The Climate Torchbearers

By Jon Fogelberg

In a world facing the existential threat of climate change, a group of young indigenous people rise up to lead the fight for a better future. Takoda, Aura, and Nexus are the torchbearers, carrying on the wisdom of their ancestors and showing us the way to a more sustainable and just world. 

Their journey takes them to the heart of the problem, where they confront the fossil fuel industry and the corporate interests that are driving climate change. But they also find hope and inspiration in the resilience of the human spirit and the power of collective action. 

The Climate Torchbearers is a story for all of us, regardless of our age or background. It is a story that will inspire us to believe in the possibility of a better future, and to work together to create it. 

This novel is a powerful reminder that we have the solutions to the climate crisis within us. If we tap into the resources of our human souls and our relationship with the sacred, we can create a more sustainable and just world for all. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jon Fogelberg
• Release date: Oct 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223606048

Book preview

Prologue

Part I: The Dawn of Awareness — Silent Spring

Setting the Stage

The post-World War II era in America was one marked by technological optimism. Pesticides, particularly DDT, were seen as miracle substances that could eradicate pests and improve the quality of human life. This period also saw an increasing move toward industrialization and urbanization, often with little regard for environmental consequences.

Enter Rachel Carson

In this backdrop entered Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and conservationist, with her groundbreaking book Silent Spring in 1962. Her work was nothing short of revolutionary, sharply contrasting with the prevalent attitudes of her time. It was a meticulous piece of investigative journalism as much as it was a scientific work. Carson not only unearthed the devastating effects of chemical pesticides on ecosystems but also questioned the ethos of a society that allowed such destruction in the name of progress.

The Impact of Silent Spring

Carson's exposé was met with ferocious resistance from chemical companies and allied scientists who felt threatened by her revelations. Nevertheless, her work resonated deeply with the public. Ordinary citizens began to reconsider their previously unexamined trust in industrial progress and started to see the connections between their actions and the environment.

Her book led directly to a reconsideration of pesticide use, spurring legislative changes like the banning of DDT in the United States in 1972. Furthermore, it was instrumental in the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, which remains a critical institution in the fight against environmental degradation and climate change.

Legacy and Beyond

Carson's work opened the floodgates for an environmental movement that continues to this day. She may not have directly discussed climate change as we understand it now, but she laid the foundation for the sort of critical environmental thinking that makes our current understanding possible. Her questions about how humanity interacts with its natural surroundings have become integral to conversations around climate change. The questions she asked are the questions that every subsequent generation has had to grapple with: What kind of world do we want to live in? How do we balance the needs of society with the requirements of a fragile ecosystem?

Carson's legacy lives on in every discussion we have about the anthropogenic impact on climate and serves as a constant reminder that awareness is the first step toward change.

Part II: Early Warnings and Scientific Consensus

A Growing Concern

Even as environmental consciousness grew in the wake of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, another ominous issue began to reveal itself. Scientists started pointing toward evidence that human activities were leading to a warming climate. As early as the 1950s, Charles David Keeling began measuring carbon dioxide (CO2) levels at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. The now-famous Keeling Curve showed a consistent upward trend, clearly indicating that CO2 levels were rising.

The Birth of IPCC

The concern over climate change reached an inflection point when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 by the United Nations. Tasked with providing comprehensive assessments of existing scientific literature on climate change, the IPCC became a critical platform for global discussions on the issue. Its reports, released at regular intervals, began confirming what individual studies had been suggesting: human activities, particularly the emission of greenhouse gases like CO2, were causing global temperatures to rise.

Climate Summits and Agreements

The 1990s saw the first tangible steps toward international cooperation with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 and the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. While these agreements were significant milestones, they were also criticized for being insufficiently ambitious, and some major players like the United States failed to commit fully to emission reduction targets.

Al Gore and Public Awareness

Around the same time, prominent figures began to take up the mantle of climate advocacy. One such individual was Al Gore, the former Vice President of the United States, whose 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, brought the issue of climate change to mainstream audiences. Gore's work was instrumental in raising public awareness, making climate change a household term, and inspiring a new generation of activists and scientists.

The Evolution of Scientific Consensus

By the early 21st century, the scientific consensus around climate change was solidifying. More than 97% of actively publishing climate scientists agreed: climate change is real, and it is primarily caused by human activities. Data from satellites, ocean buoys, and weather stations provided an overwhelming body of evidence. Meanwhile, CO2 levels continued to rise, crossing the 400 parts per million (ppm) mark in 2013—a level not seen in millions of years.

Skepticism and Controversy

Despite the overwhelming scientific consensus, a vocal minority—often backed by vested interests in fossil fuel industries—continued to cast doubt on climate change, labeling it a hoax or junk science. This manufactured controversy slowed down policy responses and created a polarized environment that persists to some extent today.

Towards Unanimity

However, as the impacts of climate change became increasingly visible, from melting polar ice caps to devastating wildfires and hurricanes, even former skeptics started acknowledging the crisis. The global scientific community now speaks almost in unison about the urgent need for action.

Part III: CO2 PPM Statistics — The Invisible Measurement that Shapes our World

Understanding Parts per Million (PPM)

Before diving into the numbers, it's essential to comprehend the unit of measurement: parts per million (PPM). PPM denotes the concentration of a particular substance in a larger mixture—in this case, the concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere. A level of 400 PPM means that for every million molecules of air, 400 are carbon dioxide.

The Keeling Curve

Charles David Keeling's consistent measurement of CO2 levels from 1958 onward resulted in the famous Keeling Curve, showing a steady increase in atmospheric CO2. When Keeling began, the concentration was about 315 PPM. This systematic increase is one of the most straightforward pieces of evidence pointing to human-induced climate change.

The 400 PPM Milestone

In 2013, the Mauna Loa Observatory reported that CO2 levels had exceeded 400 PPM for the first time in recorded history—and likely the first time in several million years. This was a psychological and scientific threshold that triggered alarm bells worldwide. It signaled that human activity had pushed the Earth's atmosphere into a state not seen since before the existence of humans.

Seasonal Fluctuations and Long-term Trends

While the Keeling Curve does exhibit seasonal fluctuations due to the natural carbon cycle of plant growth and decay, the long-term trend is undeniable and points upward. The seasonal variations can be as much as 5-10 PPM, but they are superimposed on the relentless increase caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

The Current State and Future Trajectory

As of the early 2020s, we are approaching 420 PPM, a number with severe consequences for global temperatures, weather patterns, and sea levels. Scientists warn that if we reach 450 PPM, we may hit a point of no return, where catastrophic outcomes become not just possible, but likely.

The Pervasiveness of CO2

It's also worth noting that CO2, once emitted, stays in the atmosphere for decades to centuries, contributing to a long-lasting greenhouse effect. Even if all emissions were to stop today, the CO2 already in the atmosphere would continue to exert a warming influence for years to come.

Summary

The CO2 PPM statistics serve as a numerical embodiment of the climate crisis we face. With each upward tick, we edge closer to irreversible damage to Earth's ecosystems and a radical alteration of life as we know it.

Part IV: The Climate Change Hoax — A Deep Dive into Skepticism and Denial

Historical Context

The term climate change hoax came into popular vernacular in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, often employed by those skeptical of the scientific consensus around global warming. These skeptics range from political figures and industrial magnates to bloggers and social