The Crisis We’ve Chosen: Why Climate Change is the Catastrophe We Refuse to Prevent

We’ve been warned for decades—ironically, by the very people and industries responsible for much of the destruction. Companies like Exxon, whose own scientists predicted the catastrophic consequences of fossil fuel burning as early as the 1960s, chose to suppress this information and profit from our collective ignorance. And yet, here we are, watching climate change unfold in real time, visible in the fires, floods, and extreme weather events we experience.

Rather than focusing on preventing further disaster, the global rhetoric has shifted to one of "mitigation"—not prevention. This shift signals something far more terrifying; we’ve resigned ourselves to the idea that the catastrophe is inevitable, and now we’re simply figuring out how to manage the fallout.

What does this say about us as a species? Are we truly a sapient species, capable of wisdom and foresight, or are we consciously walking into our own extinction—forewarned, yet unwilling to act?

The Collective Dissonance

We know. And yet, we continue.

The tragedy of climate change is not just the actions of the wealthy elite or the fossil fuel industry. It’s easy to point fingers at the 1%, accusing them of greed and indifference—and rightly so. But this catastrophe is not their doing alone. We are all complicit.

Every small investor chasing profits in shares linked to fossil fuels, every consumer who disregards the origin of the products they buy, every politician who chooses short-term gain over long-term sustainability; each of these decisions contributes to the worsening climate crisis. Money over morals has become the guiding principle of our time, and we’ve collectively bought into this fatal trade-off.

As wildfires rage, ice caps melt, and entire species vanish, we continue to double down on the very behaviors we know are causing our destruction. The majority of us are aware of the threat, yet we act as if we are powerless to change. This collective dissonance—knowing the harm but refusing to stop—may be the most damning feature of our generation.

The Gaslighting Machine

It’s not just that we lack action—it’s that deliberate forces have worked for decades to sabotage any meaningful progress. We’ve known about climate change since the 1960s, when even Exxon’s scientists warned about the catastrophic consequences of burning fossil fuels. Yet instead of taking action, those same companies, alongside politicians and media outlets, have spent billions spreading misinformation and gaslighting the public into believing that climate change is either not real, not urgent, or not worth addressing.

This gaslighting has given rise to conspiracy theories that claim climate change is a hoax, turning what should have been a scientific consensus into a political battleground. Entire industries thrive on the confusion they’ve created, continuing to profit from fossil fuels, deforestation, and environmental degradation while the truth is buried under a mountain of lies.

Today, as floods displace families and droughts ravage food supplies, these same industries and politicians offer false reassurances that "everything is under control." But it’s not. And every day we delay meaningful action, the price we’ll pay grows steeper.

Deniers often claim that the cost of preventing climate change is too high, but this is a distortion of the truth. Experts estimate that prevention would require around 4% of global GDP—a manageable investment compared to the alternative. What’s truly unaffordable is the cost of mitigating the damage once catastrophic climate events, whose scale we cannot fully predict, begin to unfold. The price of inaction will far exceed any upfront investment in prevention and are effectively unaffordable.

The Endemic Patterns We Can’t Seem to Break

The challenge is that climate change isn’t just a scientific problem—it’s deeply embedded in our political, economic, and social systems. The patterns of consumption, growth, and profit are so endemic that changing them feels nearly impossible. We are locked into a cycle where even well-intentioned solutions seem inadequate when confronted with the sheer scale of the challenge.

Even those who once championed renewable energy are now stepping back. Elon Musk, a pioneer of renewable energy and electric vehicles, once warned us about the need for urgency. In 2016, Musk (as fossil fuel subsidies continued their exponential growth), said: “We need to appeal to the people to demand carbon taxes. That’s the only way to transition to renewables fast enough to avoid a catastrophic climate scenario.”

However, in recent years, driven by greed and political expediency, Musk’s tone has shifted. In 2023, he remarked: “I’m not in favor of demonizing the oil and gas industry... We need oil and gas in the short term, otherwise civilization will crumble.”

This shift in rhetoric (from advocating for rapid action to now promoting a slow transition) reflects the broader political and economic pressures that even the most forward-thinking leaders face. What once seemed like a call for urgent change has now become just another voice suggesting we take it slow.

Acknowledge the Noise, Focus on the Facts

I’m aware that raising these points will invite criticism from a vocal minority of climate skeptics, conspiracy theorists, and deniers. This group is small but loud, and their voices are often amplified far beyond their numbers. According to research by Pew and Yale’s Program on Climate Change Communication, the vast majority of people globally—upwards of 70%—believe in the reality and urgency of climate change.

Yet, it’s this vocal minority that controls much of the conversation, thanks to a media landscape, industrial and political forces that benefit from inaction. The real tragedy is that the conscientious majority, who understand the stakes, are often left without a platform, drowned out by misinformation and confusion.

But the facts remain unchanged: climate change is real, it’s here, and it’s getting worse. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.

The Costs of Doing Nothing

There is a persistent narrative that addressing climate change is too expensive, too difficult, or too disruptive. But the cost of doing nothing is far greater. The floods, fires, and storms we’ve seen so far are just the beginning. As temperatures rise, ecosystems collapse, and food and water supplies dwindle, the economic toll will be staggering. We are not simply paying for climate action; we are paying to ensure a future that is livable for all of us, our children and grand-children.

Yet, this cost is rarely discussed in political debates. Instead, we focus on short-term gains and the illusion of stability, while ignoring the long-term consequences of inaction. The question is not whether we can afford to act, but whether we can afford not to.

The Paradox of the Human Condition

Humanity’s response to climate change reveals a profound paradox: we panic at the thought of war or sudden catastrophe, but remain indifferent to slow, inevitable destruction. It’s as if the human psyche is wired to ignore long-term threats, even when the evidence is clear. We react viscerally to the thought of nuclear war, but continue driving ourselves toward extinction with barely a whisper of resistance.

The dinosaurs didn’t know extinction was coming. What's our excuse?

As the world burns around us, we must ask ourselves: do we have the will to change? Or will we continue to choose short-term comfort over long-term survival? The answer will determine not just our future, but the future of every living being on this planet; including those yet unborn.

Even those who once warned us about the need to act swiftly are now suggesting a slower approach. It’s time to stop pretending we can afford to wait.

Call to Action

Now that you've read this, reflect. Share. Act.

Because if we don’t, there won’t be a future to share.

What an I do...? I hear you ask

Making climate change more tangible is one of the greatest communication challenges we face, (and the enemy, greed, is well funded, well connected and resourceful), but it’s crucial for mobilizing real action. Here are a few ways to bridge the gap between the abstract, long-term nature of climate change and the immediate, visceral reactions that tend to drive human behavior. Here is what each and every one of us in the appropriate situations can do.

If you are a presenter, a teacher, a parent and grandparent, a government officer, a policeman, a fireman, a preacher, a priest, a friend, a TV personality, an actor and in all walks of life......

1. Personalize the Impact

People tend to engage with issues when they feel a personal connection to them. Highlighting how climate change is already affecting individuals, families, and communities—through extreme weather events, food insecurity, or rising healthcare costs—makes it more relatable. Personal stories and case studies about how specific people or places are being affected can make the issue feel closer to home.

2. Link Local Events to Climate Change

While climate change can feel like a distant or global issue, it’s increasingly manifesting in local, tangible ways—floods, wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, and heatwaves. Media and governments can do a better job of consistently framing these events as direct consequences of climate change, helping people connect the dots. When communities see their homes, livelihoods, and health affected, the issue becomes harder to ignore.

3. Visualize the Future

Data alone doesn’t always drive behavior. But when people can see what the future may look like with more frequent and severe climate impacts, it becomes more real. Visual tools like climate projection maps, before-and-after photos of disappearing landscapes, or interactive simulations of rising sea levels can make the abstract more concrete. Virtual reality and augmented reality tools are also being developed to immerse people in potential future scenarios.

4. Emphasize Immediate Benefits of Action

Rather than focusing solely on the long-term goals of climate action (such as limiting warming to 1.5°C), emphasizing the immediate benefits—like cleaner air, reduced healthcare costs, and job creation in renewable energy—can make the idea of taking action more appealing. People tend to act when they see short-term, personal rewards.

5. Highlight the Cost of Inaction

When people hear about climate change, it often feels like it’s too expensive or difficult to address. Reframing the conversation to emphasize the cost of doing nothing—the economic toll of disasters, the loss of life and livelihoods, and the expensive recovery efforts after floods, fires, and hurricanes—helps shift the narrative. It’s not about whether we can afford to take action, but whether we can afford not to.

6. Leverage Trusted Messengers

People are more likely to listen to trusted voices within their own communities—whether it’s local leaders, religious figures, business owners, or healthcare providers. Finding credible messengers who can communicate the urgency of climate change in ways that resonate with specific audiences can help bypass the skepticism fueled by politics or misinformation.

7. Tie Climate Change to Health

The health impacts of climate change are immediate and visible—extreme heat can kill, air pollution causes respiratory issues, and the spread of diseases due to changing ecosystems affects everyone. Framing climate action as a public health issue can help people see it as a direct threat to their well-being, rather than an abstract environmental problem.

8. Increase Media Coverage on Everyday Effects

Media has a huge role in making climate change more tangible. Coverage shouldn’t just focus on major summits or far-off predictions but should consistently report on how climate change is impacting food prices, water supplies, energy consumption, and daily life now. The more people see climate impacts woven into their everyday news, the more it stays top-of-mind.

9. Use Financial Incentives and Disincentives

People are motivated by economics. Incentives for green technologies, renewable energy use, or sustainable practices can nudge behavior in the right direction. On the flip side, carbon pricing or penalties for high-pollution activities can make the financial costs of inaction more immediate and personal.

10. Push for Climate Education

Making climate education part of standard curricula ensures that future generations grow up with an understanding of the tangible, real-time impacts of climate change. Knowledge fosters action, and the earlier this understanding begins, the better.

By making climate change feel personal, local, and immediate, we can tap into the urgency needed to drive real change, helping people feel the same visceral reaction that they might to more traditional, sudden threats like war or economic collapse.

I am doing my part, YOU?