON IN A BUSINESS PRESS
- [00:37:09.594]TALKING ABOUT HOW HARD NOW THAT WAS HITTING COAL COMPANIES AND
- [00:37:12.396]HOW HARD IT WAS MAKING IT FOR THEM TO RAISE NEW CAPITAL TO DO
- [00:37:16.400]THEIR WORK AND THAT IS GOOD NEWS.
- [00:37:21.639]GOOD NEWS BECAUSE OUR JOB IS TO HOLD THESE GUYS IN PLACE FOR A
- [00:37:27.278]LITTLE WHILE LONGER.
- [00:37:28.446]TO KEEP THEM FROM EXPANDING THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY BECAUSE IF
- [00:37:32.750]WE CAN HOLD THEM IN PLACE FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER, THERE IS A
- [00:37:37.321]MOVEMENT COMING IN FROM THE OTHER SIDE.
- [00:37:39.690]AND THAT MOVEMENT IS LED BY THE ENGINEERS WHO HAVE DONE THEIR
- [00:37:43.561]JOB WITH EXTRAORDINARY VIGOR.
- [00:37:45.496]THE PRICE OF A SOLAR PANEL HAS FALLEN 80% IN THE LAST 6 YEARS.
- [00:37:51.802]OKAY?
- [00:37:52.103]AND IN MUCH OF THE WORLD.
- [00:37:54.238]IN MUCH OF THE WORLD.
- [00:37:55.740]THE CHEAPEST WAY TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY IS WITH THE SUN AND
- [00:38:01.612]WITH THAT -- GOING TO JUST KEEP HAPPENING BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK
- [00:38:06.150]BUILT, YOU KNOW, POWER FROM THE SUN ISN'T REALLY EVEN A FUEL THE
- [00:38:08.953]WAY THAT OIL OR COAL IS YOU.
- [00:38:11.389]HAVE TO GO OUT AND DIG THOSE UP AND EVERY TIME YOU BURN
- [00:38:16.293]SOMETHING THERE IS A LITTLE LESS LEFT.
- [00:38:19.530]WHEN YOUR BURNING SOLAR ENERGY WHAT YOU ARE REALLY USING IS
- [00:38:22.400]TECHNOLOGY, NOT FUEL AND THE POINT OF TECHNOLOGY
- [00:38:27.071]IS IT GETS CHEAPER AND CHEAPER OVER TIME JUST THE WAY CELL
- [00:38:30.508]PHONES DID SO IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND EXCITING TO SEE THE
- [00:38:33.344]POSSIBILITIES.
- [00:38:33.778]IF WE GOT TO WORK LIKE THE GERMANS, WHO BY FAR THE BIGGEST
- [00:38:38.182]ADOPTERS OF THIS STUFF, THEY WERE DAYS THIS SUMMER WHEN THEY
- [00:38:41.452]GENERATED 80 PERCENT OF THEIR POWER FROM THE SUN.
- [00:38:43.888]IN GERMANY.
- [00:38:45.256]YOU KNOW?
- [00:38:46.090]NOT IN FLORIDA, IN GERMANY.
- [00:38:49.527]YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT WIND POWER.
- [00:38:51.228]YOU KNOW HOW CHEAP ANDS THAT HAS GOTTEN AND HOW FAST AND
- [00:38:57.068]EFFICIENT.
- [00:38:57.435]THESE THINGS ARE POSSIBLE NOW.
- [00:38:58.602]AND IF WE CAN JUST HOLD BACK THE POWER OF THE FOSSIL FUEL
- [00:39:03.207]INDUSTRY A LITTLE WHILE LONGER THEN THEY HAVE A SHOT.
- [00:39:05.743]NOW IT IS NOT A FAIR FIGHT NOT IN ANY WAY.
- [00:39:09.980]FOSSILIZED FUEL INDUSTRY HAS ENDLESS MONEY AND THEY SPEND IT.
- [00:39:13.017]DO I NOT SAY THAT AT ALL WITH EXAGGERATION.
- [00:39:17.021]YOU GUYS KNOW HOT KOCH BROTHERS ARE.
- [00:39:23.060]THE RICHEST HUMAN BEINGS ON OUR PLANET.
- [00:39:26.197]OKAY AM THEY WILL SPEND 900 MILLION DOLLARS ON THE NEXT
- [00:39:30.000]FEDERAL ELECTION.
- [00:39:30.668]THAT'S MORE MONEY THAN THE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS
- [00:39:34.638]SPENT ON THE LAST FEDERAL ELECTIONS
- [00:39:39.076]ELECTIONS.
- [00:39:39.443]KOCH BROTHERS PARTY OF TWO.
- [00:39:40.277]THAT'S WHAT WE FIGHT AGAINST.
- [00:39:42.179]BUT THAT'S WHAT ACTIVISM IS ABOUT.
- [00:39:45.683]IT IS WHAT ALLOWS TOWELS TRY AND DO.
- [00:39:48.652]I HAVE NO DOUBT HOW THIS STORY COMES OUT.
- [00:39:55.059]I KNOW WHERE THE MOMENTUM LIES.
- [00:40:00.331]THAT IS A SET OF BILLBOARDS THAT THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY PUT UP
- [00:40:04.201]A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
- [00:40:07.471]OKAY?
- [00:40:07.772]THAT'S SORT OF HOW DESPERATE THEY HAVE GOTTEN.
- [00:40:10.307]THAT'S ONE OF THEIR FRONT GROUPS, THE
- [00:40:14.445]HEARTLAND INSTITUTE AND PUT UP BILLBOARDS WITH SERIAL KILLERS,
- [00:40:17.782]CHARLES MANSON AND SAID I STILL BELIEVE IN GLOBAL WARMING.
- [00:40:21.285]DO YOU?
- [00:40:21.952]NOW THIS IS NOT A POWERFUL LOGICAL ARGUMENT.
- [00:40:27.057]I MEAN, IT IS LIKE HAVING A PICTURE OF HITLER AND SAYS I
- [00:40:30.795]BELIEVE IN GRAVITY.
- [00:40:31.796]DO YOU?
- [00:40:34.298]YOU KNOW?
- [00:40:35.199]BUT ON EMOTIONAL TERMS THE POINT OF CLEAR.
- [00:40:38.135]TO EQUATE CLIMATE SCIENTISTS WITH SERIAL KILLERS YOU KNOW?
- [00:40:42.173]WE WERE VERY GLAD THAT THAT SAME DAY AT 3:50 AROUND THE WORLD WE
- [00:40:48.646]ORGANIZED OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE JUST TO SHOW THE KIND OF HUMAN
- [00:40:51.715]FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
- [00:40:54.118]WE CALLED IT CONNECT THE DOTS.
- [00:40:55.953]THERE WERE 3000 EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:40:58.823]AND THEY WERE EVERYWHERE, UNDERWATER, DISAPPEARING CORAL
- [00:41:02.660]REEFS AND PACIFIC AND DRYING UP, DROUGHT LEVEL EVERYWHERE.
- [00:41:08.799]SOME PLACES IT IS NOT QUITE AS HORRIBLE YOU KNOW BUT BAD
- [00:41:14.238]ENOUGH.
- [00:41:15.139]THOSE ARE THE DAYS IN SIBERIA.
- [00:41:18.142]WE ROUTINELY SEE FOREST FIRES.
- [00:41:21.545]IT HAS GOTTEN SO HOT AND DRY.
- [00:41:24.682]THOSE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES ALREADY
- [00:41:26.851]BECAUSE THE SEA LEVEL IS RISING.
- [00:41:29.520]TOP RED BALLOON IS WHERE THE LEVEL OF THE DEAD SEA WAS 40
- [00:41:34.358]YEARS AGO.
- [00:41:35.492]DROUGHT ALL OVER THE PLACE AND WHERE IT IS NOT DROUGHT IT IS
- [00:41:38.229]JUST THE OPPOSITE.
- [00:41:39.029]THOSE PEOPLE ARE IN THE PART OF PAKISTAN THAT SOUGHT GREATEST
- [00:41:43.234]FLOOD SINCE NOAH.
- [00:41:46.036]2010.
- [00:41:46.337]THE RIVER IS SO MUCH RAIN THAT THE RIVER SWELLED TO THE POINT
- [00:41:50.441]WHERE IT COVERED A QUARTER OF THE COUNTRY.
- [00:41:53.177]20 MILLION PEOPLE FORCED FROM THEIR HOMES.
- [00:41:54.845]WHAT'S THE POPULATION OF NEBRASKA?
- [00:41:58.816]MANY NEBRASKANS HAVE HAD TO EVACUATE OKAY?
- [00:42:01.352]AND IF YOU LOOK AT THEM YOU GET SOME SENSE THAT PERHAPS THEY
- [00:42:03.754]WERE NOT A MAIN CALLS OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE FACE.
- [00:42:09.627]SAME THING JUST IN EVERY DIRECTION.
- [00:42:12.863]ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:42:15.733]THAT WAS ONE OF THE SMALLEST DEMONSTRATIONS I WOULD SAY BUT
- [00:42:18.602]STUCK IN MY MIND JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT THE SIGNS WERE THE KIDS
- [00:42:23.140]HOLDING.
- [00:42:23.474]YOUR ACTIONS AFFECT ME.
- [00:42:24.241]IT IS TRUE.
- [00:42:25.142]MORE PEOPLE DIED IN HAITI FROM HURRICANE SANDY THAN IN NEW
- [00:42:28.245]YORK.
- [00:42:28.545]STILL A CHOLERA OUTBREAK UNDERWAY IN ITS WAKE.
- [00:42:32.349]YOUR ACTIONS AFFECT ME BUT NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
- [00:42:34.985]THERE IS NOTHING THAT PEOPLE IN HAITI CAN DO BEYOND APPEAL TO
- [00:42:37.955]OUR CONSCIENCE TO MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE.
- [00:42:41.025]THEM CAN'T USE LESS FOSSIL FUEL.
- [00:42:43.160]THEY HARDLY USE ANY.
- [00:42:44.595]THEY CAN'T PROTEST OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE OR NEBRASKA
- [00:42:47.498]LEGISLATURE OR THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
- [00:42:49.500]JANE WHAT DID YOU TELL ME, 5:30 NEXT WEDNESDAY.
- [00:42:54.238]NOT TOMORROW.
- [00:42:54.838]A DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION, YES?
- [00:42:59.710]ON CLIMATE STUFF.
- [00:43:02.079]CAN'T DO THAT.
- [00:43:03.080]YOU KNOW THERE IS NOBODY WITH MUCH POWER.
- [00:43:07.918]THE BIGGEST POT OF MONEY IN HAITI IS SMALLER THAT THE
- [00:43:13.791]ENDOWMENT OF THE SMALLEST UNIVERSITY IN AMERICA YOU KNOW.
- [00:43:17.161]SO THEY DEPEND ON US TO TAKE THAT KIND OF ACTION.
- [00:43:21.131]INCREASINGLY WE ARE TAKING THAT KIND OF ACTION.
- [00:43:22.866]THERE IS THIS RESISTANCE AND EVERY CORNER, TO THE KIND OF
- [00:43:27.438]WORK AND IN BIG NUMBERS NOW.
- [00:43:30.541]400,000 PEOPLE SHOWING UP AND WILL BE MORE THAN THAT IN THE
- [00:43:33.277]STREETS IN PARIS AND IN DECEMBER YOU KNOW.
- [00:43:37.781]SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ACTION, ACTIVISM LET WE JUST
- [00:43:42.820]FINISH THESE PICTURES WITH A COUPLE OF PICTURES THAT WERE MY
- [00:43:46.056]FAVORITE MAYBE ACTIVISTS EVENTS OF ALL, OF ALL THAT WE HAVE DONE
- [00:43:50.427]AND THESE ARE OUR FRIENDS, OUR COLLEAGUES AT 350 IN THE
- [00:43:54.565]PACIFIC.
- [00:43:56.967]OF THESE ARE -- PROBABLY AREN'T GOING TO EXIST AT THE END OF THE
- [00:44:04.241]CENTURY.
- [00:44:04.608]MAY JUST DISAPPEAR BUT THEY SAY WE ARE NOT DROWNING.
- [00:44:07.411]WE ARE FIGHTING.
- [00:44:08.512]AND THEY MADE THESE TRADITIONAL CANOELES IN PLACE AFTER PLACE
- [00:44:12.216]LAST SUMMER.
- [00:44:13.450]THEN WHEN WE WERE ALL MARCHING IN NEW YORK THEY TOOK THOSE
- [00:44:17.488]CANOES AND TOOK THEM TO NEWCASTLE IN AUSTRALIA WHICH IS
- [00:44:20.457]THE BIGGEST COAL PORT IN THE WORLD.
- [00:44:22.459]AND THEY USED THEM FOR A DAY TO BLOCK THE BIGGEST SHIMS ON THE
- [00:44:27.731]PLANET TO KEEP THEM FROM GETTING OUT OF THE HARBOR.
- [00:44:31.702]AND IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL SCENE.
- [00:44:33.270]MAYBE JUST LEAVE THAT PICTURE UP.
- [00:44:34.671]DO NOT GO BACK TO ME STANDING HERE.
- [00:44:38.242]IT FREAKS ME OUT TOO MUCH.
- [00:44:45.916]THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANT TO END BY TALKING ABOUT.
- [00:44:50.621]ABOUT WHAT SOLIDARITY REALLY MEANS AS WE, YOU KNOW, GO INTO
- [00:44:56.193]THIS BIGGEST CRISIS WE HAVE EVER FACED.
- [00:44:58.429]ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS GREAT ABOUT THIS ROOM TONIGHT IS ITS
- [00:45:03.267]DIVERSITY.
- [00:45:03.634]IN AGE, IS SPECIALLY.
- [00:45:06.103]THERE ARE PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE OF SPECTRUM.
- [00:45:14.078]WELL, SINCE I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THE -- I WAS THINKING ALL
- [00:45:18.782]AFTERNOON ABOUT THE FIRST ARRESTS AND THINGS THAT CIVIL
- [00:45:22.486]DISOBEDIENCE IN WASHINGTON.
- [00:45:23.420]LET ME SAY JUST TWO THINGS THAT WE DID DURING THAT CIVIL DILLS
- [00:45:27.291]OBEDIENCE THAT STUCK IN MY MIND.
- [00:45:29.660]THERE IS PLENTY OF OTHER THINGS THAT JANE AND OTHERS COULD TALK
- [00:45:32.262]ABOUT FROM THEM, BUT TWO THINGS THAT STALK IN MY MIND AS KIND OF
- [00:45:36.033]INTERESTING LESSONS FOR ME ABOUT ACTIVISM.
- [00:45:39.470]FIRST THING WE SAID WAS, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN I WROTE THE
- [00:45:44.675]LETTER I SAID I DON'T THINK COLLEGE KIDS SHOULD HAVE TO BE
- [00:45:48.512]THE CANNON FODDER HERE.
- [00:45:50.347]YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE DONE AS YOU COULD TELL FROM THE PICTURES
- [00:45:53.350]MOST OF THE LEADERSHIP AROUND THE WORLD.
- [00:45:57.588]BUT, YOU KNOW OUR ECONOMY AND OUR TIME AND PLACE, MAY BE THE
- [00:46:01.892]BEST THING FOR A 22 YEAR OLD IS NOT TO HAVE AN ARREST RECORD ON
- [00:46:05.162]YOUR RESUME.
- [00:46:07.664]ONE OF THE FEW UNMIXED BLESSINGS ABOUT GROWING OLDER IS, PAST A
- [00:46:13.403]CERTAIN POINT WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY GOING TO DO TO YOU, YOU
- [00:46:16.006]KNOW?
- [00:46:26.150]LESSON I MIGHT ADD SINCE WE ARE IN A UNIVERSITY TOWN, IT GOES
- [00:46:30.053]TRIPLE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAPPEN TO HAVE TENURE ALSO.
- [00:46:32.422]OKAY?
- [00:46:35.959]IT WAS A REAL PLEASURE TO WATCH A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH HAIR THAT
- [00:46:40.831]LOOKED MORE OR LESS LIKE MINE ARRIVING FOR THAT DEMONSTRATION.
- [00:46:44.368]WE DIDN'T ASK PEOPLE AS THEY WERE GETTING ARRESTED HOW OLD
- [00:46:47.938]ARE YOU BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE RUDE BUT WE -- CLEVERLY I THINK
- [00:46:52.442]ASK PEOPLE, WHO WAS PRESIDENT WHEN YOU WERE UPON?
- [00:46:56.613]OKAY?
- [00:46:56.914]AND THE TWO BIGGEST COHORTS CAME FROM THE FDR AND THE TRUMAN
- [00:47:00.551]YEARS.
- [00:47:01.585]OKAY?
- [00:47:01.985]SO THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.
- [00:47:04.254]THE LAST DATA WAS THE GUY ARRESTED WITH A SIGN AROUND HIS
- [00:47:07.191]NECK THAT SAID WORLD WAR II VET.
- [00:47:09.560]HAND WITH CARE, OKAY?
- [00:47:11.395]HE WAS SO OLD THAT HE HAD BEEN BORN DURING THE HARDING
- [00:47:15.098]ADMINISTRATION WHICH WAS SO LONG AGO I HAD FOR GOTTEN THERE WAS A
- [00:47:17.968]WARREN HARDING ADD ADMINISTRATION OKAY?
- [00:47:21.371]THAT WAS REALLY -- WHAT WAS REALLY GOOD, REALLY MOVING WAS
- [00:47:23.473]FOR ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE, TO SEE LEADERS ACT
- [00:47:27.644]BEING THE WAY THAT REALLY IN A WORKING CULTURE,ELDERS SHOULD
- [00:47:31.014]ACT.
- [00:47:31.315]YOU KNOW, TO TAKE THAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY.
- [00:47:34.117]AND DO THAT KIND OF THING.
- [00:47:35.018]AND IT WAS REALLY NICE.
- [00:47:37.521]THE OTHER THING THAT WE TOLD PEOPLE WAS, IF YOU ARE GOING TO
- [00:47:40.857]GET ARRESTED WOULD YOU WEAR A NECKTIE OR A DRESS, PLEASE?
- [00:47:46.930]I'M WEARING A NECKTIE TONIGHT BUT THAT IS UNUSUAL FOR ME.
- [00:47:50.667]I LIVE IN VERMONT, WHERE IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE TO GO A DECADE
- [00:47:56.607]AT A TIME WITHOUT PUTTING ON A NECKTIE SO I WASN'T BECAUSE WE
- [00:47:59.810]WANTED PEOPLE IN FORMAL WARE IT WAS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SEND A
- [00:48:06.483]VISUAL MESSAGE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
- [00:48:09.119]THE SAME MESSAGE I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SEND ALL DAY.
- [00:48:12.089]IT IS NOT THE ACTIVISTS WHO ARE THE RADICALS HERE.
- [00:48:16.660]THERE IS NOTHING RADICAL ABOUT WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING TONIGHT.
- [00:48:20.931]THERE IS NOTHING RADICAL ABOUT SAYING WE WANT APRIL PLANET THAT
- [00:48:25.335]WORKS MORE OR LESS THE WAY IT WORKED FOR THE LAST 10,000
- [00:48:29.039]YEARS.
- [00:48:29.439]FOR THE ONLY PERIOD FOR WHICH WE HAVE RECORDS OF HUMAN
- [00:48:34.044]CIVILIZATION.
- [00:48:34.478]DO YOU KNOW?
- [00:48:34.911]THAT'S NOT RADICAL AT ALL.
- [00:48:36.280]AS WE WERE SAYING AT LUNCH TODAY THERE IS SOMETHING DEEPLY
- [00:48:40.017]CONSERVATIVE ABOUT THAT, OKAY?
- [00:48:42.686]RADICALS WORK AT OIL COMPANIES.
- [00:48:43.854]IF YOU WERE WILLING TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND RAKE YOUR GREAT
- [00:48:48.558]FORTUNE BY ALTERING THE EXAMINE I CAL COMPOSITION OF THE
- [00:48:52.796]ATMOSPHERE, AFTER SCIENTISTS HAVE TOLD YOU WHAT IT WILL DO,
- [00:48:55.432]AFTER YOU HAVE WATCHED IT MELT THE ARCTIC, IF YOU ARE WILLING
- [00:48:58.602]TO KEEP THE DOING THAT, THEN YOU ARE RADICAL ON A SCALE THAT WE
- [00:49:02.606]HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU MAKE 60'S RADICALS LOOK LIKE BIKERS YOU
- [00:49:08.879]NOPE?
- [00:49:09.179]THESE ARE THE MOST RADICAL THINGS THAT HUMAN BEINGS HAVE
- [00:49:12.549]EVER DONE AND OUR JOB TOILS FIGURE OUT HOW TO SLOW THEM
- [00:49:16.820]DOWN.
- [00:49:17.521]AND STOP THEM.
- [00:49:18.689]TO CHECK THAT RADICALISM WITH THE KIND OF MODERATION AND
- [00:49:23.093]COMMON SENSE THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE OF IMPORTANT PROVINCE
- [00:49:30.667]OF..
- [00:49:35.605]-- WELL, OF THIS COUNTRY.
- [00:49:37.007]I TOLD YOU BEFORE THAT I'M NOT AT HEART AN ORGANIZER WHICH IS
- [00:49:40.444]TRUE.
- [00:49:40.744]IF I WAS WHEN I WOULD JUST GET YOU ALL WOUND UP BY ALL THESE
- [00:49:44.014]BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND TELL YOU WE WOULD WIN AND ENLIST YOU ALL
- [00:49:47.384]AND GO ON BUT SINCE I'M A WRITER AT HEART IT IS MY JOB ALSO
- [00:49:51.988]MOSTLY TO BE HONEST.
- [00:49:53.290]YOU KNOW?
- [00:49:53.924]AND THE HONEST TRUTH IS, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE WE ARE GOING TO
- [00:49:58.362]WIN.
- [00:49:58.628]WE ARE MAKING GREAT PROGRESS NOW AS A MOVEMENT AND SOME OF THE
- [00:50:02.366]WAYS I'VE DESCRIBED, BUT, WE WAITED AN AWFUL LONGS TIME TO
- [00:50:08.605]GET STARTED AND THE PHYSICS OF CLIMATE CHANGE PRODUCED A
- [00:50:12.876]MOMENTUM THAT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND THE POWER OF THE OTHER SIDE
- [00:50:16.880]REMAINS ENORMOUS.
- [00:50:21.952]AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO STOP GLOBAL WARMING.
- [00:50:26.957]IT IS TOO LATE FOR THAT.
- [00:50:29.192]BUT IT IS NOT TOO LATE PERHAPS TO KEEP IT FROM GETTING ENTIRELY
- [00:50:33.063]OUT OF CONTROL.
- [00:50:33.897]THE BEST SCIENCE INDICATES WE HAVE A NARROW WINDOW THAT'S
- [00:50:36.933]CLOSING BUT THAT WE CAN STILL DO IT IF WE ACT WITH YOU WERE
- [00:50:40.337]AGAINST AND BOLDNESS AND CONVICTION AND COURAGE.
- [00:50:47.411]I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE GOING TO WIN.
- [00:50:49.246]BUT I CAN ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEE YOU THAT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN ALL
- [00:50:54.284]OVER THE WORLD, THAT IT IS GOING TO BE A FIGHT.
- [00:50:57.954]THERE IS REALLY GOING TO BE A FIGHT.
- [00:50:59.489]PEOPLE ARE REALLY STANDING UP EVERYWHERE.
- [00:51:02.726]AND WHAT AN HONOR IT ALWAYS IS FOR ME TO BE IN THOSE ROOMS WITH
- [00:51:07.164]THOSE PEOPLE AND NEVER MORE AN HONOR THAN TO BE IN A ROOM WITH
- [00:51:12.536]THE PEOPLE IN NEBRASKA WHO HAVE DONE WAY MORE THAN THEIR SHARE
- [00:51:17.307]TO GET THIS ALL GOING.
- [00:51:18.375]THANK YOU GUYS.
- [00:51:19.276]SO MUCH.
- [00:51:49.172]THANK YOU ALL.
- [00:51:54.211]>> THANK YOU.
- [00:51:54.945]AT THIS TIME BILL WILL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
- [00:51:58.415]YOU MAY SUBMIT QUESTIONS ON CARDS PROVIDED TO THE USHERS.
- [00:52:02.352]PLEASE KINDLY RAISE YOUR HAND OR USE THE QUESTIONS VIA TWITTER
- [00:52:05.789]USING THE HASH TAG EN THOMPSON FORUM.
- [00:52:08.625]LET'S GET STARTED.
- [00:52:09.759]CAN YOU TELL US BILL WHERE DID YOUR PASSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
- [00:52:14.464]ACTIVISM COME FROM, HOW DID IT ALL START?
- [00:52:16.132]>> AS I SAY, I STARTED THIS AS A WRITER AND SO I WAS -- PART OF
- [00:52:25.842]IT WAS SIMPLY THAT AS A YOUNG MAN IN MY LATE 20'S, I THOUGHT
- [00:52:30.680]THIS WAS THE BIGGEST STORY THAT HAD EVER BEEN.
- [00:52:35.218]-- I MEAN, I HAD WRITTEN, A BETTER WAY SO SAY IT.
- [00:52:40.657]LET ME READ I WROTE A LONG PIECE FOR THE NEW YORKER WHEN I
- [00:52:43.393]WAS 256789 A STAFF WRITER AT THE NEW YORKER.
- [00:52:48.398]AND I WROTE A LONG PIECE FOR THE NEW YORKER AND ABOUT WHERE
- [00:52:51.434]EVERYTHING IN MY APARTMENT CAME FROM.
- [00:52:53.270]I TRACED THE -- DOWN IN BRAZIL, CON ED WAS GETTING OIL FROM
- [00:52:58.742]THERE AND I WAS IN THE GRAND CANYON BECAUSE THEY WERE GETTING
- [00:53:01.945]URANIUM FOR THE NUCLEAR REACTOR AND UP IN THE ARCTIC BECAUSE
- [00:53:08.084]THIS WAS HYDRO POWER AN THE EFFECT WAS TO REMIND ME OF HOW
- [00:53:12.923]PHYSICAL A PLACE THE WORLD WAS.
- [00:53:14.858]YOU KNOW THE AMERICAN SUB WHERE I GREW UP WAS A KIND OF MACHINE
- [00:53:19.763]FOR MAKING YOU NOT NOTICE THE WORLD IN A WAY.
- [00:53:23.833]YOU KNOW?
- [00:53:24.568]EVERYTHING IS KIND OF HIDDEN.
- [00:53:28.772]AND NEW YORK EVEN MORE SO.
- [00:53:30.507]MANHATTAN SEEMS TO BE A PLACE THAT CAN MANUFACTURE MONEY OUT
- [00:53:33.543]OF THIN AIR YOU KNOW.
- [00:53:35.512]BUT THAT SENSE OF HOW PHYSICAL IT WAS SET ME UP WELL TO BE
- [00:53:38.648]READING THE VERY EARLY SCIENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE.
- [00:53:43.286]AND WHAT ALSO SET ME UP WELL WAS TO HAVE READ IN THOSE YEARS AS A
- [00:53:48.892]YOUNG MAN, SOME OF THE GREAT AMERICAN WRITERS ON THESE
- [00:53:53.563]THEMES.
- [00:53:53.997]GARY SNIDER AND ABOVE ALL, WENDELL BARRY, AND THAT WORK
- [00:54:02.005]EX-OWED IN MY HEAD AS I WAS WRITING THE END OF NATURE.
- [00:54:05.075]AT THE BEGINNING IT WAS VERY MUCH AS A WRITER.
- [00:54:08.778]LATER, IT WAS A SENSE OF WELL, SOMETIME ABOUT 12, 10 YEARS AGO,
- [00:54:15.852]I WENT OFF TO BANGLADESH ON A REPORTING TRIP.
- [00:54:19.022]BANGLADESH IS ONE OF THOSE PLACES THAT'S NOT GOING TO
- [00:54:21.891]FAREWELL FROM CLIMATE CHANGE.
- [00:54:23.026]A RIVER DELTA AND 9 BAY IS RISING ENOUGH THAT IT IS ALREADY
- [00:54:26.963]PUSHING SALT WATER INTO FARM LANDS AND THE GREAT GLACIERS
- [00:54:32.035]ARE DRYING UP THAT WATER.
- [00:54:35.071]WHILE I WAS THERE THEY WERE HAVING NOT THAT CHRONIC
- [00:54:38.508]PROBLEMS, HAVING A ACUTE PROBLEM, GREAT OUTBREAK OF DENGE
- [00:54:43.079]FEVER THAT IS SPREADING LIKE WILDFIRE.
- [00:54:46.416]FIRST BIG OUTBREAK EVER AND YOU KNOW I WAS SPENDING A LOT OF
- [00:54:50.053]TIME IN THE SLUMS SO I GOT BIT BY THE WRONG MOSQUITO AND GOT IT
- [00:54:54.424]MYSELF.
- [00:54:54.758]I WAS AS SICK AS I HAVE EVER BEEN BUT I DIDN'T DIE.
- [00:54:57.994]A LOT OF PEOPLE DID DIE BECAUSE THEY WERE WEAK AND
- [00:55:01.297]UNDERNOURISHED AND THINGS GOING ON I REMEMBER JUST LOOKING AT THE
- [00:55:06.670]LINES OF PEOPLE SHIVERING FROM THIS TROPICAL DISEASE.
- [00:55:09.806]AND THINKING, DAMN, THIS IS REALLY UNFAIR.
- [00:55:15.345]180 MILLION PEOPLE IN BANGLADESH.
- [00:55:17.580]BUT WHEN THE U.N. TRIALS TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH CARBON EACH
- [00:55:20.850]NATION ON EARTH EMITS, BANGLADESH, THOSE 180 MILLION
- [00:55:25.021]PEOPLE ARE A ROUNDING ERROR.
- [00:55:26.389]YOU CAN HARDLY EVEN MEASURE IT.
- [00:55:28.858]WHEREAS IN THIS COUNTRY THE 4% OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION THAT
- [00:55:32.562]LIVES HERE HAS CONTRIBUTED THE VAST PLURALITY OF THE CARBON
- [00:55:36.566]THAT'S CURRENTLY IN THE ATMOSPHERE SO WHEN I CAME HOME
- [00:55:38.835]FROM THAT TRIP I THINK THERE HEY MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THAT
- [00:55:42.038]KICKED OFF IN ME AND JUST SAID TIME TO BE A LITTLE MORE ACTIVE
- [00:55:46.609]HERE.
- [00:55:46.910]>> THANKS VERY MUCH.
- [00:55:47.777]GIVEN THAT THIS ZING'S PRELECTURE TALK WAS DELIVERED BY
- [00:55:50.213]A MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND YOUR RECENT
- [00:55:54.350]POPULAR ART AS ON THE POPE WHAT ROLE DO YOU FEEL RELIGIOUS
- [00:55:57.921]LEADERS HAVE IN THIS FIGHT?
- [00:56:01.257]>>> I'M NOT FULLY EQUIPPED TO -- THE HIGHEST I EVER ROSE IN THE
- [00:56:07.564]METHODIST HIERARCHY WAS SUNDAY SCHOOL TYPE OFFER.
- [00:56:11.901]AND THAT IN THE VERY VERY RURAL CHURCH WHERE I LIVED WERE THE
- [00:56:15.672]ONLY QUALIFICATION REALLY IS ON CHRISTMAS EVE CAN YOU TURN A
- [00:56:19.843]FOURTH GRADER INTO A SHEPHERD WITH A TEA TOWEL, YOU KNOW?
- [00:56:25.148]AND I CAN.
- [00:56:29.853]BUT I'VE LONG WANTED TO SEE AND TRIED TO HELP THIS RISE IN THE
- [00:56:33.323]KIND OF RELIGIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT AND NOW IT IS COMING.
- [00:56:37.060]IT LOOK A -- TOOK A LONG TIME.
- [00:56:38.661]AT FIRST 25 YEARS AGO LIBERAL CHURCHES WEREN'T INTERESTED
- [00:56:43.466]BECAUSE THE REAL ISSUES WERE WARP AND HUNGER AND WE WOULD GET
- [00:56:45.935]TO THE ENVIRONMENT AFTER THAT.
- [00:56:47.637]AND CONSERVATIVE CHURCHES WEREN'T FROM BECAUSE IT
- [00:56:51.741]IT WAS ALL A WEIGH STATION ON THE ROAD TO PAGANISM AND NOW
- [00:56:55.345]EVERYBODY IS BEGINNING TO WISE UP TO THE FACT THAT CARE FOR
- [00:56:59.749]CREATION IS A CENTRAL TASK.
- [00:57:01.417]THE POPE'S ENCYCLICAL IS I THINK CRUCIAL.
- [00:57:05.088]NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT RECOGNIZES THAT BUT BECAUSE IT IS A VERY
- [00:57:08.992]THOROUGH GOING CRITIQUE OF HOW WE LIVE IN THIS WORLD.
- [00:57:12.095]I HIGHLY RECOMMEND SITTING DOWN AND SPENDING THE FEW HOURS IT
- [00:57:15.965]TAKES TO READ IT.
- [00:57:16.766]IT IS A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT FAR BEYOND ITS FOCUS ON CLIMATE
- [00:57:23.773]CHANGE.
- [00:57:24.140]I THINK WHAT IT REPRESENTS IS THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE KIND OF
- [00:57:29.579]CONSENSUS IN THE WORLD AROUND US THAT WE HAVE TO GET TO WORK.
- [00:57:32.248]AND I THINK IT WILL PLAY A LARGE AND IMPORTANT ROLE.
- [00:57:36.386]>> ALL RIGHT.
- [00:57:36.986]FROM OUR TWITTER FEED A QUESTION IS THERE A RISK THAT OFFENSIVE
- [00:57:41.758]ACTIVISM ALIENATES THE GENERAL POPULATION AND COUNTER
- [00:57:45.929]PRODUCTIVE?
- [00:57:46.329]>> ONE CAN THINK OF FUNNIER WAILS TO ALIENATE PEOPLE AND ONE
- [00:57:49.499]OF THE SMARTEST REASONS THAT ONE OF THE GREAT INSIGHTS THAT
- [00:57:53.603]PEOPLE LIKE DR. KING AND GANDHI HAD, WAS THAT THERE'S A GREAT
- [00:58:01.444]POWER IN NOT VIOLENT RESISTANCE, CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN THE
- [00:58:06.282]UNEARNED SUFFERING THAT IT PRODUCES.
- [00:58:09.052]IF I WERE AN OIL COMPANY, WOULD I BE HIRING PEOPLE TO THROW A
- [00:58:13.022]ROCK THROUGH WINDOWS BECAUSE THAT IS THE QUICKEST WAY I THINK
- [00:58:17.493]TO TURN PEOPLE OFF.
- [00:58:20.063]AND THAT'S WHY WE WORKED VERY HARD AND I KNOW PEOPLE LIKE
- [00:58:24.901]NEBRASKA, WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND AS I SAID
- [00:58:30.473]BEFORE, THAT -- THAT THOUGH WE ARE DETERMINED, WE ARE NOT
- [00:58:37.013]RADICAL IN THAT SENSE.
- [00:58:41.384]THAT THIS IS -- THAT IS THE WORK OF PEOPLE WHO SEE NO CHOICE BUT
- [00:58:47.390]WHO SEE A GREAT POSSIBILITY HERE.
- [00:58:51.527]>> LET'S TURN TO NATIONAL POLITICS.
- [00:58:53.897]WHAT'S YOUR BEST PREDICTION OF WHAT THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
- [00:58:57.000]WHO WANT TO ACT WILL ACTUALLY DO AND SAY BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION
- [00:59:02.138]AND IF ELECTED.
- [00:59:03.740]>> WELL, GOOD QUESTION.
- [00:59:08.278]I WILL CONFESS THAT THE LAST TALK I GAVE WAS SATURDAY NIGHT
- [00:59:12.248]AND IT WAS IN BOSTON AND I WAS -- I GOT THE FLESH OF
- [00:59:20.356]INTRODUCING MY NEIGHBOR, BERNIE SANDERS, YOU KNOW.
- [00:59:28.898]IT WAS REALLY FUN.
- [00:59:30.500]26,000 PEOPLE CRAMMED IN THIS ROOM AND I GOT TO BE THE GUY WHO
- [00:59:33.736]SAID THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES -- THAT'S GOOD.
- [00:59:44.113]I THINK THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS THE EXISTENCE OF
- [00:59:46.316]THIS MOVEMENT AND THE EXISTENCE OF CANDIDATES LIKE SANDER IS
- [00:59:49.552]KIND OF PUSH BEING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO BE MORE
- [00:59:55.291]DIRECT.
- [00:59:55.925]IN THEIR -- IN THEIR STATEMENTS AND ACTIONS.
- [01:00:01.030]IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE HILLARY CLINTON AFTER 5 YEARS OF
- [01:00:05.969]ESSENTIALLY SUPPORTING THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE, COME OUT LAST
- [01:00:08.871]MONTH AND SAY SHE WAS AGAINST IT AND TO HAVE HER -- [APPLAUSE]
- [01:00:13.710]AND TO HAVE HER DO IT AGAIN ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.
- [01:00:17.613]LAST SATURDAY.
- [01:00:19.115]YOU KNOW.
- [01:00:20.216]IT WAS A USEFUL THING.
- [01:00:22.518]SO I THINK THAT THAT IS SORT OF -- WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT
- [01:00:26.522]FEW MONTHS AS THE DEMOCRATS TRY TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR BASE, YOU
- [01:00:30.626]KNOW AND THEN I THINK THE INTERESTING QUESTION WILL BE HOW
- [01:00:33.896]THE PLAYS OUT IN THE PRESIDENTIAL AND GENERAL
- [01:00:36.733]ELECTION.
- [01:00:37.100]IN 2012, BOTH BARAK OBAMA AND MITT ROMNEY COMPLETELY IGNORED
- [01:00:43.373]IT.
- [01:00:43.673]THEY MANAGED IN THE HOTTEST YEAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY TO GO
- [01:00:46.709]THROUGH THE WHOLE CAMPAIGN UNTIL HURRICANE SANDY HIT WITH 3 DAYS
- [01:00:50.279]TO GO AND MANAGED TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE THING WITHOUT EVEN
- [01:00:52.682]SAYING THE WORDS.
- [01:00:53.383]LIKE THEY HAD A TACIT BARGAIN THAT IT WASN'T USEFUL FOR EITHER
- [01:00:57.687]OF THEM SO WEREN'T GOING TO SAY IT.
- [01:00:59.489]I THINK THE DEMOCRATS HAVE DECIDED AND HAVE A LOT OF
- [01:01:02.925]POLLING AND FOCUS GROUP TO INDICATE THAT THIS IS A BIG
- [01:01:05.628]WEDGE ISSUE NOW.
- [01:01:06.562]AND THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE MADE IT SERIOUS MISTAKE IN THE
- [01:01:10.466]EXTENT TO WHICH THEY HAVE COW-TOWED TO THE FOSSIL FUEL
- [01:01:14.170]INDUSTRY AND NOW OUT OF TOUCH WITH LARGE PARTS OF THE AMERICAN
- [01:01:18.107]ELECTORATE AND WILL BE A HELL OF A HARD THING TO GET ELECTED
- [01:01:22.412]PRETENDING THAT PHYSIC DON'T EXIST.
- [01:01:24.380]YOU KNOW?
- [01:01:25.281][APPLAUSE] THAT SAID, THAT SAID, I DON'T
- [01:01:32.488]THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT ELECTING ANYONE, INCLUDING BERNIE
- [01:01:35.925]SANDERS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, SOLVES THE PROBLEMS WE
- [01:01:39.695]FAILS.
- [01:01:39.996]I TURNED OUT THAT HAVING ELECTED OBAMA WE THEN HAD TO GO AND SEND
- [01:01:45.501]IT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO JAIL OUTSIDE HIS HOUSE TO GET HIM TO
- [01:01:49.305]DO ANYTHING.
- [01:01:50.973]SO THE REASON TO ELECT DEMOCRAT WOULD BE SIMPLY THAT YOU CAN
- [01:01:55.678]THEN GO TO WORK ON THEM.
- [01:01:58.314]AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO.
- [01:02:04.587]>> SO THIS BRIEF ARE YOU CONFIDENT THE SOLUTION WILL
- [01:02:07.490]EMERGE FROM WASHINGTON OR IS IT EASIER TO GIVE UP ON WASHINGTON?
- [01:02:10.660]>> NO.
- [01:02:11.027]I MEAN LOOK, THE TROUBLE WITH WASHINGTON IS WE ARE NOT GOING
- [01:02:15.765]TO GET THE ACTION OUT OF CONGRESS THAT WE NEED.
- [01:02:18.401]THAT IS PRETTY CLEAR AND THE RELEVANT TIME PERIOD IT SEEMS
- [01:02:22.405]VERY HARD TO IMAGINE A SCENARIO UNLESS THERE IS -- UNLESS THERE
- [01:02:30.046]IS A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICTS THAT DO WHAT YOU GUYS DID TO LEE
- [01:02:34.383]TERRY LAST TIME AROUND.
- [01:02:37.487]THERE IS GOING TO BE -- IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ANY
- [01:02:41.190]SOLUTION OUT OF THE GOP HOUSE.
- [01:02:44.994]OKAY?
- [01:02:45.294]THAT DOESN'T MEAN WASHINGTON DOESN'T HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY.
- [01:02:47.563]IT TURNS OUT THAT IN THESE QUESTIONS THE PRESIDENT HAS A
- [01:02:50.199]LARGE ROLE TO PLAY BY HIMSELF THROUGH EXECUTIVE ACTION.
- [01:02:55.371]IF WE ELECT A DEMOCRAT I THINK THAT THE DEMAND IS VERY CLEAR
- [01:02:59.775]THAT THERE WOULD BE NO MORE EXPLORATION FOR FOSSIL FUELS ON
- [01:03:03.746]PUB PUBLIC LANDS.
- [01:03:05.214]IN THIS COUNTRY.
- [01:03:08.317]AND THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO JUMP-START THE QUICK
- [01:03:14.190]ACCELERATED TRANSITION TO FOSSIL -- THE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL ENTER
- [01:03:18.694]OFFICE WITH CHEAP RENEWABLE ENERGY.
- [01:03:20.930]FIRST PRESIDENT TO DO THAT AND WILL BE THE REAL TEST AS TO
- [01:03:24.000]WHETHER THEY CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OR NOT.
- [01:03:26.669]BUT THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO GO ON IN STATES AND
- [01:03:31.674]ACROSS BORDERS AND YEARS ARE WAITING FOR WASHINGTON TO LEAD
- [01:03:36.112]ON THIS ARE OVER.
- [01:03:36.913]IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE U.S.
- [01:03:38.080]ISN'T GOING TO BE A LEADER NOW.
- [01:03:40.883]THE JOB NOW IS TO KEEP THEM FROM DERAILING THE WHOLE THING.
- [01:03:44.854]>> HOW DOES GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTED NATIONAL
- [01:03:49.725]SECURITY?
- [01:03:50.092]>> HEATHER LOCKLEAR, THE HEAD OF THE U.S. PACIFIC COMMAND, GAVE
- [01:03:57.266]AN INTERVIEW LAST YEAR WHERE HE SAID WE ARE DEALING WITH KOREA,
- [01:04:01.871]CYBER ATTACKS, DEALING WITH TERRORISM.
- [01:04:03.172]THING WE WORRY ABOUT THE MOST IS CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE REASON IS
- [01:04:08.311]ITS AFFECT TO DESTABILIZE EVERYTHING AND I THINK THE THING
- [01:04:11.614]THAT SCARES THE MILITARY PLANNERS THE MOST IS WHAT
- [01:04:14.383]HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE LARGE NUMBER, LARGE POPULATIONS ON THE
- [01:04:19.021]MOVE AROUND THE WORLD.
- [01:04:20.590]THAT THAT IS KIND OF RECIPE FOR INSTABILITY.
- [01:04:25.828]YOU CAN PICK A REGION IF YOU SEE IT GOING ON.
- [01:04:28.965]AT THE MOMENT, MOST TRAGIC MAY BE AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT
- [01:04:31.434]THIS EARLIER WITH STUDENTS, MAYBE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
- [01:04:35.404]MIDDLE EAST.
- [01:04:35.838]THERE IS A LOT OF ACADEMIC WORK THAT MAKES IT PRETTY CLEAR THAT
- [01:04:40.109]A MAJOR IF NOT THE MAJOR PREDISPOSING FACTOR TO THE
- [01:04:45.748]DISSOLUTION OF SYRIA WAS THE WORST DROUGHT IN THE HISTORY OF
- [01:04:49.585]THE FERTILE CREST, A DROUGHT TO DEEP THAT IT DROVE MORE THAN A
- [01:04:54.023]MILLION FARMERS OFF THEIR LAND AND INTO THE CITIES AND COULD BE
- [01:04:57.693]ATTRIBUTED MIGHTILY TO THE INSTABILITY OF SYRIA WHICH
- [01:05:01.697]GOVERNMENT IN DAMASCUS WAS UNABLE TO COPE.
- [01:05:05.668]HENCE, THE -- ALONG WITH OTHER CAUSES, HENCE THE DISSOLUTION OF
- [01:05:09.805]THAT GOVERNMENT.
- [01:05:10.940]THERE WAS A BIG HEADLINE IN "TIME" MAGAZINE TWO WEEKS AGO
- [01:05:14.510]ABOUT THE STREAM OF REFUGEES INTO EUROPE SAYING AT SOME LEVEL
- [01:05:18.014]YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THESE PEOPLE CLIMATE REFUGEES THAT IS
- [01:05:21.284]GOING A LITTLE TOO FAR ACTUALLY BUT DO I THINK THAT THAT IS
- [01:05:25.755]EXACTLY THE IMAGE TO HAVE IN YOUR MIND AS YOU ARE IMAGINING
- [01:05:28.991]THE FUTURE.
- [01:05:30.059]PEOPLE ON THE MOVE AND WITH IT -- BANGLADESH, INDIA HAS BUILT A
- [01:05:37.967]WALL BETWEEN IT AND BANGLADESH LEARN.
- [01:05:42.772]-- BANGLADESH MODEL ON OUR BORDER FENCE WITH MEXICO AND IT
- [01:05:46.642]IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT AS SEA LEVEL RISES, THAT IS GOING TO BE
- [01:05:50.413]THE OBVIOUS PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE HEADED FROM BANGLADESH BUT
- [01:05:54.717]NOT LIKE THERE IS ANY VACANT REAL ESTATE IN THE AREA FOR
- [01:06:00.423]PEOPLE TO GO TO.
- [01:06:01.123]THE SAME KIND OF THING ALL OVER THE WORLD.
- [01:06:03.492]IT WILL BE TREMENDOUSLY DESTABILIZED.
- [01:06:07.997]>> THANKS AND A QUESTION FROM MEMBER OF OUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT
- [01:06:10.399]HERE AT THE LIED CENTER.
- [01:06:11.334]IT IS EASY IN NEBRASKA TO OPPOSE FOSSIL FUELS BECAUSE WE HAVE
- [01:06:14.937]RELATIVELY FEW JOBS IN THAT INDUSTRY.
- [01:06:16.872]HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO EMPLOY IN THE SHORT-TERM THE MANY
- [01:06:20.343]THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS WHOSE LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON THE FOSSIL
- [01:06:24.847]FUEL INDUSTRY?
- [01:06:25.314]>> GOOD NEWS IS, I GUESS THERE IS NO EASY ANSWER TO THAT.
- [01:06:30.019]AND YOU KNOW, NO AVOIDING FACT THAT ITL WILL BE DIS-LOCATING
- [01:06:35.558]FOR SOME PEOPLE.
- [01:06:36.492]THE GOOD NEWS, I GUESS, IS THAT THE TRANSITION TO RENEWABLE
- [01:06:42.998]ENERGY IS GOING TO REQUIRE AN ENORMOUS NUMBER OF AMERICANS
- [01:06:46.235]WORKING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
- [01:06:49.638]THERE IS PROBABLY NO LARGER TRANSITION ECONOMICALLY THAT WE
- [01:06:53.209]HAVE EVER UNDERGONE.
- [01:06:54.343]AT LEAST IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AS WE NEED TO DO THIS.
- [01:06:57.913]AND THOSE ARE GOOD JOBS, AND THEY ARE JOBS THAT AUTOMATICALLY
- [01:07:02.385]ARE HERE AT HOME.
- [01:07:03.252]I MEAN NO ONE WILL PUT THEIR HOUSE ON A BOAT AND SEND IT TO
- [01:07:06.722]CHINA IN ORDER TO GET IT INSULATED OR A SOLAR PANEL PUT
- [01:07:10.393]ON THE ROOF OR SOMETHING.
- [01:07:12.528]THAT'S WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE HERE.
- [01:07:14.630]WE DO NEED A JUST TRANSITION FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE -- YOU KNOW, WHO,
- [01:07:19.602]SAY, ARE COAL MINERS AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO BURN COAL ANYMORE.
- [01:07:22.905]NOT -- THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEAR THE
- [01:07:27.610]BRUNT OF THAT THEMSELVES.
- [01:07:29.211]THEIR NUMBERS ARE NOT SO ENORMOUS THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE.
- [01:07:33.182]ALREADY 3 MANY TIMES PEOPLE IN THE SOLAR FIELD AS MINING COAL
- [01:07:39.388]SO THESE SHOULD NOT BE INSURMOUNTABLE CHALLENGES BUT
- [01:07:42.124]THERE ARE THINGS THAT REQUIRE A REAL EFFORT AT A JUST
- [01:07:45.528]TRANSITION.
- [01:07:45.928]>> THANK YOU.
- [01:07:46.395]ALSO FROM A MEMBER JOINING US HERE.
- [01:07:49.064]WHAT'S THE ROLE OF INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE REGARDING CLIMATE
- [01:07:55.037]CHANGE?
- [01:07:55.371]>> SO AGRICULTURE IS A CONTRIBUTOR TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
- [01:08:00.409]IT IS NOT THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTOR.
- [01:08:04.547]PEOPLE RECENTLY -- RUNNING INTO PEOPLE WHO COME ACROSS STATS
- [01:08:09.084]THAT AGRICULTURE CONTRIBUTES 51% OF CARBON EMISSIONS AND IT IS
- [01:08:16.926]NOT CORRECT.
- [01:08:17.792]GUESS THAT IT IS SOMEPLACE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEPENDING ON
- [01:08:20.196]HOW YOU CALCULATE IT OF 18% OF GREENHOUSE GALLONS EMISSIONS IN
- [01:08:25.000]THE WORLD.
- [01:08:25.901]AND A FAIR AMOUNT OF THAT, SOME OF THAT IS DOWN TO THE
- [01:08:31.006]DEFORESTATION THAT OF HAMS AS WE CREATE PASTURELAND AND SO ON AND
- [01:08:36.111]A FAIR AMOUNT IT DOWN TO THE METHANE THAT CATTLE PRODUCE AND
- [01:08:41.817]A FAIR AMOUNT OF IT DOWN TO HOW WE RAISE SOME OF OUR CATTLE IN
- [01:08:46.822]THIS WORLD, FEED LOT AGRICULTURE AND THE LIKE.
- [01:08:51.193]AND THAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO CHANGE LIKE OTHER THINGS NEED TO
- [01:08:55.598]CHANGE.
- [01:08:55.930]WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BEFOREHAND, ONE OF THE
- [01:08:58.834]INTERESTING FIELDS OF RESEARCH RIGHT NOW, BY AGRONOMISTS IS HOW
- [01:09:04.439]TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT COULD CHANGE AND THERE IS AT LEAST
- [01:09:07.743]SOME EVIDENCE THAT SMALLER SCALE ROTATIONAL GRAZING ON
- [01:09:14.649]GRASSLANDS, ITCH DONE IN VERY CONCENTRATED WAILS, THAT REQUIRE
- [01:09:20.656]MORE LABOR THAN WE USE AT THE MOMENT, WOULD PRODUCE NOT JUST
- [01:09:23.959]FEWER EMISSIONS BUT PRODUCE HEALTHY SOIL SO, HEALTHY THAT IT
- [01:09:27.595]WOULD SEQUESTER FAIR AMOUNT OF CARBON OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
- [01:09:31.300]NOW, THE RESULT OF THAT WOULD BE THAT THE PRICE OF POUND OF BEEF
- [01:09:38.040]WOULD GO UP IF IT WAS RAISED IN THE RIGHT WAY.
- [01:09:40.309]I KNOW THAT IT IS PROBABLY HERESY TO SAY IT IN NEBRASKA,
- [01:09:44.580]BUT IN FACT, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD THING ALL AROUND TOO
- [01:09:48.250]BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY EAT A FAIR AMOUNT MORE OF THAT STUFF THAN
- [01:09:51.819]WE SHOULD.
- [01:09:52.488]FOR ALL SORTS OF REASONS.
- [01:09:57.593]SO THE -- [APPLAUSE] -- THE WORLD OF AGRICULTURE IS
- [01:10:05.501]IMPORTANT AND I WAS SAYING BEFORE THAT I DO THINK IT IS A
- [01:10:08.737]BEAUTIFUL MOMENT IN CERTAIN WAILS FOR AGRICULTURE IN THIS
- [01:10:14.276]COUNTRY.
- [01:10:14.610]AND YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 150 YEARS THE NUMBER OF FARMS
- [01:10:18.247]IN AMERICA IS GOING UP INSTEAD OF DOWN.
- [01:10:22.384]I TEACH AT A COLLEGE AND IT IS NOT AN AG SCHOOL.
- [01:10:26.322]NOT HAVE AN AG SCHOOL BUT INCREASING NUMBER OF YOUNG
- [01:10:29.091]PEOPLE WHO ARE GRADUATING AND GOING INTO AGRICULTURE AND EACH
- [01:10:32.227]TIME THAT HAPPENS IT MAKE ME ENORMOUSLY HAPPY.
- [01:10:37.800]BECAUSE THEY ARE FIGURING OUT NEW APPROACHES.
- [01:10:40.336]THE THING THAT IS GOING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES SO DIFFICULT IS IF
- [01:10:44.840]WE LET THE WEATHER CONTINUE TO GET COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL.
- [01:10:48.777]IF YOU THINK ABOUT AGRICULTURE, THE ONE PART OF -- YOU KNOW IT
- [01:10:55.084]IS OBVIOUSLY HARD WORKING VERY HARD WORK AND REQUIRES ENDLESS
- [01:10:58.220]AMOUNT OF JUDGMENT AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE AN ENDLESS NUMBER OF
- [01:11:01.090]DECISIONS AND YOU BETTER MAKE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THEM
- [01:11:03.926]CORRECTLY OR ELSE YOU ARE OUT OF BUSINESS AND THINGS BUT THE ONE
- [01:11:07.062]THING THAT OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME, NOT YEAR TO YEAR BUT
- [01:11:11.166]DECADE TO DECADE WAS YOU CAN COUNT ON WAS THE BASIC PHYSICAL
- [01:11:14.870]STABILITY OF THE PLANET.
- [01:11:15.971]YOU KNOW IF YOUR GRANDFATHER COULD RAISE CORN SOMEPLACE IT
- [01:11:19.408]WAS A GOOD BET THAT THIS IS GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER WOULD BE
- [01:11:22.011]ABLE TO DO THE SAME THING.
- [01:11:24.380]THAT'S NOT A SUCKERS BET AS WE CHANGE THE WORLD'S CLIMATE WE
- [01:11:27.850]ARE MAKING THAT VERY VERY DIFFICULT.
- [01:11:30.719]SO AS I SAID BEFORE, I THINK THE BIGGEST SINGLE REASON MAYBE THAT
- [01:11:35.290]WE NEED TO -- MAYBE THE TWO BIGGEST REASONS WE NEED TO REIGN
- [01:11:38.560]IN CLIMATE CHANGE VERY QUICKLY ARE ITS EFFECT ON SEA LEVEL FOR
- [01:11:42.731]URBAN PEOPLE, MOST OF WHOM LIVE ON COASTS AND ITS EFFECT ON OUR
- [01:11:47.469]ABILITY TO GROW FOOD FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE ENGAGED IN THAT
- [01:11:53.509]WORK.
- [01:11:53.942]AND HOPEFULLY MORE OF THEM ALL THE TIME.
- [01:11:56.912]>> NOW TURNING A LITTLE MORE DIRECTLY TO ACTIVISM WHERE DO
- [01:12:00.949]YOU SEE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE IN THE COMING YEAR?
- [01:12:04.887]>>> THE COMING YEAR WILL BE INTERESTING.
- [01:12:06.422]WE WILL GO TO PARIS FOR THIS BIG CLIMATE TALKS.
- [01:12:09.558]WILL COME OUT BETTER THAN THE ONES IN COPENHAGEN 6 YEARS AGO.
- [01:12:13.595]THE REASON THEY ARE GOING TO COME OUT BETTER ABOVE ALL THAT'S
- [01:12:16.265]WE NOW HAVE A BIG WIDESPREAD MOVEMENT AROUND THE WORLD.
- [01:12:19.668]THE ONES IN COPENHAGEN ENDED WITH NO AGREEMENT WHATSOEVER.
- [01:12:22.571]IT WAS THE BIGGEST DIPLOMATIC DEBACLE SINCE MUNICH BUT NO ONE
- [01:12:28.644]GOT IN TROUBLE FOR IT.
- [01:12:30.612]NO WORLD LEADER, BO OBAMA COULD COME HOME AND HE DIDN'T GET --
- [01:12:34.783]PAY A BIG PRICE.
- [01:12:36.185]NOW THERE IS ENOUGH OF A MOVEMENT THAT HE WOULD PAY A BIG
- [01:12:39.354]PRICE AND HE AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO
- [01:12:42.324]REACH SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT.
- [01:12:43.759]WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE AGREEMENT THAT THE REACH WILL BE LESS THAN
- [01:12:48.230]WE NEED.
- [01:12:48.697]FOR ONE THING IT WILL BE ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY AS JUST A
- [01:12:52.868]SERIES OF PLEDGES THAT ARE BEING MADE.
- [01:12:54.403]PRETTY CLEAR WHAT THE PRESENTATION ARE GOING TO BE.
- [01:12:57.506]THEY WILL PUT NEWS A PATH I TOLD YOU BEFORE, WE WERE HEADED FOR
- [01:13:00.309]4, 5 DEGREES CELSIUS OF TEMPERATURE INCREASE.
- [01:13:04.079]IF ALL GOES WELL, AFTER PARIS WE WILL BE ON A ROAD TO 3, 3.5
- [01:13:09.351]DEGREES OF TEMPERATURE INCREASE CELSIUS WHICH IS STILL WAY WAY
- [01:13:14.590]TOO MUCH.
- [01:13:15.157]WORLD SET A TARGET AND ABSOLUTE RED LINE OF 2 DEGREES CELSIUS.
- [01:13:18.727]EVEN THAT ITS WAY TOO MUCH.
- [01:13:20.262]IF ONE DEGREE MELTS THE ARCTIC, WE ARE IDIOTS TO FIND OUT WHAT 2
- [01:13:24.666]DEGREES WILL DO BUT WE ARE PROBABLY GOING TO COME CLOSE TO
- [01:13:27.269]FINDING OUT EVEN IF WE DO EVERYTHING RIGHT.
- [01:13:30.539]SO IT IS REMARKABLY IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT LET PARIS AND THESE
- [01:13:37.246]NEGOTIATIONS BE A END POINT.
- [01:13:38.881]THEY ARE NOT THE END GAME BUT THE SCOREBOARD.
- [01:13:40.883]AFTERWARDS WE KEEP MOVING FAST AHEAD.
- [01:13:44.052]NEXT APRIL WE HAVE ALREADY SET A BIG DAY OF ACTION AROUND THE
- [01:13:47.723]WORLD THAT ALL THE HUGE CARBON DEPOSITS, WHAT I'VE BEEN CALLING
- [01:13:50.726]THE KIND OF CARBON BOMBS ON THE PLANET, PLACES LIKE THE TAR
- [01:13:58.534]SANS, THE RIVER BASIN, LIKE GREAT DEPOSITS IN AUSTRALIA AND
- [01:14:05.207]IN AREAS LIKE THE ARCTIC AND WE WILL BE IN THOSE PLACES AND
- [01:14:09.077]IN THE PLACES THAT CONNECT TO THEM.
- [01:14:12.047]LIKE THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE, REMINDING PEOPLE THAT WE CAN'T
- [01:14:15.350]DEVELOP THIS STUFF.
- [01:14:16.118]SO THE HOPE IS THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF ACTIVISM, THAT
- [01:14:21.056]PARIS WILL SIMPLY CHARGE PEOPLE UP TO BE YET NOR
- [01:14:25.527]ENGAGED.
- [01:14:25.961]>> ALL RIGHT.
- [01:14:26.428]BEFORE WE TAKE OUR FINAL QUESTION, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND
- [01:14:29.364]EVERYONE THAT BILL WILL HAVE PARTICIPATING IN A BOOK SALE AND
- [01:14:33.502]BOOK SIGNING IN THE REAR LOBBY OF THE MAIN HALL HERE.
- [01:14:36.638]I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU TO MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE
- [01:14:40.242]NEXT FORUM EVENT FEATURING WES MOORE ON JANUARY 19TH A.
- [01:14:45.147]AND CHERYL ON FEBRUARY 2.
- [01:14:46.715]BOTH HERE AT THE LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS.
- [01:14:48.817]BEFORE WE ASK OUR LAST QUESTION ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE
- [01:14:52.588]I WOULD LIKE TO SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR PASSION AND ACTIVISM.
- [01:15:05.334]I THINK YOU CAN TELL THAT EVERYONE AGREES YOU ARE SO GLAD
- [01:15:08.070]YOU LEFT THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME TO COME TO NEBRASKA.
- [01:15:11.173]WE HOPE YOU WILL VISIT AGAIN.
- [01:15:12.774]THE LAST QUESTION IS, WHAT WOULD BE THE ONE THING YOU WOULD HAVE
- [01:15:16.345]EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM DO TO HELP YOU IN THIS FIGHT IF THEY COULD?
- [01:15:19.414]>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
- [01:15:20.849]FOR YEARS, WHAT THE PRO ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT TOLD
- [01:15:23.886]PEOPLE TO DO WAS TO TAKE INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS.
- [01:15:27.556]CHANGE YOUR LIGHT BULB, SO ON.
- [01:15:29.825]THOSE ARE POSH THINGS.
- [01:15:31.526]YOU SHOULD CHANGE YOUR LIGHT BULBS.
- [01:15:33.695]YOU SHOULD PUT UP SOLAR PANELS.
- [01:15:36.932]YOU SHOULD GET A BICYCLE.
- [01:15:38.967]YOU SHOULD EAT LOW ON THE FOOD
- [01:15:42.804]CHAIN.
- [01:15:44.339]WOULD YOU KNOW THESE THINGS AND MANY PEOPLE HERE ARE DOING THAT
- [01:15:46.608]BUT HAVING DONE THEM ALL MYSELF, I ALWAYS TRY TO REMIND MYSELF
- [01:15:53.482]THAT THOSE ARE NOT WHAT'S GOING TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE.
- [01:15:57.286]THIS IS A STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMIC PROBLEM, ROOTED IN
- [01:16:00.889]THINGS LIKE THE FACT THAT THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY HAS BEEN
- [01:16:04.826]ABLE TO KEEP A PRICE FROM BEING ATTACHED TO CARBON AND THE
- [01:16:08.530]DAMAGE IT DOES.
- [01:16:10.065]STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS DON'T YIELD TO INDIVIDUAL
- [01:16:14.036]ACTION.
- [01:16:14.369]THEY REQUIRE US TO NOT BE INDIVIDUALS ALL THE TIME.
- [01:16:19.041]THEY REQUIRE US TO COME TOGETHER TO FORM MOVEMENTS.
- [01:16:25.314]AND THAT IS WHAT IS REQUIRED.
- [01:16:27.382]SO THE ONE THING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE WITH
- [01:16:34.990]OTHER PEOPLE AND OPERATIONS LIKE YOU HAVE GOOD ONES HERE, LIKE
- [01:16:39.394]BOLD NEBRASKA THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND DEMONSTRATE THE
- [01:16:45.067]ENORMOUS POWER OF THAT KIND OF UNITY.
- [01:16:50.906]ACTIVISM, YOUR TOPIC HERE THIS YEAR, IS -- IS ONE OF THE MOST
- [01:17:00.716]HUMAN -- ONE OF THE BEST MANIFESTATIONS OF BEING A HUMAN
- [01:17:06.521]BEING.
- [01:17:08.357]WE ARE IN THE END SOCIAL CREATURES.
- [01:17:13.362]AND FOR MANY REASONS, THE KIND OF AMERICAN EXPERIMENT WITH A
- [01:17:18.767]KIND OF HYPER INDIVIDUALISM, SUPER CONSUMERS THAT WE HAVE
- [01:17:22.637]STYLED OURSELVES.
- [01:17:24.873]PROBABLY LESS SATISFYING THAN WE HAVE TOLD OURSELVES THAT IT IS.
- [01:17:28.243]ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT ACTIVISM, EVEN FOR AN
- [01:17:34.549]INTROVERT LIKE ME, IS THAT THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF -- I DON'T --
- [01:17:40.956]I DON'T KNOW IF PLEASURE IS THE RIGHT WORD BUT DEEP SATISFACTION
- [01:17:45.093]TO BE HAD IN WORKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE TOWARDS A COMMON END.
- [01:17:51.199]AND WHILE ON THE ONE HAND WE ARE KIND OF UNLUCKY TO BE ALIVE AT
- [01:17:55.070]THE MOMENT WHEN THIS HUGE CHALLENGE AWAITS US, ON THE
- [01:17:58.740]OTHER HAND WE ARE KIND OF LUCKY TO HAVE IT.
- [01:18:02.577]IT IS NOT AS IF OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER TIMES DIDN'T HAVE
- [01:18:05.547]CHALLENGES.
- [01:18:05.947]YOU KNOW OUR GRANDPARENTS HAD TO GO FIGHT FASCISM IN EUROPE AND A
- [01:18:10.085]LOT OF THEM DIED DOING IT.
- [01:18:11.420]YOU ARE NOT PROBABLY GOING TO DIE FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE.
- [01:18:16.358]BUT IT IS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SAME KIND OF COMMITMENT
- [01:18:22.330]AND SOLIDARITY.
- [01:18:24.800]THE SAME KIND OF CONNECTION.
- [01:18:26.068]IN FACT THE DEEPER KIND OF CONNECTION BECAUSE YOU WILL BE
- [01:18:30.038]JOINING HANDS WITH PEOPLE AS YOU HAVE SEEN ALL OVER THE PLANET,
- [01:18:35.310]IN EVERY CORNER OF THE PLANET.
- [01:18:38.680]IN A FIGHT FOR THAT PLANET AND FOR ITS FUTURE.
- [01:18:42.784]SO THANK YOU.
- [01:18:43.718]>> THANK YOU.
- [01:18:44.519]LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
- [01:18:50.192]>> THANK YOU.
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