Is “government action on climate change” enough?

Last week I read yet another social media post bemoaning “the lack of government action” on sustainability and wondered:

1. What government specifically the writer was wanting to act?  (From context, it was probably Australia’s federal government)
2. What magic bullet solution he thought that a change in government action might deliver?
3. Was his complaint going to perpetuate the myth that federal government “action” is a necessary precondition to accelerating the shift underway to a thriving regenerative economy?

What constitutes “government action”?

Does a water utility in North East Victoria going solar to power a regional water supply constitute government action?

Does a power authority in Western Australia switching to microgrids and away from pole-and-wire fossil fuel supply constitute Government action?

Does Brisbane City Council delivering Australia’s first district cooling precinct constitute Government action?

This is just one week’s list of local solutions being delivered.

There’s a wealth of State and Local Governments and government authorities out there doing great projects. From the ACT to Lismore and the City of Moreland, there are exciting projects being delivered – and that’s only going to accelerate.

So while a different Federal policy could be useful – what can we do anyway?  Now, today, what’s not only useful – but a regenerative win/win/win?

Local solutions for local systems

Effective sustainable solutions are location specific and system specific.  So lets take some time to cheer on local activists at all levels who are following R. Buckminster Fuller’s advice and acting:

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

Can you be an active effective follower somewhere?

There is no Superman – there is only US.  We don’t all have to be “hero” leaders, either.  We can simply aim to be more effective follower-leaders in our local community – finding and supporting the projects that are out to make coal irrelevant.

All the technology we need is out there.  Ask Paul Hawken about his comprehensive plan to reverse Global Warming: Project Drawdown. Ask Gunter Pauli about The Blue Economy  and restoring the Gobi desert.

What’s your local project?  What smart, proven solutions would best utilise your regional resources to regenerate your regional ecosystem, renew your local economy and enrich  your local community?

Don’t know where to start?  Download my eBook “Entrepreneuring the Regenerative Economy” and get into action.