The Solutions to the Climate Crisis No One is Talking About | Robert Reich

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich explains why we must not go back to normal after this coronavirus crisis ends, and breaks down four key steps we must take to prevent total climate catastrophe.

First, create green jobs. Investing in renewable energy could create millions of family sustaining, union jobs and build the infrastructure we need for marginalized communities to access clean water and air.

Second, stop dirty energy. A massive investment in renewable energy jobs isn’t enough to combat the climate crisis. If we are going to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we must tackle the problem at its source: Stop digging up and burning more oil, gas, and coal.

Third, kick fossil fuel companies out of our politics. For decades, companies like Exxon, Chevron, Shell, and BP have been polluting our democracy by pouring billions of dollars into our politics and bankrolling elected officials to enact policies that protect their profits. The oil and gas industry spent over $103 million on the 2016 federal elections alone.

Fourth, require the fossil fuel companies that have profited from environmental injustice to compensate the communities they've harmed.
As if buying off our democracy wasn’t enough, these corporations have also deliberately misled the public for years on the amount of damage their products have been causing.

If these solutions sound drastic to you, it’s because they are. They have to be if we have any hope of keeping our planet habitable. The climate crisis is not a far-off apocalyptic nightmare — it is our present day.

Watch More: 5 Responses to Climate Change Deniers

[kated]

We REALLY need to stop creating a world that rewards psychopaths and narcissists and propels them to the top!!

[jaynorris]

Now is the perfect time to do these things before the oil companies get going again. They are down but not out.

[chattycathy]

Pay attention folks....Get involved and vote for OUR INTERESTS!!

[frankjames]

Robert Reich for President. We need him NOW

[zyzyking]

Robert, please comment on why repealing Citizens United is not being talked about. Repeal the tax cuts.

[dennismorris]

Happy Earth Day, Robert and all here.

[mics]

Step 1: Elect people who trust experts, math and science more than they trust their random whims.

[ReactionShot]

I have an idea: Let's just start throwing bankers and CEO's into an active volcano. If the volcano spits them out, they can live...as Uber drivers.

[karenhartman]

🥰 Where would we be without your voice? I hate to consider that. 🙏🏼

[blomakranz]

I have always wondered why we here in Iceland have never exported our practically 100% clean energy to Greenland which relies on nearly 100% fossil fule. There have been plans to connect us to mainland Europe to be able to export our abundance of clean energy, none of them have happened yet, but you'd be hardpressed to find data if any at all on exporting it over to Greenland.
Then the airport, which is ridiculous that no plans have ever been proposed between Keflavíkurflugvöll and the city. Yes there are logistical problems. But those have already been solved by other countries. The amount of cars that drive between the airport and the city is huuge, especially cargo whereas a large portion of our imports and exports go by plane. A train between the city and the airport would greatly reduce the amount of carbon produced by the cars and would assist with traffic around those parts. (Granted planes are awful carbon emitters, however certain things need to be shipped quicker than a ship can carry.

Speaking of ships. There's no law here telling ships and cruises that they have to connect to the grid when docked here in Iceland, which many European countries have already done. Causing awful smog in the lower levels of the capital region that are by the sea.

Iceland is currently the worst offender by pollution per capita in Europe, not nearly as close as the U.S. but it's too much. A large portion is the aluminium factories which often haven't even considering the developments we made for such emission by pouring the gases into the ground here where it turns into rock extremely quickly. We produce about the same amount or greater than the U.S. which is making it ridiculous that we aren t implementing our own technology developed for our geography.

We are small. And we have problems to deal with. But the fact we aren't doing everything we can is worrying. If we don't set an example, who will? We can't keep on bragging about how clean we are, because we aren't. It's only our energy production.

[scottbennett]

Without getting out of politics, none of the 4 can happen.

[dennistani]

Thanks Robert.. I just spoke with friends in Texas, they are believers now Take care

[argentpuck]

Genuine question: should we continue to live in a nation determined to burn itself?

[michaelbailey]

Keep the heat on, Professor, now's the time. Thanks.

[goddessmother]

We need to shift the culture from consumption to conserving. Economic growth requires us to perpetually buy more resulting is throwing away what was being replaced. Let's fix it instead of replacing it. Why do we always need to upgrade to the newest version?
Look what happened when we all stayed home and stopped shopping. It demonstrates that the essential problem is shopping/consumerism.

[IraeHDahl]

Idea / what to do:
Recycle materials
Actively show alternatives to vulture-capitalism.
Engage in
entrepreneur, building new compagnies
Supporting transparency laws
Supporting independent journalism
e.i.
Stop consuming
Make charger to ud sun-panels to change mobiles
Collect rainwater to water plants
Engage in permaculture, limiting the distance from ground to table
Make collaborative art showcasing green innovation
Emphasize empathy, as we are in a crisis of empathy
Stop consuming
Buy organic, (in order not to further poison the drinking water / or oursleves)
Buy fairtrade (in order to protect the workers manufacturing what we buy)
Stop consuming

[samanthamariefreeman]

YES!! WE must change our "how"... how we live and move and treat our planet home. THIS is WHY DT is in such a hurry to get us back to work, the petro ceos are putting hella pressure on it NOW

[dkpqzm]

This all makes so much sense! It's logical, it's based in science and it helps everybody.... it'll never fly in America. No way.

[PAINTuRED]

I just finished watching the world premier of Jeff Gibbs' documentary “Planet of The Humans”... Presented by Michael Moore, and I suggest everyone else does the same, right now!!!! It highlights that the problems of climate change go beyond the fossil fuel industry, and even scarily or even more sinister, and brings challenges the question of “are humans willing to make significant lifestyle changes to make a meaningful change in the direction of the human species” more importantly the survival of the human race.

[HavocLoods]

As long as American people still believe they live in a Democracy, nothing will change.