by Christine Maccabee
“There is No Planet B”
When I heard that the President Macron of France was coming to the United States to meet with our president, I knew he had an important agenda. I knew in my heart that he would speak up for the need for our country to join with other nations to preserve the health of our precious planet Earth, and he did not disappoint.
True confession…I am a news junkie. I want, and need, to know what is going on in our country and around the world. Having no TV, I listen to C-span quite a lot, as I do chores or gardening projects. I like to hear many points of view, though not agreeing with all of them, of course. Who does?
A couple of weeks ago, I just happened to be tuned in at the very time the French President was speaking to Congress, so I stopped in my tracks to listen. I have always seen Macron as a truth seeker and a very good leader, who is not afraid to speak truth to power, and he did not disappoint that day! Perhaps you heard him, too.
Young President Macron, just thirty-nine, spoke boldly and eloquently, explaining the importance of us all to work together, for “in the long run, we will have to face the same realities, as we are citizens of the same planet; so we will have to work together to ensure the health of Earth’s oceans, its critical biodiversity, preserving these things for our children and their children.”
Macron said he sees the U.S pullout of the Paris Climate Agreement (signed by 176 nations in 2015) as “a short-term family disagreement,” and that he believes “it is the responsibility of lawmakers to ensure leaving our children a planet that is liveable in twenty-five years.” With those words, there was an immediate loud cheer from members of Congress, and a loud applause in my heart, for truth recognizes truth.
This amazingly intelligent and caring young man spoke for most of us, I am sure, for who does not care for the health of the oceans, which are filled with plastic debris that are killing aquatic life, left and right? Who does not care that the Polar ice caps are melting much faster than anyone thought, creating sea-level rise and confusion in weather patterns? And, who does not care that our rainforests are being clear cut, destroying untold diversity of plant and animal habitat and necessary oxygen, our trees being the lungs of the earth? I am sure our children care, as do Emmanuel Macron’s children. He is speaking for them and for the Earth, as we can’t have one without the other.
President Macron continued on, saying, “I believe we must transition to low carbon economies, because what is the meaning of life if our decisions, if our jobs, are destroying quality of life on our Earth? We must work together to create new jobs, new opportunities, so as we work [to support our families] we are also supporting our Earth.” Last I heard, France is phasing out all coal-related jobs within a few years. I have also heard that Finland is a totally fossil-fuel-free nation already, employing nothing but wind and solar; but then, these two nations are much smaller than the U.S., with fewer wealthy fossil fuel magnates, so it is likely easier for them to come to agreements about energy.
Still, I want to thank you, Emmanuel Macron, for lifting my spirits that day. I pray that your wise leadership and earth ambassadorship will create a ripple in our own country towards wise choices in the very near future, for there truly is “no planet B!”(at least not one that we have discovered yet).
