World Scientists' Warning to Humanity (1992) (A review)
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS puts out stern warnings to humanity, but we as humans have not heeded the call, for the most part. A second call to humanity was put forward in 2017, and this time, the movers and shakers are at work, busily strategizing the fix. But the black man doesn’t seem to know it. Today we are presenting a few excerpts from the 1992 edition, with emphasis on a number of those aspects which we believe has serious ramifications for the black person, wherever in the world he happens to be.
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| Mother Earth needs help |
Note: somehow, I found this, the scientists’ first warning to humanity, to be a lot softer in tone and more inclusive in pitch, it seemed to take more of a holistic view to the “we” word, including all of humanity as the whole now has it. However, maybe it has something to do with the trump era in which we now live and function, one gets the feeling that “they,” the ones who are there formulating the rules and plans and forwarding them along under the umbrella of “we” must do this, and that. It seems to me as if they would rather wipe out all of those other useless peoples off of the earth first, those whose presence and ways of doing things, or not doing anything, is becoming a threat to us and our way-of-life, therefore, let’s get them out of the way, and if needs be, later on, “we” can go about fixing whatever else might still remain to be fixed. That said, here now are some excerpts from the first scientists warning to humanity, the 1992 edition.
“We,”
(Were you there among them? Black man? Just asking, as I’ve said above, I got the feeling as if this was written in a kinder, more inclusive tone. So, let’s carry on.)
We the undersigned, senior members of the world’s scientific community, hereby warn all humanity of what lies ahead. A great change in our stewardship of the earth and the life on it, is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided and “our” global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably mutilated. What We Must Do. Five inextricably linked areas must be addressed simultaneously:
1. We must bring environmentally damaging activities under control to restore and protect the integrity of the earth’s systems we depend on.
We must, for example, move away from fossil fuels to more benign, inexhaustible energy sources to cut greenhouse gas emissions and the pollution of our air and water. Priority must be given to the development of energy sources matched to third world needs—small scale and relatively easy to implement.
(What this means to you black man is, “we” as black people this time, are going to have to move away from our old and adopted ways, adopted yes since that wasn’t our ways of old. The adopted ways of mass-consumption, trying to prove that we can be like the other guy, yes, that one right there, stop that. And start thinking about building up our own humble place, where we can live in down-home comfort, with the wife of our youth, and watch our two or less, less if we take the present condition of the world into consideration. Our two or fewer children, watch them grow and prosper, and not make that man feel threatened because he will come, kill you all, I mean, us all. They are coming even now, and still, to kill us all for any or no reason at all. And don’t let him think that all these no-good people are here doing nothing but breeding like cockroaches and taking up space and threatening the sustainability of “our” planet, therefore, we are going to have to get rid of them, said the man. While they are looking even, but not realizing what is going on, they never did realize anything, all they ever do is copy others, try to be them, the others, sing, dance, run and jump all about the place like wild beasts, get drunk and wasted, while they are being wasted, waste and burn good money and other valuable things, because they never did know the value of anything, so. Just saying, what I hear them saying.)
We must halt deforestation, injury to and loss of agricultural land, and the loss of terrestrial and marine plant and animal species.
2. We must manage resources crucial to human welfare more effectively.
We must give high priority to efficient use of energy, water, and other materials, including the expansion of conservation and recycling.
3. We must stabilize the population. This will be possible only if all nations recognize that it requires improved social and economic conditions, and the adoption of effective, voluntary family planning.
(Here’s that family planning thing again. But everybody knows that black folks love big families, so, if they won’t govern themselves, then “we” will have to govern them, said those other men, probably. But then again, we all know that that’s not how things go, right?)
4. We must reduce and eventually eliminate poverty. (Nice)
5. We must ensure sexual equality, and guarantee women control over their own reproductive decisions.
The developed nations are the largest polluters in the world today.
(But. I’m a-listening, listening, listening, and reading too, and I must tell you, I am not hearing much being said about that part of it. No urgency there it would seem. I sure haven’t seen a pledge where they are asking for signatures to that effect anywhere, like how there is one for reducing childbirth rates, no. That part, the over-consumption, and waste pollution, that is not going to be that important just yet, “we” have bigger fish to fry first, right?)
They must greatly reduce their overconsumption if we are to reduce pressures on resources and the global environment.
(Notice anything here? Even though one can assume that those “scientists who were there drafting this paper, was of they “we” kinds, speaking from the point-of-view of the speakers. Yet, when it comes to the question of overconsumption, notice how easily the switch was from the “we” which marks the tone of the whole article, to become: “they must greatly reduce overconsumption? But then just as quickly reverts back to, "if we are to reduce pressure…?" Smooth.”)
The developed nations have the obligation to provide aid and support to developing nations because only the developed nations have the financial resources and the technical skills for these tasks.
(Where did they get those resources from I wonder? Anyway, keep waiting, all you over there, and here, in these developing countries, those supports are on the way, right.)
Acting on this recognition is not altruism, but enlightened self-interest: whether industrialized or not, we all have but one lifeboat. No nation can escape from injury when global biological systems are damaged. No nation can escape from conflicts over increasingly scarce resources.
(In like manner, it’s in enlightened self-interest that I’m now acting too. Even though some of you my brothers and sisters may find this somewhat infuriating, and hard to swallow, before you go seeking to shoot the messenger, take a moment to do some soul searching.)
In addition, environmental and economic instabilities will cause mass migrations with incalculable consequences for developed and undeveloped nations alike.
(Could this be the thinking behind such contemporary ideas as, -Trump’s border wall? Just asking. Note: I’ve heard it said of folks from round about those regions too that, -they breed like, like those said cockroaches we spoke of earlier, hmm.)
Developing nations must realize that environmental damage is one of the gravest threats they face, and that attempts to blunt it will be overwhelmed if their populations go unchecked. The greatest peril is to become trapped in spirals of environmental decline, poverty, and unrest, leading to social, economic, and environmental collapse.
Success in this global endeavor will require a great reduction in violence and war. Resources now devoted to the preparation and conduct of war—amounting to over $1 trillion annually—will be badly needed in the new tasks and should be diverted to the new challenges.
(The new war task? Sorry, I couldn’t resist that.)
A new ethic is required—a new attitude towards discharging our responsibility for caring for ourselves and for the earth. We must recognize the earth’s limited capacity to provide for us. We must recognize its fragility. We must no longer allow it to be ravaged. This ethic must motivate a great movement, convincing reluctant leaders and reluctant governments and reluctant peoples themselves to effect the needed changes.
(And the multi-national corporations, and the industrialists, and the…)
The scientists issuing this warning hope that our message will reach and affect people everywhere. We need the help of many.
We require the help of the world community of scientists—natural, social, economic, political;
We require the help of the world’s business and industrial leaders;
We require the help of the world’s religious leaders; and
We require the help of the world’s peoples.
We call on all to join us in this task.
This is a love letter to black brothers everywhere. #LLBB #LB2
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