The Necessity of Creating Opportunity for Change

Change in response to necessity is inevitable. Opportunities, whether created or existing, to enable change are essential. In the absence of clearly available and well thought through strategic opportunities, effective change, in response to the reasons for necessary change, will likely be slow to occur, poorly directed and maybe counter productive. Without change in anticipation of predicted problems, the identified issues may grow to rain havoc on an unprepared public including crises and mounting costs for both loss and repair or renewal. Change constantly occurs.

With the need for change looming concerning major issues such as climate warming, plastics waste, food and energy security, who is responsible for organizing opportunities to achieve effective change? Well, it depends on the nature, urgency and scale of the issues. One fact we know for sure is the overarching involvement of governments and the citizen body in most of the issues of concern. Regarding change then, these two groups will have to be involved with any changes to be determined and the delivery of them. Indeed, they have a responsibility to be involved. Their responses will be insufficient with protest only. 

I think the best way to illustrate the above is with examples and I might just as well consider climate. Inevitably change to infrastructure and the way we do things and get around is going to happen big time over the next decades in response to the changes occurring because of climate change and to prevent the worst extremes from resulting. Currently extreme weather events are happening and science tells us the frequency and severity will increase. We can accordingly expect to see at times more flooding, extreme heat, severe storms, wildfires and other serious weather related events exceeding the capacity of infrastructure and other response systems to cope. Some of the infrastructure is very old and needs to be replaced even without climate adjustments. Some of the infrastructure was designed and sized for another era and some is just in the wrong place as it was built before climate issues became apparent and will be woefully inadequate going forward. Make no mistake about the changes required, the costs are going to be huge and I do not need to tell you who will be paying. 

Inevitably as we rebuild, not as we built before, opportunities for widespread systems change will emerge and be required. We need to be ready and willing to take advantage of the opportunities and accordingly society as a whole must be actively involved. The future will be different from our recent past and adjustments to our expectations and values will be necessary. The past drivers of climate change will need to be abandoned and a whole new set of priorities and principles adopted. There is certainly no guarantee the gains achieved associated with the good life can be sustained. Some, probably a sizeable portion of the old climate change drivers will simply be unacceptable going forward in the face of serious existential and predictable degradations.

Discussing theories concerning change is all well and good, but what in detail will actually be required? Below I have attempted to suggest exactly that, but in doing so recognize my list is very incomplete. Why have I compiled the list? There are three reasons: to illustrate examples of change likely to be required; to encourage people to think and talk about specifics; and to help identify opportunities for responsible and advantageous responses to changing circumstances. Some of these ideas may prove to be inappropriate or unnecessary while others may be deemed essential.  So, here is my list and nothing more.

Change Opportunity

Year over year progressive tax on burning fossil fuels. Opportunity: develop and use alternative energy sources. Burning fossil fuel accepted to be principal driver of CO2 caused climate change.

Progressive tax on passenger vehicles by fuel type, dimensions, weight and potential power and speed. Opportunity: encourage small light weight and lower speed vehicles. Acceptance excessive vehicle size is unnecessary and resource wasteful in manufacture and operation.

Huge investment in surface operated public transportation. Opportunity: encourage less use of private vehicles to reduce congestion and increase safety on streets and highways. 

Convert major highways into public transportation corridors. Opportunity: Utilize existing highway corridors to extend the spinal linkage of designated public transportation priority routes in all directions.

Convert major highways into solar collection and wind farm corridors. Opportunity: utilize major highway corridors as electrical generation spines.

Utilize flat roofs of large buildings for solar collection. Opportunity: There are many acres of flat roofs that could be utilized for solar collection.

Increase building insulation. Opportunity: by increasing insulation less energy will be required to heat and cool buildings.

Create comprehensive networks of designated corridors in towns and cities for public transit, walking, cycling, personal vehicles and delivery and service vehicles. Opportunity: reduce congestion and increase safety and efficiency.

Ban energy intensive hi-rise. Opportunity: by reducing building height energy efficiencies can be realized and the use of concrete can be reduced.

Begin a long process of adding into settlement, farms, wildlife refuges and finger connections to the countryside. Opportunity: settlement has been built upon good soils and with imposed structure and pattern has seriously altered natural drainage patterns and wildlife corridors. In a manner set out by Ian McHarg settlement design must be revisited.

Ban plastic packaging and encourage end users to bulk purchasing and storage. Opportunity: we are now aware plastic has become a major polluting item and health risk. It is time to devise other methods and materials for transporting and storing consumer products. Manufacturers and distributors should be obliged to take back packaging for reuse, repurposing or as a last resort, disposal.

Begin process of gradually eliminating CO2 generating cement. Opportunity: alternative construction methods and materials are available.

Change the goods and services distribution system so vehicles and distribution centres are located, sized and employed more efficiently. Opportunity: create distribution centres and size vehicles appropriately for final distribution of goods and services to customers.

Support small scale local craft and manufacturing. Opportunity: encourage enhancement of local creative skills to produce unique products and contribute to local economies and employment.

Revisit small scale hydro-electric generation. Opportunity: without dams consider establishing minimally intrusive wide distribution of hydro-electric generation into river systems.

Ensure water sources are fully protected. Opportunity: prevent any type of development that would threaten the quality of our water sources and clean up old problems.

Require bonds where developments risk degradation. Opportunity: devise a system of bonds to be issued for developments to cover the full cost of possible repair and to be returned only when risks are deemed to be neutralized.

Progressively tax excessive profits and incomes. Opportunity: ensure more equitable distribution of wealth in line with societal priorities and principles. 

Plant trees. Opportunity: increase carbon sinks, wildlife habitat and moisture retention.

Prevent flood plain settlement development. Opportunity: in association with water protection and to prevent future flood damage risk for settlement.

Protect and reinstate wetlands. Opportunity: wetlands are significantly important for wildlife, drainage and coastal protection.

Enhance process of cleaning up agricultural practices to reduce toxic release. Opportunity: encourage and continue conversion of agricultural practices toward minimizing CO2 and toxic chemical release.

Ensure growth remains truly within sustainable limits. Opportunity: scale back growth tendencies to be in line with resource availability and societal requirements.