Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 37 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
Exclusive to OpEd News:
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 3/5/15

Ten Commandments for a Climate-Threatened World: The Second Five

Message David Griffin

The 10 Commandments
The 10 Commandments
(Image by @jbtaylor)
  Details   DMCA

In "Ten Commandments for a Climate-Threatened World: The First Five," I suggested these commandments for our time: (1) Thou Shalt Not Ruin Civilization's Climate. (2) Thou Shalt Not Impose Hotter Weather on People. (3) Thou Shalt Not Impose Drought on People. (4) Thou Shat Not Increase Destructive Storms. (5) Thou Shalt Not Deprive People of Clean Water. This second essay suggests five more:

6. Thou Shalt Not Deprive People of Food

In a 2012 book, Full Planet, Empty Plates, Lester Brown said: "The world is in transition from an era of food abundance to one of scarcity."[1]

As to why, there are two main causes. Whereas one is the continued growth of the world's population, the other was indicated by a 2012 statement by Oxfam: "Increased hunger is likely to be one of climate change's most savage impacts on humanity," so "the food security outlook in a future of unchecked climate change is bleak."[2]

As to how climate change is contributing to this bleak outlook, Brown said: "Of all the environmental trends that are shrinking the world's food supplies, the most immediate is water shortages" [as discussed in the fifth commandment]. [3]

But climate change has also reduced food availability by means of heat, drought, hurricanes, tornadoes, sea-level rise, and the destruction mentioned in the next two commandments: ocean acidification and sea-level rise.

7. Thou Shalt Not Ruin People's Seas

For food, the ocean is as important as fertile land. But the CO2 spewed into the world over the past century is threatening seafood even more than land-based food.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Must Read 3   Well Said 2   Valuable 2  
Rate It | View Ratings

David Griffin Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

David Ray Griffin is emeritus professor of philosophy of religion at Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University. He has written 30 books. His most recent book is Unprecedented: Can Civilization Survive the CO2 Crisis? (Clarity (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Climate Denial

Climate Economists: Global warming will create "an environment so hostile...

Ten Commandments for a Climate-Threatened World: The First Five

Should Climate Scientists Tell the Full Truth?

10 Climate Commandments

Divestment From Fossil Fuel Companies

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend