In the science of climate change, much research is being done around the tipping points that could occur in the climate system that would create drastic disturbance.

Another kind of tipping point associated with climate change is actually more important, namely, the increasing movement toward a tipping point of people, en masse, demanding that we keep fossil fuels in the ground and find new ways to power the world. There are signs of the coming tipping point emerging everywhere.

Awareness is growing as media outlets, such as The Guardian, not only divest their fossil fuel holdings, but also lead petitions such as the one promoted by The Guardian that challenges The Gates Foundation to divest from its considerable fossil fuel investments.

Individuals, countries and faith leaders are becoming agents of change. For instance, when the oil company Shell brought its oil platform for Arctic drilling through the port of Seattle, it was blocked by a flotilla of “kayakivists” (kayak-activists) holding signs that read, “Shell no!”

Be it the Caribbean island countries standing up to say that their very existence depends on stopping man-made climate change to the pope encouraging his own and other faiths to take this moral issue seriously, every act of courage to stand up for a livable world brings us closer to the tipping point that we need.

Nicholas Lykling

Waterville