12 Climate Change Insights That Might Give You A New Perspective

By Chris Marshall

In today’s political climate, the discourse around climate change is more important than ever. We’ve found great inspiration in the new, optimistic conversation led by Mike Bloomberg and Carl Pope in their latest book Climate of Hope. Their perspective is focused on the idea that “People don’t need a lecture on what may happen to the Earth one hundred years from now, when we’ll all be dead and gone. They need good reasons to support change today.” Over this past month GOOD partnered up with Bloomberg Philanthropies and illustrator Adam Hayes, to share 12 key insights that do just that. Each image on its own represents an insight from the book, and when combined, Adam was able to create a cool poster.

Check out the images and the poster below to learn about the progress we have made, and easy ways you can make a difference in the fight against climate change.

If you would like to get a copy of Climate of Hope, please click here. To learn more about Bloomberg Philanthropies, please click here.

“Every step we take in that direction [eliminating all coal-fired power plants] saves lives. Not in the future — right now.” — Bloomberg (pg 59)

“It’s worth remembering what happened from 2010 to 2015, when emissions fell and so many coal plants closed: The price of wholesale electricity fell by a quarter, and there was no increase in the frequency of power outages. We can cut costs and emissions without sacrificing reliability — or human lives.” — Bloomberg (pg 86)

“We can stop global warming. Not by slowing down economies but by speeding them up. Not by depending on national governments but by empowering cities, businesses, and citizens. Not by scaring people about the future but by showing them the immediate benefits of taking action. If we accomplish this, we will be healthier and wealthier.” — Bloomberg and Pope (pg 245)

“Utilities need to reinvent themselves...A diversified portfolio of fees could pay for transmission, with a remaining modest recovery from power generation. A utility would look more like a bank, which in today’s world does not look like a bad profit strategy.” — Pope (pg 103-104)

“One of the best things an individual can do to fight climate change is live in a dense urban environment. Why? … The average per capita carbon footprint in New York City is two-thirds smaller than the national average.” — Bloomberg (pg 20-21)

“As new cities emerge, we have the advantage of knowing how, with smarter regulation and better technology, to make them climate-friendly and even carbon-neutral. ... If we’re going to stop climate change, we must make smart investments in how we plan cities.” — Bloomberg (pg 116)

“The market operates on the basis of consumer demand, and the fact is that when given the choice, consumers, both Democrats and Republicans, would rather buy clean energy than dirty energy. The reason is simple: They do not want the air they breathe and the water they drink to be polluted with toxic chemicals.” — Bloomberg (pg 86-87)

“In real economic terms, today’s wind and solar electrons are the cheapest electrons the world has ever known. Those who develop them most intensively will make a great deal of money, and the challenge will be how to divide up the good news, not share the pain.” — Pope (pg 104)

“All the data indicates that we’re already living in times of more turbulent climate — and that if we do nothing, there’s far worse to come. We have the opportunity to avoid these harmful effects, while also immediately improving the lives of millions of people. We’d be crazy not to embrace it.” — Bloomberg (pg 71)

“The cost of clean energy has plummeted in price in recent years. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that from 2008 to 2016, the costs dropped 41 percent for wind, 64 percent for solar, and as much as 94 percent for LED lights. Two- thirds of new electricity capacity installed in 2015 was wind or solar. The drop in price follows a trend that occurs as any new technology improves and advances.” — Bloomberg (pg 83)

“Improving the efficiency of buildings is not as sexy as saving a rain forest. You don’t see many celebrities dedicating their philanthropy to it. But the fact is, making the biggest possible dent in greenhouse gas emissions — and in the pollution that causes death and disease — requires focusing on buildings. And it’s something that people can do in their own hometowns.” — Bloomberg (pg 109)

“The American public, according to research, would like to break with our dependence on oil — they think that it is dirty and expensive, and that it impairs their health and our nation’s security. They also believe that it is technically possible to replace most oil with better fuels, and they are correct.” — Pope (pg 149)