Three Reasons To Feel Hopeful In 2017

Written by Heather Seely

I, along with millions around the world, was shocked when news emerged that the next President of the United States was an infamous climate skeptic. This comes at a time when NASA all but shouted from the rooftops that 2016 would be the hottest year in history. The past couple of years have seen an influx in human displacement due to the impact of climate change. Food scarcity and extreme weather events make global warming one of the most significant threats to human health. Yet many policies proposed by world leaders are economically-focused and environmentally-laughable, setting the stage for some of the world's largest emitters to adopt a business-as-usual mindset, while still producing excessive and dangerous emissions. The post-traumatic stress following Brexit, the US election, bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef, and global flooding crises has left environmentalists everywhere fearful about what 2017 and beyond will bring.

So maybe I'm writing this, a few days after ringing in the new year, in the hopes to find that we aren't doing everything wrong. Perhaps there are world leaders driven by planetary preservation instead of profit.

Maybe humanity will persevere and people will come together in a collective fight against climate change?

And that's exactly what my day of Googling has produced, hope. People are working together to find innovative ways to combat planetary warming, leaders from all over the world are emerging to take a stand, and we are starting to see a shift away from our fossil fuel dependency. So here's a few reasons why, you too, can feel hopeful about 2017.

Climate change may finally be getting the attention it deserves.

The statistic that 97% of scientists agree that climate change is not only a real thing but is also anthropogenic (caused by humans) is kind of old news. However, Americans, who have been notoriously unbothered by global warming, now take it more seriously than they have in the past eight years, with 64% worried about the warming of the Earth. This statistic also correlates with the most US citizens ever that are aware that climate change is caused by humans. Additionally, almost 80% of Australians now think that climate change is occurring and are more likely than ever to agree with climate-related science. Ratification of the Paris Agreement last year by high-emitting countries like the US, China and India demonstrates that there is awareness of the situation and acceptance that changes need to be made.

Our fossil fuel dependency may be coming to an end.

Reports from last year indicate that the peak for coal, oil, and gas will be by 2025, with coal and oil potentially seeing a terminal decline within the next couple of years. Coal consumption by the utility sector in the US is now the lowest it's been in 32 years, with other countries displaying similar trends. In anticipation of the nearing peak, companies such as Shell are diversifying their industries and increasing exploration in alternative fuel sources such as hydrogen fuel and biofuels. This comes at a time when Canada's upcoming tax on carbon emissions will hopefully become a norm in many countries, thus promoting a shift to safer and cleaner energy sources. With fossil fuels on the decline, a less carbon-intensive future is likely. 2016 saw a global 18% rise in geothermal, solar, and wind power, and with renewables becoming more accessible and affordable, that growth will continue.

The world is considering its eating habits and their related greenhouse gas emissions.

Perhaps following the release of the documentary Cowspiracy, it seems that the world has truly begun to consider the impacts of their dietary choices. Italy's small city of Turin made headlines last year by becoming the world's first 'vegetarian city,' with mayor Chiara Appendino endorsing a diet low in meat and dairy products, and therefore better for the environment, health, and animal welfare. Entire countries have followed suit by stating plans to limit the meat consumption of their citizens. The Chinese government has considered emissions in their outlined plan to reduce meat consumption by 50% in 2030. Other countries, like the Netherlands and Brazil, have have begun to incorporate sustainability measures in their dietary recommendations, and for the first time are limiting recommended meat consumption. Additionally, the amount of worldwide meatless eaters is on the rise, with England experiencing a 360% increase in vegans over the past decade and Australia joining China and the United Arab Emirates as having one of the fastest growing meatless-protein markets. With only one million reporting meatless diets in 2009, 16 million Americans have now adopted a vegetarian or vegan diet. Many of these meat-free converts are reporting the environment as one of their main motivations, and governments and industries are clearly starting to take notice.

Read more: The omnivore's guide to cutting down (or cutting out) you meat intake.

This month brings much uncertainty as it marks a new year with some big changes. While there is comfort to be found in some of the efforts made by millions of global citizens, we've got a long way to go. The fact that some people still deny or downplay the impacts of humanity on the environment means that this kind of stuff needs to be talked about. A LOT. Do your part personally to live as sustainably as your means allow, be a climate-nerd and bring up solar energy or greenhouse gas emissions at the brunch or dinner table, and make 'green' demands from local shops and councils. Ultimately, the biggest source of hope is that 2017 is an opportunity for people from all over the world to come together, united in our efforts, to make changes and offer innovative solutions that will impact the future of humanity, as well as the planet as a whole.

Heather is currently working on her Master's degree, specialising in sustainable food systems. She's a voracious vegetable eater, she loves to watch things grow, forests are her happy place, and if she could, she would be barefoot 365 days a year. Keep up with here here @heatherelizabeth29

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