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The Context
A new U.N. report that came out at the end of October finds that the world only has until 2030 to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45% to keep global warming to within 2.7 degrees F and limit the worst climate damage.
This is a monumental task. And we know that even 45% by 2030 is too little too late to avoid significant climate change. It’s already happening all around us from increased wildfires and hurricanes to droughts and floods. To put the challenge in context. With all the industry and businesses closed during the pandemic shutdowns with as many people as possible staying home as much as possible, with pretty much all planes grounded and cruise ships docked, it amounted to a seven percent decrease in emissions. That’s only about one sixth of the emissions that need to be cut and the cuts need to be permanent.
This means that in order to avert the worst of the climate disaster, we need revolutionary change in our global economy, how we produce energy, and what we use energy for. We need to kick the transition to green energy tech and production into high gear. We need to revolutionize energy storage and distribution. We need end the fossil fuel industry. And so much more. So. Much. More.
And we need to cut those emissions and make these changes in way that don’t exacerbate existing inequalities. In this way we also need a revolution in our priorities. We need to ensure any such reductions don’t disproportionately impact BIPOC communities of color, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups.
The Project
The Demand Utopia Project is about the voices of everyday people, our voices screaming for immediate change and fighting for our lives.
To that end, we’re collecting statements, real life stories, demands, pleas, and more regarding the climate crisis from anyone who has them.
Send us real life stories of how climate change has impacted you personally, someone you know, your town or community.
Send us pleas and demands for change, statements on why averting the climate crisis is so important to you.
Send us your ideas for how we can achieve a 45% cut in global emissions without disproportionately impacting marginalized communities, without succumbing to eco-fascism.
Send us your demands to local, state, or federal government, militaries, big corporations and other big users and abusers around emissions cuts and changes to get us there.
Send us your dreams for new potential technology, revolutions in social organization and economics, and how to foster harmony between humans, advanced technology, and nature.
Your submission can be creative (in the form of a poem, for example). Or it can be more straight forward narrative.
Your submission can be in the form of writing (.docx or .doc files), short videos (one minute or less), or short audio recordings (one minute or less).
We’ll collect everything sent to us and create an online, public display of our collective voices demanding solutions, demanding utopia.
**Note: This is a volunteer, community activist project. This is not a paid publication opportunity. Authors who want to submit work for paid publication are welcome to visit our main submissions page and follow the instructions there.
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