Chapter 16: July 31st The Austrian Alps (early afternoon local time) “I think that we can all agree that the major lesson that we can take from the India-Pakistan crisis is that in the current circumstances things can escalate very rapidly in unpredictable ways. Once climate change really kicks into gear, we may very well not be able to manage the outcomes, nor maintain the current social order. We all know what that could mean for our own futures. Our only option is to take the actions required and accept some reductions in our own fortunes as the cost of protecting ourselves. Better a managed decline than a chaotic transition.” Michael Richardson paused and took a sip of the Earl Grey tea from the fine china cup as he reclined in the sumptuous leather chair. He was surrounded by a small group of some of the most powerful people in the world, hidden away in a private room in an exclusive resort in the Austrian Alps. Easily accessible for those that use helicopters like others use taxis. Although they all shared the fortunes of great wealth, they were a diverse group; from the conservative attire of old European wealth, to the faded Gucci jeans and blazer of the thirty-something billionaire. What they also shared was a deep understanding of the need to manage the ways in which society combated climate change, ways that would benefit and protect them as much as possible.
End of the Beginning: Chapters 16 & 17
End of the Beginning: Chapters 16 & 17
End of the Beginning: Chapters 16 & 17
Chapter 16: July 31st The Austrian Alps (early afternoon local time) “I think that we can all agree that the major lesson that we can take from the India-Pakistan crisis is that in the current circumstances things can escalate very rapidly in unpredictable ways. Once climate change really kicks into gear, we may very well not be able to manage the outcomes, nor maintain the current social order. We all know what that could mean for our own futures. Our only option is to take the actions required and accept some reductions in our own fortunes as the cost of protecting ourselves. Better a managed decline than a chaotic transition.” Michael Richardson paused and took a sip of the Earl Grey tea from the fine china cup as he reclined in the sumptuous leather chair. He was surrounded by a small group of some of the most powerful people in the world, hidden away in a private room in an exclusive resort in the Austrian Alps. Easily accessible for those that use helicopters like others use taxis. Although they all shared the fortunes of great wealth, they were a diverse group; from the conservative attire of old European wealth, to the faded Gucci jeans and blazer of the thirty-something billionaire. What they also shared was a deep understanding of the need to manage the ways in which society combated climate change, ways that would benefit and protect them as much as possible.