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atmosphere seems remarkably easy and inexpensive, but the uncer- incremental change, and placing bets on miraculous discoveries or
tainty of what regionally will happen with the climate will remain large masses of people choosing large-scale sacrifice for the better-
large without small-scale experimentation first. ment of humanity and the environmental worldwide. History tells
To this end, I suggest that GSA’s Environmental & Engineering me these will not happen.
Geology Division, Energy Geology Division, Geology and Society To end my talk, I propose a set of environmental freedoms,
Division, and Hydrogeology Division, at the very least, could put GSA extensions of the four freedoms that President Franklin Roosevelt
in a leadership position with respect to developing climate adaptation gave to America during World War II, another time of existential
strategies. They could begin to offer sessions on it at meetings or orga- threat to our way of life.
nize Penrose Conferences. I urge them and other GSA Divisions to First, I propose the freedom from recurrent extreme climate-
consider taking on this challenge individually or collectively. driven disasters—not all climatic harm—just extreme harm.
If GSA does not, I guarantee that other societies and disciplines Second, I propose the freedom from worrying we won’t have rea-
will quickly rise to the challenge, possibly to poorer success. I espe- sonably clean and safe water, air, and food. Reasonably. Not perfectly.
cially urge geoscientists beginning their careers and those in mid- Third, I propose the freedom from losing environments we cher-
career to reflect how they could participate in future adaptation ish. Not everywhere, but in places we collectively choose. I frankly
ventures—even if they don’t like the idea, don’t want to hear about wonder if this freedom can be met—even theoretically—given the
it, or think nobody can predict the future. Maybe. rising pace of ecological disruption from climate change.
But I hereby predict that climate disruption will continue to Finally, I propose the freedom from worrying that the necessary
worsen in the next 20 years, well beyond the two-degree centigrade additional environmental harm and economic sacrifice needed to
threshold. I am 72 years old. The last twenty years roared past me— achieve the first three freedoms will not be made in vain.
like a finger snapping. Thirty years from now, those of you in your Four environmental freedoms for our future. From my lips—
twenties will be in mid-career. Snap. Those of you approaching perhaps to our politicians’ ears.
retirement will be… well, I’ll let that one slide. Thank you very much.
To those of you who disagree with me, I welcome emails or mes-
sages to me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, even REFERENCES CITED
stamped letters that scientifically counter what I say. But please Hardin, G., 1968, The tragedy of the commons: Science, v. 162, p. 1243–1248,
base your comments on the combination of observable scientific, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.162.3859.1243.
social, and political facts and trends—not wishes and hopes that Knutti, R., Rogelj, J., Sedláček, J., and Fischer, E.M., 2016, A scientific critique
doing the right thing by incrementally going green, changing how of the two-degree climate change target: Nature Geoscience, v. 9, p. 13,
https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2595.
people in the west consume, or miraculous discoveries will solve NRC, 2015, Climate intervention: Reflecting sunlight to cool Earth: National
the problem. There remains too little time for hoping, wishing, Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 250 p., https://doi.org/10.17226/18988.

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