Climate Doomism? Let's go to the beach!
Its not escapism if its altruistic. Right? Right?!
In 2021 I had the chance to stay at a luxury island resort in the Maldives. For one of the excursions we did a snorkeling boat tour searching for my favorite type of shark. Whale sharks! The largest non-human eating shark(phew!). My group searched the beautiful coral reefs only to see a site of horror. Of the three the first island reef was the most vibrant. So many tiny colorful fish and corals all around. Each reef we visited afterwards looked like a vampire had drained them of less and less life. The final reef we visited was underwater desert grave.
Our group of >8 followed around a single sea tortoise snapping photos. It was at that moment that I knew my children may never see a coral reef that was brimming with life.
Climate change has decimated reefs around the world. The cause? Unpredictable atmospheric behavior causing temperature fluctuations, coral bleaching and more.
In 2022 I began researching and designing environmental engineering projects. I learned about the assortment of geothermal engineering projects that seek to alter climates and potentially protect us from the volatility of climate change. A concept I don’t fully agree with because I understand takes a high degree of global cooperation and equitable resources to effectively implement. Something that would take a high degree of collaboration as opposed to cooperation. I also learned about U.S. private forestry and trees as agricultural products.
“The United States contains 765 million acres of forestland. The potential scope of congressional involvement in U.S. forest resources varies, based primarily on ownership. The majority (69%) of U.S. forests are nonfederal forests: forests that are owned by private entities or state and local governments. The remaining 31% of U.S. forests are federally owned.”, 2021
Such staggering numbers and understanding made me realize just how vulnerable our climate and lived experiences are to capital.
I also want to big up Teddy Rosevelt’s foresight in expanding nationally protected forest. Who knows what would have been left without him?
In 2024 I visited the Redwoods forest for the first time. A forest ranger gave us a lesson on the history of the Redwoods. President Abraham Lincoln in 1864 signed an Act of Congress that made Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Sierra redwoods the nation's first state park. The homestead act led to a lot of land grabs within the US and in particular the RedWoods. Not long after, the redwoods began being logged in the late 1880s. The history I learned was primarily focused on colonial adventures. But a history that has confirmed some suspicions I have. We might lose them, among other natural wonders of the world; due to climate and greed.
The Redwoods trees don’t “burn” they smolder; so I’m not as concerned about forest fires. But they can still be affected by disease; the spread of which is exacerbated by climate issues. The Great barrier reef is being destroyed by rising temperatures and ocean acidification. The Amazon rainforest is under threat from deforestation, droughts and fires. The Dead Sea is shrinking. Glaciers are shrinking all over the world. Climate crisis events are happening everywhere all of the time all at once.
A lot of responsibility is placed on consumers. We are the end users of industries that are producing energy, food, manufacturing our goods, and transporting us from point A to B. I’d like to put more responsibilities on the corporations because there are ways to get us some of what we are used to but it would take sacrificing profit which defeats the purpose of a for profit enterprise.
Despite my ear to the ground, listening for proposals, and my mind laying foundations for a better future; I’ve heard one very concerning and consistent statement:
We are at the point of no return.
[Shit I mean, Wynn Alan Bruce, himself on fire to bring our attention to the issue. Harsh judgement: Please stop doing this, our collective resources are too valuable to sacrifice for aesthetics even if it is to bring awareness.]
I’m an optimist most days but, as an exercise, I chose to consider the idea that all hope is lost. In doing so I had an idea that I hope never has to be utilized.[Note I am NOT an expert climate scientist nor am I economist.]
Climate doomism tourism? Doom tours? Climate doomism economics? Band name and tours coming soon I guess? (yuck) .
Governments who can [for example an island that is shrinking due to rising ocean levels],invest in marketing campaigns and “clean” modular tourist infrastructure to get every penny they can out of tourists looking to visit sites that will likely no longer exist. I could see a campaign that would garner sympathy, donations and commerce. And before you judge, remember we are already seeing economic desperation and perseverance. I see everybody’s grandmas and kids tryna get tik tok dollars or bottles off the street anyway; so don’t hate! Disposable income No Kids? I’m talking to y'all and some.
Policy idea: A special tax would be placed on goods, services and transportation that would go towards a fund to be invested in climate resilient infrastructure, disaster relief, emergency relocation, and other functions for self-sufficiency.
Basically a sovereign wealth fund that's designed to be foundational to new visions for a resilient region/nation. If you need one I’ll design one for you and your/our people! I’ve done it before but I’m not shouting that on linkedin.
I suggest clean infrastructure because we don’t want to aid social and environmental destruction in the event things start to turn around for the better(There goes that optimist in me!). Imagine the government implementing this but subsidizes fossil fuel burning tourist boats or never implementing a strong environmental cleaning and protection plan that can handle increased tourism. But the destruction event never happened and now the group entered a slippery slope of self destruction. I encourage [maybe even romanticize] modularly designed infrastructure because in the event of a disaster and required relocation for residents; tourist infrastructure can be taken down and moved to safer sites for those in need.
Of course investment could be made for stopping the issues at hand but remember this is a doomsday approaching scenario. Grab your valuables, the expendable tourist money, and get the heck out of dodge.
I’ve written an investment thesis for how we can take a hybrid doomist and optimist approach at investing in infrastructure. I’m waiting to see a few more events happen before I can share. But in the meantime please stay tuned for other writings and announcements. Please like, subscribe and share with ya frieeendss!