Climate change cannot be stopped with technology alone. There is a need for an ecological and moral conversion - this is what former president János Áder discussed with physicist and climate researcher Diána Ürge-Vorsatz in the Blue Planet podcast broadcast on Monday.
In the program, which can also be viewed on the most popular video-sharing site, János Áder - the chairman of the board of trustees of the Blue Planet Foundation - referred to the encyclical of Pope Francis, according to which an ecological conversion is necessary, as an introduction. Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, the vice president of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said: during her work, she realized that climate change cannot be stopped with technology alone. GDP growth always generates environmental problems, even with very advanced technologies.
According to the researcher, a moral conversion is needed so that the world is not only about the possession of material goods. We have to focus on what is really important in our lives, what makes us happy, he added.
In connection with this, János Áder said that air, water and land are the resources without which we cannot live, even though we treat them in the most irresponsible way. Diána Ürge-Vorsatz drew attention to the fact that we have significantly polluted our environment in recent decades. Microplastics are already absorbed by babies. This process is getting faster and faster, the world is polluted to such an extent that it can quickly become unlivable.
The alarm bell must be sounded - stressed Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, who believes that we can stop many things, but it is also important to remember.
In response to János Áder's question about energy production, the vice president of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change commented:
every time we use energy, it has an environmental footprint. The only truly sustainable energy is that which we never had to produce, that is, that which we saved, he noted.
Therefore, according to the climate researcher, we should always ask ourselves whether we really need the next unit of extra energy. In this regard, János Áder also believed that the standard of living we are used to involves an ever-increasing energy consumption. According to him, it is our responsibility to show restraint.
In response to this, Diána Ürge-Vorsatz spoke about how a lot of energy can be saved by very simple things, such as by changing our cultural habits, for example by changing the way we dress. At the same time, the climate researcher emphasized that, in addition to the negative phenomena, it is important to see that many good things have happened in this area in the past year. The most important thing is that the world realized that climate change is our biggest problem at the moment. This initiated a change in attitude, which appeared in all areas.
In closing, János Áder also emphasized that positive signs must be seen, making it clear to everyone that there will be work to be done in the coming years as well, and that serious tasks await the next generations.
Source: vasarnap.hu
Featured image: MTI
