The Simple Facts of Climate Change

19 Jun, 2012

Environmental writer David Roberts of Grist.org, gave a talk at TEDx about climate change facts and how to explain them quickly. Dave said, “I’m proud to say that I used only 17 of my allotted 15 minutes.”

Dave tells how his talk came about:

This talk was a consequence of me talking smack on Twitter. I said I could explain climate change in 15 minutes and was then invited to do so. D’oh!

The challenge I took on was to convey the gist of my “brutal logic of climate change” post in a reasonably short amount of time, using as little scientific jargon as possible. Just: there is a problem that calls for urgent action. Business-as-usual means disaster.

This is all gloom and doom—not even much humor. I know that turns people off or shuts them down. I know people need to feel a sense of hope and efficacy. I know—indeed, have recently been writing—that we need a vision of a sustainable future. But I needed to do my own version of “Danger Will Robinson!” Just to get it on the record.