Our blue planet: looking backwards from space – and forward…..

 
It’s times like this when it’s very hard to sleep or sit still – so many fascinating and inspiring people right there, and WWF sharing summary climate and Arctic ecosystem facts and perspectives as part of the initial briefing of these students before they head up to their second of the four destinations on this global climate change project – the Arctic!  But focused and calm we remained, and contributed to a fabulous evening launch of the Canadian Arctic leg of this journey.  It was the great mix of perspectives and issues that make such sessions really satisfying – the regional human dimensions to change, climate, social and governance issues, the scientific facts and projections under unprecedented rapid climate change, and then Dr Buzz Aldrin…

Martin and I had been rather bubbly all day at the prospect of actually meeting that second astronaut who stepped off the Apollo 11 ladder and onto the surface of our moon, vividly recalling our excited shrieks as we huddled with the family around the little black and white TV screen 42 years ago to the day!  But this evening was so inspiring yet sobering to us all – here was one of the 24 humans who’d been to the moon (and the second of the 12 who actually set foot on our moon) and his reflections and projections are very captivating.
Of course the man is a tireless traveler on the speaking circuit, and a strong advocate for proper funding and use of scientific research programs.  But it’s his words and piercing gaze that reveal those deep feelings for the custody of our own lovely blue-green planet that stir the heart, rooted in his many glances outwards from the ancient grey dust kicked up on the moon’s surface that day.

If I were 20-something and on such a global expedition, after such an evening as this, I’d find it impossible not to change course.  To steer my stories, learnings and lifetime efforts to following this advice.  Climate change is obviously a huge global issue that needs global attention – the Opel Project Earth students clearly get this, and have the opportunity now to hear Inuit on the front lines of rapid climate and other changes in North Baffin Island, and to help broadcast to the wider world what this all means, and why we simply have to act now, to leave a decent future for them.

(c) Andreas Hofweber