³ÉÈËXÕ¾

To the stirring sound of bagpipes, world leaders gathered at the to scold each other for still not doing what they’ve been promising to do for 26 years now.

“If we don’t get serious about climate change today, it will be too late for our children to do so tomorrow.”

Prime Minister of the UK Boris Johnson saying the same thing that we hear at every climate conference. Saying we must do something and do it now. Otherwise, it won’t get done:

“And the anger and the impatience of the world will be uncontainable.”

“Which may be why protesters here supplied their own pipe-bag soundtrack, complete with caricatures of some of the leaders,” said CBS’ Mark Phillips, witnessing the “uncontainable anger.”

Because nothing spurs a leader into action like a fierce caricature!

But can we put down the bagpipes and step back for a moment? Isn’t it obvious that climate change conferences aren’t working? And the reason they aren’t working is because — as Boris Johnson also observed — the average age of the world leaders gathered in Glasgow is over 60.

They are not going to be around in 2050 when New York’s subways become saltwater aqueducts and Miami Beach becomes an archipelago of partially-submerged condos.

The delegates at climate conferences ought to be under 40. Because those generations have skin in the game. By the time the Big Tide comes in and STAYS in – these leaders will be dead. The tide might wash their coffins out to sea one day, but that’s it.

I don’t know that the under-40 generation will have the resolve to do what needs to be done, like not drive gasoline cars anymore. But we should let them decide these issues. And if politics doesn’t work, they have every right to use economics to try to bankrupt the companies that refuse to change.

Or at least start buying up downtown real estate and waterproofing the first four stories. A watertight submerged condo could be a pretty cool place to live.

Listen to Seattle’s Morning News weekday mornings from 5 – 9 a.m. on ³ÉÈËXÕ¾ Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.