An end to intent

'Without action, the best intentions in the world are nothing more than that: intentions' - wise words from Jordan Belfort. This week there has been a surge in climate change publicity, through launches of the 1 Gigaton Coalition Report, The Emissions Gap Report, and Before the Flood to name a few, all of which have called for action. After 21 years of negotiations and research, time has run out and panic is duly starting to set in as we witness the first real consequences of climate change through social media platforms, but why has it taken so long to call for action? I believe it is a result of a combination of 3 main factors - public opinion, economics and politics. 

In 2015, Pacific Island nations appealed to wealthy countries to assist with climate associated migrations and employment as islanders leave amidst rising sea levels. Guna Yala pictured here, has started preparations for relocation due to sea level rise of 2cm/annum. 

Over the next three weeks I aim to address these factors individually, starting with the public opinion of climate change - how has it changed, what are the causes of these changes and how public perceptions influence change toward sustainable development, on a national and global level. The nature of reactions to climate change however, means that assessing each factor as an entirely separate entity may prove to be impossible. 

Whilst much hype surrounds the release of Leonard DiCaprio's Before the Flood earlier this week, I feel it did little to reveal the complexity of climate change and sustainable development. A much more insightful documentary is Food Inc. It highlights the effect of corporate control over government, the environment and people with an emphasis on economics and the effect of individual choice. Give it a watch and let me know your thoughts!