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| The panelists discuss the dangers of climate inaction. Left to right: Jeff Moore, Jian Ghomeshi, Elizabeth May and David Orr (Danny Abriel photo) |
It began with harrowing questions about the future of our planet. It ended with a joyous sing-a-long that had the capacity crowd on its feet.
That last night鈥檚 Dialogue for Change panel made such a transition does not mean that the world鈥檚 problems were solved in its two hours, or that the audience鈥檚 concerns about global climate change and environmental sustainability were all erased. Still, there was something truly inspiring about seeing such聽a diverse panel of聽environmental leaders share their thoughts on where our society has gone wrong and where it needs to go next.
鈥淚 thought we were done with 鈥榗hange鈥� with Obama,鈥� said Jian Ghomeshi, opening the evening with a laugh. 鈥淐learly, he lied to us.鈥�
Seated in the middle of a semi-circle of chairs at the front of the Ondaatje Auditorium, the host of CBC鈥檚 鈥淨鈥� led the panelists through a series of provocative questions that saw them challenge the political and economic status quo and address a larger, fundamental question: who, or what, will enable us to become a more sustainable society?
鈥淭he 鈥榳ho鈥� is rather easy 鈥� it鈥檚 us鈥� answered Jeff Moore, founder of Just Us! Coffee Roasters Cooperative. 鈥淥r, if you will, 鈥榡ust us.鈥� We really can鈥檛 afford to wait for anyone else to do it.鈥�
If the audience was left with a single theme for the evening, it may have been urgency. All four panelists argued the need for immediacy in tackling problems such as global climate change, perhaps none as passionately as Green Party leader Elizabeth May. 鈥淲hen we say we鈥檙e running out of time, I mean December 2009,鈥� she said, referring to the forthcoming United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen.
Ms. May saved her harshest words for Canada鈥檚 current federal leadership. 鈥淸The Americans] have Obama, and we still have George Bush,鈥� she said to applause. 鈥淯ntil we see a change in political will, we won鈥檛 be able to make these broader changes.鈥�
David Orr may have been the most unfamiliar of the four participants to many in the audience, but the global expert in sustainability education provided several of the discussion鈥檚 most valuable insights. 鈥淲e know better than we act,鈥� he said, explaining that the real crisis of sustainability is the need to inspire genuine political and social change, not just a 鈥済reenwashing鈥� of the issues.
In one of the evening鈥檚 most passionate discussions, all four panelists rejected fatalist views that the state of the earth is too far gone to make it worth changing course. 鈥淭here鈥檚 just as much hubris in saying that we鈥檙e too late as in saying it鈥檚 not a problem,鈥� said Dr. Orr. 鈥淥ptimism and pessimism both ask us to do nothing. But not hope 鈥� hope is a verb with its sleeves rolled up. You don鈥檛 know if you鈥檙e going to win, but you鈥檙e willing to labour after it.鈥�
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| Singer/songwriter Raffi Cavoukian (Danny Abriel photo) |
That each of these panelists largely focused on their own field when discussing possibilities for change 鈥� Ms. May and politics, Mr. Moore and business, Dr. Orr and social thought 鈥� is perhaps not surprising. But anyone who turned up expecting singer/songwriter Raffi Cavoukian to break into 鈥淏aby Beluga鈥� were almost certainly impressed by his passion for the world that will be passed down to future generations.
Defining sustainability as 鈥渁 code of conduct for how we need to live together,鈥澛爐he global troubadour聽explained how a philosophy of child-honouring needs to link future generations more closely with the planet: 鈥淲e鈥檙e talking here about the theft of futures鈥t鈥檚 a fundamental human rights issue.鈥� He, like the others, emphasized the enormity of the challenge ahead: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not incremental change that we need 鈥� it鈥檚 systematic change.鈥�
And since Mr. Cavoukian聽argued pessimism is 鈥渁 luxury that we can鈥檛 afford,鈥� it's only fitting that the evening鈥檚 conclusion was also the event's emotional highpoint. "Raffi Cavoukian the Activist" transformed into "Raffi the Performer" as he took to his feet and sang along to his brand new song, 鈥淪ustainABILITY.鈥� With a reggae beat behind him and a childish swagger in his toes, he pulled each of his fellow panelists to their feet to sing about 鈥渒indness & compassion鈥estoring every nation.鈥�
The tune was catchy, sure, but judging by the number of attendees who stuck around the lobby to chat after the panel was over, last night鈥檚 ideas may have been every bit as memorable.
The Dialogue for Change panel was sponsored by AV俱乐部' College of Sustainability.
SustainABILITY: Raffi performs the world premiere of his new song at Dialogue for Change. Watch the video