COP21: ‘Terminator’ Arnold Schwarzenegger backs new energies, seeks end to fossil fuel use
“Terminator” actor and former California Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger stole the show on Monday at the ongoing 2015 Climate Conference (COP21) by attending the summit and arguing why he supports new energy technologies and seeks to end the use of emission-causing fossil fuels.
He took by storm not only Paris but also social media after he posted on Facebook that he does not care if people do not believe in climate change or if they are concerned about the rise in temperature or melting of ice caps, reports Quartz. His Facebook post, posted also on Monday, was shared almost 50,000 times and elicited 3,200 comments. Facebook CEO and new father Mark Zuckerberg was among those who liked the Terminator’s status.
He notes that every time he posts about clean energy future, he receives a lot of questions about climate change, with some saying it is a hoax. Others even use four-letter words to make know their disagreement with Schwarzenegger’s crusade.
To emphasise his point, the former governor stresses that with 7 million people dying yearly from pollution, the number is higher that all murders, suicides and car accidents combined. Pollution-related deaths caused by fossil fuel take 19,000 lives daily.
With these grim data, Schwarzenegger says a clean energy future is a wise investment, citing California’s experience of sourcing 40 percent of its power requirements from renewables, and the state being 40 percent more energy efficient than the rest of the US as a fruit of being an early adopter of clean energy future.
Instead of green campaigners talking about the risks of climate change in 2050, people should talk about it and act on the pollution problem now caused by fossil fuels. He points out that people find it difficult to imagine the world in 2050 or 2100, the years being discussed in Paris to craft a long-term goal on climate action.
“There are people stuck in cancer wards now, tubes sticking out of them … We should be talking about that.” Schwarzenegger adds, “Stuff that happens in the future does not mean anything to people,” quotes the Guardian.
With the COP21 about to close in a two days, a new draft text of an agreement was published on Saturday and is being scrutinised by the 195 governments represented in France.
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