Point of no return

The world has about six years and 10 months left before its carbon budget — the amount of carbon dioxide that can be released into the atmosphere at the current rate — will be completely depleted. Unless human beings join hands to limit global warming under the 1.5C safe threshold, they will face worsening famines, disasters, and displacement. The climate clock by two artists, Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, in Manhattan’s Union Square, is a stark reminder of how destructive and fragile we are.

While some deny the science of climate change, others are sounding a clarion call for action. In 2018, Greta Thunberg started protesting in front of the Swedish Parliament to keep up the pressure on her government to meet the target of carbon emissions. She skipped classes to strike every Friday and asked students around the world to join her, which had a ripple…