In the last 50 years, we have burned more fossil fuels than in the previous entire history of humanity. As we approach the peak of fossil fuel extraction and increasingly experience the effects on our climate of burning that fuel, we owe a debt to our children and to those who have contributed the least but are paying the earliest and highest costs. If we and future generations are to have the opportunity to build a sustainable post-carbon future, we will need access to remaining resources to create that infrastructure.
 
As a society, we need to refrain from burning as much of this remaining collective wealth as possible, reducing emissions by half by 2030 and completely by 2045 to avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis. By doing so, we have a reasonable chance to avoid the critical 1.5º Celsius rise in global temperature from pre-industrial times (we have already warmed the planet over 1ºC), mitigate the accelerating "sixth great mass extinction" of biodiversity, and leave a habitable planet for our descendants.