★★★★☆
Arthur Sneel’s discusses his new book ‘Elemental’ at Off The Shelf, in a conversation about the intersection of the climate crisis and the changing political climate. Considering the complexity of the interactions occurring and to come between these issues, he begins the discussion by reading a passage from the end of the book. This passage brings an outlook of hope while also recognising the realism of the situation humanity finds itself in.
During his career as a diplomat, he came to understand that although there is always much discussion of the long-term effects and plans, there is rarely discussion or thinking in the short term. While working in Afghanistan, he started to understand that, when stripping back the superficial layers of wider issues, a key factor in the political climate was the competition for agricultural land for opium production. He used this example to discuss how a shift is already underway, with parts of the world being contested for dominance. It has so far been used for oil and gas extraction; however, food security and land use are becoming higher priorities for sustaining societies. As the climate changes, we are seeing a northward shift in the land available for agriculture.
Sneel touched on several political issues and, in an accessible way, discussed how they are intrinsically connected to the climate crisis. From the need for politicians to think more realistically about the state the world’s climate is in, with a focus on climate denial that has heavily rooted itself in the United States, to the current debates around migration being pointless. Climate denial and anti-migration views, he points out, often go hand in hand and have become a touchstone point for many of the policies that the far right is trying to push for.
While discussing the current geopolitical landscape, Sneel also brings to the table solutions currently being researched and proposed. A key point emphasised throughout the talk is the interconnectedness between countries. He sees mutual free aid as a good way to make it easier to navigate the changing climate. As well as an understanding that, for humanity to navigate a warming planet, there needs to be active ambition and a willingness to invest in infrastructure. Without this motivation, the solutions already researched will not be implemented across societies.
I found this talk interesting, though it’s outside my current scope to fully understand all the concepts being discussed. I also found that, although Sneel hinted at an understanding that the climate crisis will impact all aspects of the world, he views these issues primarily from a human perspective. He offers a clearer understanding of how the climate will shape politics, but not how it will also interact with the natural world around us.
Image Credit: Off The Shelf
