“The chaos of the past few days suggests there has never been a better time to stand still and take stock – yet it feels as if we are hurtling somewhere at twice the speed we were even last week”.  That was Marina Hyde in the Guardian on the 16^th of July.  Today is the 23^rd, and the statement is twice as true.

“Stand still and take stock”.  We don’t have time for that sort of whimsy.  Let the world keep rushing on.

But what is happening to the biosphere while we rush?

Despite the laudable renewable energy programs initiated under the Biden/Harris administration the US is still a major contributor to global warming.  “The United States produced more crude oil than any nation at any time … for the past six years in a row.” (US EIA).  Election of a Republican president and/or senate in the US will be devastating to environmental programs. But fossil fuel extraction will probably not change much under either party.

The governments of the UK and Australia, both under Labor control (UK since July 4, Australia since May 2022) also indicate no significant reductions in fossil fuel extraction – all in the name of national security, economics and, inevitably, electability.

Clearly there are very powerful forces that compel us to degrade our biosphere, and therefore ourselves.  These forces transcend politics and nations.  They appear unstoppable.

The Environmental Organizations – no matter how knowledgeable, committed and persistent – are, by comparison, small, local and inefficient.  They must, urgently, form a federation with the power and reach to halt and, if possible, to reverse the degradation of the biosphere.

We must stand still, take stock and act urgently – all at once.  It is possible.