Home

Main navigation

  • Discover CRC
    • ABOUT US
    • CRC BLOG
    • PUBLICATIONS
    • Knowledge Mobilization
    • Canada Research Chair (2004-2014)
  • Research Projects
    • Research Curation
    • Spaces, Places and Possibilities
    • Changing the Conversation
    • SOLUTIONS AGENDA
    • COMMUNITY VITALITY
    • RETHINKING GROWTH
    • CLIMATE CHANGE
    • SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
    • SOCIAL CAPITAL AND AGENCY
    • Sustainable Communities
  • Research Tools
    • COLABS
    • CASE STUDIES
    • POLICY DOCUMENTS
    • ICSP TOOL
    • VISUALIZATIONS
    • COLLABORATIVE SPACES
    • INTERESTING STUFF

  1. Home

A Fast Moving Virus, a Slow Changing Climate

Quote

​

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

The Tyee, had an interesting article called ‘A Fast Moving Virus, a Slow Changing Climate’ (April 7, 2020), saying one is happening in real time, one in deep time. Geologists define deep time as the time scale at which continents drift and mountains form, as do ecosystems evolve. Glaciers don’t melt in real time; sea levels don’t rise in real time, species don’t go extinct in real time.

As a species we have evolved to be hypervigilant to immediate threats (and threats we can ‘see’), but we have a critical blind spot about slow-moving crises like climate change and biodiversity loss as somehow less than real. This is particularly deadly when our political and official decision-makers have so sense of its real-time urgency. They will not act until the public(s) reach a consensus on the urgent need to act now on both these social imperatives.

We have a lot to thank Greta Thunberg for in highlighting the urgency and the need to act now, and ironically, the recent pandemic; but we now need all age cohorts to act on this urgency and communicate to our leaders that we cannot afford to wait any longer.

Find us on the Web

News

From CRC

Feb 7  
New Video: Stream restoration projects in cities off many benefits
Dec 2  
New Video: The world is grey without biodiversity
Nov 29  
Prof. Dale recognized by Nature Canada for volunteerism and leadership
View Archives

From Our Community

May 22
Professor Ann Dale hosts a new podcast about biodiversity
Feb 11
Sovereign Soil Film Screening
Jan 10
Alberta Climate Records: Visualizing Climate Change Past & Present
View Archives

Recent CRC Blog posts

  • Feb 16
    Building Back Better
  • Dec 10
    What a wonderful world
  • Dec 4
    Building Back Better
  • Nov 27
    A Sneak Peak
  • Nov 13
    How to make a difference in community planning
View Archives

Footer bg image

footer bg

 

Unversity © Copyright 2006-2021 All Rights Reserved | Royal Roads University | CRCResearch

Watercolour paintings along menu by Leanne Cadden.