SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
("Peace": Bart)
Making the Connection: The Peoples Climate March and International Day of Peace
Climate change and world peace will each be highlighted on Sunday September 21, the International Day of Peace. In our nuclear armed, temperature rising, resource depleting world these issues are intricately related and represent the greatest threats to our planet. It is not coincidence that they be highlighted together. We must make the connection between peace on the planet and peace with the environment. Sunday's Peoples Climate March will empower citizens the world over to demonstrate the will of the people and demand action as global leaders convene in New York on Tuesday for the U.N.
Sep 19, 2014
Climate change and world peace will each be highlighted on Sunday September 21, the International Day of Peace. In our nuclear armed, temperature rising, resource depleting world these issues are intricately related and represent the greatest threats to our planet. It is not coincidence that they be highlighted together. We must make the connection between peace on the planet and peace with the environment. Sunday's Peoples Climate March will empower citizens the world over to demonstrate the will of the people and demand action as global leaders convene in New York on Tuesday for the U.N. Climate Summit.
As our planet warms causing severe droughts and weather conditions, crop losses at home and around the world, conflict ensues as competition for finite resources develops. Entire populations and countries are at risk with rising sea levels. Climate change is a catalyst for conflict. This is occurring the world over where 2/3 of global populations live on less than two dollars a day.
No institution recognizes this connection and threat more than the U.S. military. In the Pentagon's 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, released on March 4, the Department of Defense notes: "The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions--conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence." While Congress is paralyzed in climate deadlock by those who would rather play charades denying climate change for purely short sighted short term economic gains the problem marches critically forward. Climate change is a national and international security threat.
According to retired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni speaking on climate change, "We will pay for this one way or another. We will pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today, and we'll have to take an economic hit of some kind. Or we will pay the price later in military terms. And that will involve human lives."
We have long known of the devastating annihilating potential of all-out nuclear war. Recent medical scientific and climatic reports have shown the humanitarian consequences of even a limited nuclear war using less than half of 1 percent of the global arsenals resulting in significant climatic change that would put 2 billion people at risk of dying from the global famine that would follow.
Currently U.S. and international cities and governments are rapidly trying to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. While this is understandable it is analogous to someone whose house is flooding trying to mop up without turning off the water first. You can never get ahead of the situation. In climate change we must STOP the process before it is too late. When medicine deals with public health threats we recognize that we must prevent what we cannot cure. We cannot cure the effects of climate change--we must prevent it!
So while the military and government makes plans for the effects and conflicts resulting from climate change, the people are stepping up and demanding action to stop the process. There is no more critical time in this effort. We the people demand action. If you are concerned about either issue, you must be concerned about both issues. The future of our planet depends on it.
Join us on this International Day of Peace in the Peoples Climate March. Make the connection. Demand peace with the planet for peace on the planet.
To join activities in your area check https://peoplesclimate.org/.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Robert Dodge
Robert Dodge, a frequent Common Dreams contributor, writes as a family physician practicing in Ventura, California. He is the Co-Chair of the Security Committee of National Physicians for Social Responsibility, serves as the President of Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, and is a steering committee member of Back from the Brink.
Climate change and world peace will each be highlighted on Sunday September 21, the International Day of Peace. In our nuclear armed, temperature rising, resource depleting world these issues are intricately related and represent the greatest threats to our planet. It is not coincidence that they be highlighted together. We must make the connection between peace on the planet and peace with the environment. Sunday's Peoples Climate March will empower citizens the world over to demonstrate the will of the people and demand action as global leaders convene in New York on Tuesday for the U.N. Climate Summit.
As our planet warms causing severe droughts and weather conditions, crop losses at home and around the world, conflict ensues as competition for finite resources develops. Entire populations and countries are at risk with rising sea levels. Climate change is a catalyst for conflict. This is occurring the world over where 2/3 of global populations live on less than two dollars a day.
No institution recognizes this connection and threat more than the U.S. military. In the Pentagon's 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, released on March 4, the Department of Defense notes: "The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions--conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence." While Congress is paralyzed in climate deadlock by those who would rather play charades denying climate change for purely short sighted short term economic gains the problem marches critically forward. Climate change is a national and international security threat.
According to retired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni speaking on climate change, "We will pay for this one way or another. We will pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today, and we'll have to take an economic hit of some kind. Or we will pay the price later in military terms. And that will involve human lives."
We have long known of the devastating annihilating potential of all-out nuclear war. Recent medical scientific and climatic reports have shown the humanitarian consequences of even a limited nuclear war using less than half of 1 percent of the global arsenals resulting in significant climatic change that would put 2 billion people at risk of dying from the global famine that would follow.
Currently U.S. and international cities and governments are rapidly trying to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. While this is understandable it is analogous to someone whose house is flooding trying to mop up without turning off the water first. You can never get ahead of the situation. In climate change we must STOP the process before it is too late. When medicine deals with public health threats we recognize that we must prevent what we cannot cure. We cannot cure the effects of climate change--we must prevent it!
So while the military and government makes plans for the effects and conflicts resulting from climate change, the people are stepping up and demanding action to stop the process. There is no more critical time in this effort. We the people demand action. If you are concerned about either issue, you must be concerned about both issues. The future of our planet depends on it.
Join us on this International Day of Peace in the Peoples Climate March. Make the connection. Demand peace with the planet for peace on the planet.
To join activities in your area check https://peoplesclimate.org/.
Robert Dodge
Robert Dodge, a frequent Common Dreams contributor, writes as a family physician practicing in Ventura, California. He is the Co-Chair of the Security Committee of National Physicians for Social Responsibility, serves as the President of Physicians for Social Responsibility Los Angeles, and is a steering committee member of Back from the Brink.
Climate change and world peace will each be highlighted on Sunday September 21, the International Day of Peace. In our nuclear armed, temperature rising, resource depleting world these issues are intricately related and represent the greatest threats to our planet. It is not coincidence that they be highlighted together. We must make the connection between peace on the planet and peace with the environment. Sunday's Peoples Climate March will empower citizens the world over to demonstrate the will of the people and demand action as global leaders convene in New York on Tuesday for the U.N. Climate Summit.
As our planet warms causing severe droughts and weather conditions, crop losses at home and around the world, conflict ensues as competition for finite resources develops. Entire populations and countries are at risk with rising sea levels. Climate change is a catalyst for conflict. This is occurring the world over where 2/3 of global populations live on less than two dollars a day.
No institution recognizes this connection and threat more than the U.S. military. In the Pentagon's 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, released on March 4, the Department of Defense notes: "The pressures caused by climate change will influence resource competition while placing additional burdens on economies, societies, and governance institutions around the world. These effects are threat multipliers that will aggravate stressors abroad such as poverty, environmental degradation, political instability, and social tensions--conditions that can enable terrorist activity and other forms of violence." While Congress is paralyzed in climate deadlock by those who would rather play charades denying climate change for purely short sighted short term economic gains the problem marches critically forward. Climate change is a national and international security threat.
According to retired Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni speaking on climate change, "We will pay for this one way or another. We will pay to reduce greenhouse gas emissions today, and we'll have to take an economic hit of some kind. Or we will pay the price later in military terms. And that will involve human lives."
We have long known of the devastating annihilating potential of all-out nuclear war. Recent medical scientific and climatic reports have shown the humanitarian consequences of even a limited nuclear war using less than half of 1 percent of the global arsenals resulting in significant climatic change that would put 2 billion people at risk of dying from the global famine that would follow.
Currently U.S. and international cities and governments are rapidly trying to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. While this is understandable it is analogous to someone whose house is flooding trying to mop up without turning off the water first. You can never get ahead of the situation. In climate change we must STOP the process before it is too late. When medicine deals with public health threats we recognize that we must prevent what we cannot cure. We cannot cure the effects of climate change--we must prevent it!
So while the military and government makes plans for the effects and conflicts resulting from climate change, the people are stepping up and demanding action to stop the process. There is no more critical time in this effort. We the people demand action. If you are concerned about either issue, you must be concerned about both issues. The future of our planet depends on it.
Join us on this International Day of Peace in the Peoples Climate March. Make the connection. Demand peace with the planet for peace on the planet.
To join activities in your area check https://peoplesclimate.org/.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.