My daughter, I am writing this letter to you on April 22, 2022, Earth Day. You will soon be two years old, you run everywhere, you begin to pronounce a few sentences, with a radiant smile, a laughing look. I would like you to keep this innocence forever, but things are not done that way. I don’t know if you will ever read this letter. We live in a world in which it is difficult to project ourselves into the future, we believe in it less and less, even if we continue to invest in our retirement plans.
I get anxious when I think about your future. You will live in a world transformed by climate change. Rising waters, extreme drought, food shortages, wars and climate refugees… We are already feeling the effects. When you are an adult, you may ask yourself: “But what did the ancestors do? » In 2020, the year of your birth, it was the 50and Earth Day anniversary. It’s still a long time, 50 years, to act.
I live with the fear that one day, when you realize the extent of the disaster, you will look at me accusingly. I fear to be the target of the anger, of the revolt which will grow in you. Or worse, you ask me the question, why did you bring me into such a world? I anticipate your reaction, because I too, in your place, would be angry.
I could convince myself that, even if we did our best to behave more respectfully towards the environment, nothing would change. But I don’t think your generation will care about our feelings of helplessness.
Because your anger will be valid. How can we justify spending so much energy and money eating so much meat? Are you going to have a RibFest in 2050? Probably not. How to justify that cruise ships roam the Caribbean, emit about 4 to 5 tons of CO2 per passenger for a single cruise, in addition to dump all our excrement on endangered corals?
I imagine you exasperated, frustrated, disappointed looking at the beautiful travel photos we left all over Instagram. You will say to yourself: “But what were they doing when the IPCC recalled the urgency of the situation and the need to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions? They enjoyed life and left behind traces of their happiness. I believe that in 2022, we do not realize how these images will be perceived by future generations.
I fear your judgment on our lifestyles, our behaviors, which seem completely normal for us, but irresponsible for you. I have a feeling you’re going to consider us brawling and spoiled. We constantly criticize this imperfect world while you would do anything to have it. We are oblivious to the feeling of injustice you will experience.
If we fail to make the world a better place, we should have the decency to accept your judgment. Today, from the height of your two years, you are totally helpless in the face of the future that awaits you. I’am aware. And I promise to do my best, because despite my fears, the future remains uncertain. We still have time to act.