To Solve Climate Change, The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is The Status Quo
This is a call to action.
It’s a call to everyone on our shared planet — a call that transcends borders, bridges divides, and unites us in a shared vision for a thriving future. We’re at a moment in history where we can make a decision to simply acknowledge the reality of climate change and demonstrate our ability to forge a new, enlightened path forward.
With incredible innovations in technology, we’ve already crafted the tools necessary to solve climate change. The power of the sun, the wind, and the land are at our disposal, propelling us towards a future that frees us from legacy energy systems and their ongoing impacts. The solutions are in our hands. Now it’s time to seize them.
It’s time to break from the status quo we’re stuck in that stifles progress and hinders our collective journey towards a more healthy and sustainable world. For too long, we've engaged in a blame game, pointing fingers across political, cultural, and intellectual divides. It’s time to set aside these divisions and recognize a simple reality: we’re in this together. We are united. The challenges may seem daunting, but history has shown us that daunting challenges met with audacity leads to amazing results.
Let’s be inspired by President Kennedy who, in 1962, challenged Americans to put a person on the moon within 10 years - not because it's easy, but precisely because it is hard. 7 years later astronauts walked on the moon. India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission inspired another generation by landing and roving on the moon. Our opportunity is similar in mustering the courage to redefine our relationship with the environment just as generations before us redefined the boundaries of space exploration.
In the midst of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt reminded Americans that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. He urged all Americans to face the country’s challenges with courage and confidence. Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore, Park Chung-hee in South Korea, and Deng Xiaoping in China have also challenged their countries to greatness. We should all recognize how fear of change and fear of the unknown can paralyze our efforts. To solve climate change, the only thing we have to fear is the status quo. Let’s use our pioneer spirit to break the status quo and create a better future by choosing our own destiny rather than having it chosen for us.
We have an opportunity to look back on this day as the moment we decided to control our future. Twenty-five years ago, Netflix reimagined entertainment. Twenty years ago, Tesla redefined transportation. Sixteen years ago, the iPhone redefined communications. And less than a decade ago, carbon-free energy became not only the most abundant but also the cheapest form of energy. We now stand at the brink of a revolution that allows us to redefine the global energy infrastructure and its climate impact for those we care about most. Around the globe, we will invest trillions that impact the future economic and social direction of everyone on the planet.
It’s time for us to…
Imagine a new kind of farmer — the "energy farmer" — harvesting energy from the sun, the wind, and the earth beneath our feet… Envision entrepreneurs defining and investing in the energy infrastructure of the future… Relish in the opportunity to spread the benefits in more inclusive ways. Together, we will build a society where all 8 billion of us thrive.
Texas already shows us what’s possible. The state generates more renewable energy than any other in the United States, exceeding even California's output. Meanwhile, China is surging ahead. Let’s allow their increasing lead to unleash our competitive spirit and motivate everyone to accelerate and meet the challenge.
Let’s also be clear-eyed. Calls to "kill coal" and to instantly end fossil fuel usage are unhelpful simplifications. Transitions, as demonstrated by the evolution of industries like entertainment and transportation, require innovation, planning, and social adoption. So instead of division, let’s use our collective desire to leave the planet a better place and grasp this opportunity to ensure the benefits are shared by everyone.
This is a call to every person, regardless of age, skin color, religious belief, favorite sports team, or national flag. We are interdependent, and by working together, we use our collective power to accelerate. We possess the technologies, the economics, and the opportunity. What we need now is the collective will to break free.
So let's join hands with respect for one another and focus on creating a future where our collective power breaks the status quo and propels us into a better future.
