The climate truth we can no longer ignore

Residents clear debris in the city of Tacloban, devastated by Typhoon Haiyan, in the Philippines in November 2013. It was reportedly the deadliest storm in recorded history. EPA

Not so long ago, the prospect of fundamental climate change appeared to be a remote possibility.

Just two or three decades ago, scientists were talking about the consequences of climate change manifesting in 50-100 years.

Not anymore. We are seeing the consequences of global warming on an almost daily basis. If it's not flooding here, it's drought there. If it's not severe thunderstorms in one place, it's tornadoes, typhoons, earthquakes or coastal erosion in another.

Scientists tend to be very cautious when linking weather phenomena to climate change. They need to have solid evidence backed by peer-reviewed research to support their statements.

As a layperson, I don't have to be so cautious. My gut feeling tells me these severe weather patterns that we are witnessing are all related to global warming. And I'm pretty certain many scientists would agree.

The impact of climate change is not something that happens in remote places like the Arctic or Antarctic. It is now happening in our backyard, front yard and all around us.

To put it simply, I'm scared, but not for myself. After all, I don't have that many years left on this Earth.

I fear for those generations who are growing up or are yet to be born. They will face a world that is so much more hostile environmentally and, as a consequence, economically.

A decade ago, An Inconvenient Truth, a movie-length documentary produced by former US Vice President Al Gore, helped bring the subject of climate change and its deadly effects to the global consciousness.

Last week, I went to a special screening of its follow-up -- An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, organised by Greenpeace Thailand.

The film follows Mr Gore on his tour talking to groups of people he hopes will become advocates in the fight against climate change. He was also shown to have played a crucial role behind the scenes in convincing India to sign on to the Paris climate agreement in 2015.

As in the first film, the sequel takes around the world, both remotely and close to home. There are scenes that induce gasps and those that bring tears to the eyes.

I was particularly affected by a scene of water rushing down a big, almost bottomless hole in the Arctic ice pack. This is an area which was once covered with ice year-round, and its transformation is happening right before our eyes.

The polar ice caps have melted faster in last 20 years than over the past 10,000. The consequences of that reality are just starting to be felt.

Another shocking scene is that of Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the city of Tacloban in the Philippines in 2013. The film shows people scrambling up to the top of a multi-floor building as waves from a storm surge pursued them from behind.

In its aftermath, about 10,000 people were reported killed. The city itself was flattened. It was reportedly the strongest and deadliest storm in recorded history.

It is hard to overestimate the impact of climate change. Untold numbers of lives have already been lost and damage to property and the environment is impossible to estimate.

The unfortunate truth is that the worst is still to come.

Mr Gore suggests that the solution lies in renewable energy replacing fossil fuels. It is hoped that without fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be stabilised before declining to pre-industrial levels.

Promoting renewables is an admirable endeavour. But it's not enough. Tackling the issue of energy only treats the symptoms. But tackling the cause is even more complicated.

I suspect that policymakers, experts and even scientists know this. But they avoid talking about the root cause of the problem out of fear it will upset the status quo.

Replacing fossil fuels with renewables only masks the real problem, which is our consumption culture or, to be more specific, capitalism.

At its core, capitalism demands continuously increasing consumption to fuel economic growth. That means more natural resources, and nature itself, must be plundered to produce goods and sustain the system.

Experts constantly talk about sustainable development. But there can be no such thing as long as capitalism is the prevailing economic system.

Even if we derive our energy entirely from renewables, the devouring of natural resources and nature itself will not abate. In the end, the world as we know it will be destroyed.

If the Earth -- our only home -- is to survive, the system must change. But on that count, I'm not holding my breath.