In politics today, "woke" is a popular though often misunderstood slogan. Many Republicans use it disparagingly to label what they consider progressive or leftist ideas. While its origin, and core, have to do with racial justice, it is now widely used to criticize anything that promotes tolerance, fairness, compassion, and due regard for the well-being of others. Being woke means waking up our sensitivities to injustice and inequality. It means recognizing and claiming the moral values that guide us in deciding what’s right and wrong. Understood as a moral imperative, "woke" is exactly what’s needed in a climate emergency.
While more and more people are waking up to the dangers that the climate crisis presents, the time for mitigation is running out. A woke person sees the absurdity of how the world is dealing with the crisis. Carbon pollution from burning coal, oil and gas is over-heating our planet. The devastating evidence is everywhere. At the same time, clean affordable alternatives, like solar and wind power, are increasingly available, affordable, and promise huge benefits, like a healthier environment, cheaper energy costs and millions of good jobs.
Yet, despite scientists’ warnings that delayed action will cause irreversible and catastrophic impacts, governments are slow walking the transition away from fossil fuels. Allowing the greed and intransigence of fossil fuel companies to jeopardize the lives, livelihoods, and very future of human civilization is a moral wrong. Recognizing this existential threat, a woke person demands that governments phase out these polluting fuels and transition quickly to a clean energy future.