Time - INT (2022-06-06)

Scientists have been collaborating
for more than three decades now
to understand the greatest peril to understand the greatest peril
the earth has ever faced—climate the earth has ever faced—climate
change. Much of that understanding change. Much of that understanding
has been made possible by the U.N. has been made possible by the U.N.
climate- climate- science body, the Intergov-science body, the Intergov-
ernmental Panel on Climate Change ernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC). In August 2021, the IPCC (IPCC). In August 2021, the IPCC
sounded a dire warning by releasing sounded a dire warning by releasing
a report that made headlines across a report that made headlines across

the globe. The report was the the globe. The report was the

result of a gargantuan collabora-result of a gargantuan collabora-

tion between over 200 climate sci-tion between over 200 climate sci-

entists globally, and was informed entists globally, and was informed

by over 14,000 scientifi c papers. by over 14,000 scientifi c papers.

Chinese climatologist Chinese climatologist Panmao Panmao

Zhai and French climate scientist Zhai and French climate scientist

Valérie Masson-Delmotte—the Valérie Masson-Delmotte—the

co-chairs of the IPCC’s Working co-chairs of the IPCC’s Working

Group 1—Group 1—steered the enormous steered the enormous

undertaking undertaking amidst COVID-19 amidst COVID-19

pandemic travel restrictions, pandemic travel restrictions,

which meant for the fi rst time, which meant for the fi rst time,

this massive piece of work was this massive piece of work was

coordinated completely online. coordinated completely online.

Subsequent reports led by other Subsequent reports led by other

IPCC working groups have shown IPCC working groups have shown

the scale of the impacts and the the scale of the impacts and the

need for rapid action around need for rapid action around

the globe—together instigating the globe—together instigating

important conversations and important conversations and

urgency among policymakers urgency among policymakers

globally. The documents show a globally. The documents show a

world on the brink, with terrible world on the brink, with terrible

damage already done, but still damage already done, but still

some prospect of stopping short some prospect of stopping short

of disaster—if, somehow, we of disaster—if, somehow, we

can muster the will in the short can muster the will in the short

window of time remaining.window of time remaining.

McKibben is an author and McKibben is an author and

an environmentalistan environmentalist

It’s hard for athletes—particularly
Olympic athletes—to transcend
their sport. Eileen Gu is an excep-
tion to that rule. I’m not sure I’ve
ever seen anybody more disci-
plined, driven, or determined than
Eileen. And hard work pays off.
The summer before the Beijing
Olympics, Eileen reached out to me
for advice. She was struggling with
the pressure of the buildup to the
Games and grappling with her new-
found fame. But mostly she was
just trying to maintain friendships
with the girls she grew up with. It’s
easy to forget that despite winning
three Olympic medals, gracing the
covers of countless magazines,

and fronting global campaigns

for luxury brands like Fendi and

Gucci, she’s still just a normal teen-

ager who loves to ski and is excited

for college—but doesn’t want

to lose touch with her childhood

friends. That heart is what makes

her so special.

In the months since that

conversation, she’s proven herself

to be one of the greatest female

freeskiers of all time, amassed

an online follower count in the mil-

lions, and inspired a new genera-

tion of girls—especially Chinese

and Chinese American girls—to

venture into the male-dominated

world of action sports. Eileen has

done all of that with grace, poise,

and thoughtfulness rarely found in

someone her age.

Kenworthy is an actor and

an Olympic silver medalist

in slopestyle skiing

Valérie Masson-

DDelmelmotte &otte &

PanmPanmao Zhaiao Zhai

Sounding the alarmSounding the alarm

B Y B I L L M C K I B B E NB Y B I L L M C K I B B E N

Eileen Gu

Rising role model

BY GUS KENWORTHY

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