Fighting Climate Gloom and Doom: A USA Today Op-Ed from RMI CEO

On Earth Day yesterday, RMI CEO Jules Kortenhorst and New Climate Economy program director Jeremy Oppenheim co-authored a USA Today op-ed:

“When mythological Cassandra spurned Apollo, he flew into a rage, punishing her with the gift of prophecy but the curse that no one would believe her. Predictably, she went insane.

“On this Earth Day, let’s leave Cassandra behind. Let’s not go insane because the specter of climate change is met with widespread disbelief, whether literal denial of its happening, questions of its severity, or feelings of impotency in the face of such a daunting global challenge. Yes, a prevailing message of doom, gloom, and helplessness has left many people with no perceived option but to turn away, but there is hope.

“Market capitalism, for all its faults, offers promise. Far more so than national governments, it is fast, flexible, and adaptive. Now we must harness it to tackle the energy and climate challenges before us even faster.”

Read the rest of the op-ed, about how market-based approaches and innovation can shift the conversation from doom and gloom to hope and solutions.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.