¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 The fuse has been lit,
the bomb has been readied –
but we still have time.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 Time to do what?
Stopping the Bomb & Extinguishing the Fuse
ARE NOT ACTIONS OR STRATEGIES,
they are only OBJECTIVES.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 What must BE DONE to stop a bomb or extinguish a fuse?

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 ******

Many decades ago I learned this distinction when writing and reviewing grant proposals. Some applications called for statements about both “objectives” and “operations” (strategies and procedures for achieving the objectives). Many applicants claimed that performing their operations, as proposed, was equivalent to achieving their objectives. Some granting agencies accepted this unconscious deception. The procedures may or may not yield the stated objectives, but not achieving objectives is also a valid scientific accomplishment – indeed, this is the most common result of scientific research. Accountants managing the grants appeared not able to comprehend this distinction.

Also important was specifically stating the Operational Measures to determine whether the objectives were achieved, or not. Again, that the operations were performed – with no reporting of results – was sometimes accepted as a successful project.

******

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 Most humans confuse “identifying a problem” with “proposing a solution”; a favorite among politicians, editorialists, and journalists.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 Unfortunately, for many humans, hearing about an objective implies that a solution exists – and is known to the person stating the objective.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 “Stopping Climate Change”
is another objective,
not an action or even a strategy.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0

Project Drawdown : The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming – is a very useful endevour. BUT, it is not a strategy of actions for addressing climate change. It is a very large list of viable objectives, if achieved, might collectively lead to the end of our Climate Change Threat.  It is also a powerful resource to inform others about the issues; which will contribute significantly to achieving the objective.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0 How to get persons and institutions to organize and work in collaboration so as to achieve these objectives is OUR primary challenge – in a highly dysfunctional mix of social/societal systems, often in denial of the need and many openly opposed to the proposed drawdowns.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 The vast majority of the global human population is not yet competent to comprehend these objectives or have the skills to perform the requisite actions..

¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 The fragmented communication/media systems existing today renders educating/organizing populations very difficult, if not impossible.

Even Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything  assertion that humankind needs to transcend Capitalism (to avert Climate Change Disasters) is only an objective, not a proposed action or strategy.

¶ 16 Leave a comment on paragraph 16 0 It is the confusion of well stated objectives with viable action strategies (based on realities) that blocks progress. Action strategies (of the needed Magnitude/Scope/Complexity) require a Sci/Tech of human systems that, as yet, doesn’t exist.  The Sci/Tech of material systems, used in the Drawdown projects, are much more advanced, and sufficient to achieve their objectives. It is the task of motivating/training/guiding/organizing humans and human systems to actually perform these projects (beyond demonstrations) that is our primary challenge.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on paragraph 17 0 Project Drawdown is call for a script or choreography for a drama/dance, that if performed, would assist humankind surviving/thriving the challenges of our Crisis-of-Crises. But, it is NOT THE SCRIPT OR CHOREOGRAPHY. Nor does it help us know how to interest and train humans to do what is needed.

¶ 18 Leave a comment on paragraph 18 0 Only a Project UPLIFT, to systemically bootstrap the learning/organizing (OLLO) of human populations to the requisite knowledge/competencies to actually make manifest the many sub-projects in Project DRAWDOWN, can we be assured of a better future.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 I let you to consider whether the trending shifts in political/economic perspectives and polices (from Trump/GOP in the USA to crises everywhere) gives you any confidence that Project DRAWDOWN will “fly”.

¶ 20 Leave a comment on paragraph 20 0 Project DRAWDOWN is a truly masterful production by highly talented and committed persons. Unfortunately, it may actually make “dodging the bullet of climate change” MORE DIFFICULT.   It will attract persons to become involved in these (important) projects, making it more difficult attracting others to support OLLO projects for Project UPLIFT (UP2Met).

¶ 21 Leave a comment on paragraph 21 0 It may be that the architects of Project DRAWDOWN are well aware of these issues and have objectives and strategies to meet these needs. The production of the book and online system for Project DRAWDOWN would be an wise initial task for a more comprehensive project involving how to seaf (support, enable, augment, facilitate) humans to actually, successfully design and implement Project DRAWDOWN.  But, Project DRAWDOWN will not necessarily lead to Project UPLIFT (which has its own rationale and contexts).