Copenhagen Climate Summit talks Underway, but is it Enough?

The Copenhagen Climate Summit has officially begun, and leaders from all over the world have converged there to deliberate on the prevailing climate crisis that threatens to plunge the entire planet in peril unless drastic changes are effected soon.

In Pursuit of Profits

I am a going-green enthusiast, and honestly believe that every passing day brings us closer to chaos and untold suffering. Not that I am a pessimist, but I am yet to see determined and concerted effort by policy makers to address the current situation.

Instead, governments and big businesses are hot in pursuit of profit, at the expense of our collective livelihood.

John Doerr

In March 2007, John Doerr gave an emotional talk at TED, where he reiterated that our current efforts at addressing the global climate crisis are not yet enough.

Following is the video and some highlights of his TED Talk:

Highlights of this TED Talk:

“I scared and I’m angry.
Dad, your generation created this problem. You better fix it”
- Mary (John Doerr’s 15 year old daughter)

“There is a time when panic is the appropriate response”
- Eugene Kleiner

> We cannot afford to underestimate this problem. If we face irreversible and catastrophic consequences, we must act and we must act decisively.

Lessons Learnt:

1. Companies are really powerful, and this matters a lot.

2. Individuals matter, and they matter enormously.

3. Policy matters. It really matters. Policy is paramount.

4. There is potential in radical innovation.

“The best ways to predict the future is to invent it”
- Alan Kay

“The second best way is to finance it”
- John Doerr

Surprises: Who would have thought that…

- a mass retailer would make money by going green?

- a database entrepreneur could transform California with legislation?

- an ethanol/bio-fuel miracle would come from a developing country in South America?

- scientists trying to cure malaria could come up with breakthroughs in bio-fuels?

- ALL THAT IS NOT ENOUGH?

Bottom Line

“Going green is the largest economic opportunity of the 21st century.”

- The call to action is that you make going green your next big thing. And have no doubts about the possibility of that happening, since

“Entrepreneurs do more than anyone thinks possible with less than anyone thinks possible.”

Use your personal power to make it happen.

You can watch the video, read comments and download John Doerr’s TED Talk here.

Let us all learn and share. Then purpose to make this world a better place than we found it.