In spite of political headwinds, climate leaders are remaining motivated by focusing on progress being made on a variety of fronts, according to an April 21 Grist article.
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Gaurab Basu was among several climate leaders quoted in the article. Basu, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health and a core faculty member in the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE), has worked to incorporate climate education into medical curricula, and he studies the health impacts of climate change and the health benefits of climate solutions.
Basu said that there had been an unprecedented movement for climate action in recent years. “I’ve never seen so many people passionate about protecting our planet—and anchoring in our responsibility to protect people’s health and the vitality of future generations. We’ve made a lot of progress in explaining to people that climate change is a health issue.”
But he acknowledged that there has also been “an unprecedented rejection and destruction of science and an extraordinary regression on the progress we were making.”
Still, Basu is cheered by efforts such as increased use of solar power and electric vehicles around the globe. He added, “I believe deeply that we can catalyze a new era in which we once again fund science, create durable policy, and take pride in protecting the planet and people. So many people are putting their heads down and pushing forward, in spite of the challenges.”
Read the Grist article: We asked climate leaders what’s keeping them inspired. Here’s what they said.
