It is an indisputable fact that the earth is just one, but there are many worlds which many who live in it are ignorant of. The understanding we have about climate change through science is a fact but limited in that science has just been able to discover the problem of climate change from the surface and not from within, from the exterior and not from the interior. In other words, there are many factors that are contributory to the problem of climate change, more than just the amount of carbon that we put in the air.
From this insight, therefore, climate change can be described as the shrinking of the earth in reaction to the expansion of the world and its replications resulting in the creation of many worlds. While the world is elastic and has no limits to how far it can be stretched, the same is not true with the earth, which is fixed in size.
“You must create your own world. I am responsible for my world.”–Louise Berliawsky Nevelson. While the Earth is tangible and limited in size, the world is a thing of the mind and its works and its creativity and size is dependent upon how far we can see, not with our physical eyes but spiritual. Because every human being is wired as a creator and a dreamer, everyone therefore is a world-builder.
How did this all begin? It all began with the discovery of the world of love and hatred, and in this world the acceptable currency is the free will that every human being is endowed with, giving him or her the ability to choose between the good and the bad. Discovery continues leading us to the creation of the world of knowledge and wisdom. In this world is the understanding that knowledge comes freely and disappears but wisdom lingers. Knowledge can be acquired through several means, be they formal or informal. How knowledge is applied is what determines the place of wisdom, for wisdom is the application of knowledge. The way it is applied, therefore, determines what kind of wisdom it is. There is the sensual wisdom and the diabolical, which are all earthly, and there is another which is from above the earth, and that which is from above is above all, spiritual, and better.
Humanity to a large extent has been under the influence of the wisdoms that are operational, making him or her a victim or victor, a curse or a blessing. At this point of understanding between good and bad, man proceeds to the creation of the world of domination and freedom. In this world, it is believed that all humans were born equal, but are hardly treated as equal under the laws and the powers that be. This experience to a large extent has given back to discomforts and agitations. People have been subjugated, some sold into slavery, and as a result, resentment and agitations became the order of the day. Peace and stability were fast becoming elusive.
In this same world of oppression and discomfort where the humanity is under a heavy burden, another world was conceived, which is the world of inventions, where man was able to manufacture arms and ammunition for the protection of self, and as that becomes successful, it developed incapacity to becoming the weapon of mass destruction and terrorism (nuclear weapons). With this in place came the world of nationalism. After man had successfully established himself, his interests, likes and dislikes, and the ability to make choices without restraint came the development of ideologies, which are a set of beliefs that will serve as a guide for living, and this cuts across all societies, communities, and nations of the world at the national level. It is regarded as nationalism, where each country is recognized by the amount of powers it’s able to wield in comparison with others.
The list is endless. Each world has its own peculiarities, and events are invented by man, whether for good or for bad. This development keeps evolving and there is no limit or end to it. Worlds are being created on a daily basis, by individuals, families, societies, communities and nations across the globe. These developments led to the pressure being applied to the earth, which is inelastic and has a limit to how much pressure it can absorb without a negative reaction. This is where we find ourselves. Trying to limit or to control just one aspect of the pollution that man has brought on the earth in the form of excess carbon in the air is to lose sight of the other more important factors.
In essence, the situation that the world is confronted with cannot be subdued and overcome just by washing the outside of the cup and leaving the inside unwashed. The problem we have in our hands is a global problem, and requires the cooperation of all to surmount it. In addition to this also and with regard to the preamble above, we must not lose sight of the important place of international cooperation in the forms of the political, social, and economic wills of all the nations of the world in getting this problem solved. There is no disputing the fact that the problem exists but at the same time, we should not put the cart before the horse.
The world had been in crisis with wars and so many other problems as a challenge before 2015, which gave birth to the Paris Agreement on climate change. The United Nations has not been able to build a considerable level of trust among the member nations, which can serve as a pivot on which the wheels of international cooperation can rotate, and with regard to confronting a very serious global challenge of climate change.
The pertinent question to ask at this point is whether we have succeeded in solving the problems of racism, inequality, injustice, extremism and terrorism globally. These are issues that must be confronted because each one of them constitutes a world of its own, and the coming together of them as a whole constitutes the source of major pressure on humanity, and until humanity is free in the atmosphere where fair play, equality and justice are practicable and accessible, the world is not ready to rescue the planet.
“Two persons must believe in each other and feel that it can be done and it must be done. In that way, they are enormously strong; they must keep up each other’s courage.”–Vincent van Gogh.
This makes the place of the first world discovered by man, which is that of love and hatred, which by whatever reasons known to man has been relegated to the background, become relevant with an urgent need to be revisited. The problem within is more than the problem without as far as climate change is concerned.
“People should think less about what they ought to do and more about what they ought to be. If only their living were good, their work would shine forth brightly.”–Meister Eckehart.
As the powers that be try to rally the world around this global problem of climate change, cognizance needs to be taken to involve the religious organizations in the crusade, for the problem of climate change is not only a physical problem which only science can solve. It is more importantly a spiritual problem.
Man is essentially a spirit who has a soul and lives in a body, which is from the earth. The problems caused by the use of both the sensual and the diabolical wisdom, which are earthly, will require a superior wisdom, which is traceable only to the spiritual and which comes from above to solve on a permanent basis. The powers that be should also bear in mind that responsibility in bringing about the problems should be connected to the burden that must be borne. Those who are responsible more for the amount of carbon that we have in the air should be prepared and willing to bear most of the burdens that are connected to solving the problems. In other words, the chicken should not be made to play the role of a pig while the pig is made to play the role of a chicken.
“Commitment. Always remember the distinction between contribution and commitment. Take the matter of bacon and eggs. The chicken makes the contribution. The pig makes the commitment.”–John Mack Carter
All hands must be on deck to work on our world and make it a better place to live in if the hope of rescuing the earth will be in view.
Samuel ‘Tunji Adeyanju
Climate Change Photo (Photo 2) by Matt Palmer on Unsplash
Sun Photo (Photo 3) by James Day on Unsplash
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