Paris Exit — A Lonely Man's Decision

There is something deeply saddening about watching a lonely human being overwhelmed by the world’s complexity he simply cannot comprehend. It’s disheartening to see his frustration grow.

So many wise, dedicated, kind people put so much effort and countless hours of hard work into making the Paris Agreement happen. The thing is, they’ll keep working, joined and supported by crowds of others, worried about the consequences of climate change and the future of our planet and kids. So we’ll fix this, I’m confident.

But it’s still heartbreaking to watch someone as lost and confused.

Bill McKibben, the founder of 350.org, an organisation I used to work for, writes: “Mr. Trump famously called global warming a hoax during the campaign, and with this decision he’s wagering that he was actually right — he’s calling his own bluff. No line of argument in the physical world supports his claim, and no credible authority backs him, not here and not abroad. It’s telling that he simultaneously wants to cut the funding for the satellites and ocean buoys that monitor our degrading climate. Every piece of data they collect makes clear his foolishness. He’s simply insisting that physics isn’t real.”

Reading Bill McKibben’s piece feels like talking to a friend. Someone who gets it. So if you’re also overwhelmed by the news, read it and breathe. There are crowds of people who will still try to make this work. 

And if in need of further healing, read Rebecca Solnit's insightful and beautifully written "The loneliness of Donald Trump".