Chapter Thirteen - What We Could’ve Done

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

What We Could’ve Done

THIS IS WHERE the screaming stops.
And the silence sets in.

Because we had the tools.
We had the knowledge.
We had the time.

And we wasted it.

This chapter isn’t science fiction.
It’s historical fiction.
A version of the world that could’ve existed, but didn’t.

The solutions weren’t hiding in some secret lab.
They were right there.

• Solar has been viable since the 1970s.
• Wind has been powering Europe for decades.
• Geothermal sits beneath our feet, untapped.
• Nuclear could have carried the load safely, with better design and better messaging.
• Electric vehicles existed before the gas engine won out.
• High-speed rail could have replaced millions of flights.

We didn’t need miracles.
We needed commitment.

But the profits were in burning, not building.

We knew the economy was a problem.
We knew infinite growth on a finite planet was suicide.

And we had the alternatives.

• Degrowth: the radical idea that maybe more stuff isn’t the goal.
• Circular economies: where waste becomes resource.
• Carbon pricing: to actually account for the damage being done.
• Local food systems: to shrink supply chains.
• Public transit: to reduce car dependency.
• Energy efficiency: in buildings, factories, and infrastructure.

None of this is utopian.
It’s practical.

But the people in power had no incentive to change the rules.
Because the game was working for them.

Imagine if Exxon had told the truth in 1978.
If Congress had acted in 1988.
If the U.S. had led the charge instead of dragging its feet.
If “climate change” had been treated like what it is — an existential emergency — instead of a debate topic.

Imagine if we had taught kids how the climate system works.
Imagine if the media had explained tipping points, not just hurricanes.
Imagine if personal responsibility had been paired with systemic responsibility.

The truth was never too complicated.
It was just too inconvenient.

The climate doesn’t respect borders.
Neither should the response.

We could’ve built a global alliance. One that shared technology, transferred wealth, and prioritized survival over sovereignty.

We could’ve created climate refugee programs.
Global carbon caps.
A planetary climate budget.
Emergency deployment teams for fires, floods, and famine.

We had the U.N., the data, the experts, and the models.

What we lacked was will.

From 1980 to 2010, we had a clear path.

Emissions could have peaked.
Transition could have begun.
Damage could have been minimized.

We could’ve made the pivot early and kept the world livable.

Instead, we accelerated.

Now, the costs are higher.
The stakes are bigger.
And the window is almost closed.

This chapter doesn’t end in rage.
It ends in grief.

We had the answers.
We just didn’t want to use them.