It is very evident when we look around us that the luxuries of the modern world have been built on fossil fuels and they system we live in encourages the pursuit of these luxuries.
However, we now know from the latest science that we need to as a matter of urgency decouple from fossil fuels immediately if we want to have a remote chance of delaying and hopefully avoiding a global catastrophe.
But moving from the dependence on fossil fuel energy to sustainable energy in my view will be a painful transition one where in the medium term need to make sacrifices while we figure out how to build better lives without the need for fossil fuels.
This interim period is what is going to be painful.
What follows may be a really insignificant example, but it does illustrate what we are going to need to get used to. I own a luxury German car which I bought before I became Carbon Literate. This car produces 196g CO2/km. The family has a second much smaller car that produces 88g CO2/km.
For almost all of my daily and weekly runs I now choose to drive the the car that emits less CO2. But I do miss the luxury and smoother ride of the bigger but dirtier car and its those luxuries we will have to let go of with increasing frequency as we attempt to halt the trajectory we are on.
Of course electric cars are available but our options in South Africa are limited. Until such time as we get more options at various price points, the only option is to drive less and if hanging to drive choosing the option the less polluting option.
Obviously all this is way more than just driving. There are choices to be made about air travel, what food to eat and consumption in general.
We need a system change and that process is going to require sacrifice. Will we be willing to make those? Time will tell
(See How localization can solve climate change for a look at what system change could look like)
Also see this Sky News piece entitled How to lead a low carbon life
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