For Pabon, the most incredible thing about our world is its resilience.

“Flowers will grow through concrete. Animals can adapt to extreme environments. Even with all the shifts happening because of climate change, the planet is still finding ways to right itself (even if humans aren't).”

Indeed, while Earth has undergone many big changes like ice ages, global volcanism, severe droughts, and solar radiation, it has found a way to keep its life forms alive every time. 

A 2022 study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology confirmed that our planet is able to do that due to a “stabilizing feedback” mechanism, which over hundreds of thousands of years keeps global temperatures within a livable range. 

Scientists believe that the mechanism involved is “silicate weathering," a geological process in which silicate rocks are worn down by weather conditions that help silicate draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and trap the gas inside the mineral. Silicate makes up around 95% of Earth’s crust and upper mantle and is mainly made out of silicon and oxygen. The big quantity and airy texture make silicate rocks a perfect candidate for absorbing carbon dioxide and keeping temperatures in check.

Such findings are good, on one hand, because it means that global warming that is happening right now might be cancelled by this “stabilizing feedback.” However, on the other hand, this process can take thousands of hundreds of years to happen - not fast enough to solve our current climate change issue.

Therefore, Pabon suggests that the issue that we should focus on right now is getting the money to finance all the infrastructure adaptations needed to reverse climate change. “This is especially important for people in the developing world who are experiencing the worst impacts of climate change already. We need more funding, particularly from developed countries, to help,” he stresses.

Meanwhile, we all can do our little part to help this planet too. “My recommendation is always to find what you're passionate about and pursue that. Whether it's environmentalism, ecology, helping animals, or working with businesses, find something you love to do or have a special skill in and get started. There's no time to waste!” says Pabon.

If you’re unsure on where to start, the UN suggests a few seemingly simple actions that can reduce our impact on the environment. To lessen our carbon footprint, try walking, biking or taking public transportation instead of using a car. Saving energy at home like having energy-efficient appliances, switching to LED bulbs, washing clothes with cold water or using renewable energy provider can also produce less greenhouse gases.

Other simple ways to help our planet include eating more vegetables, throwing away less food, cleaning up the environment and planting native species. Additionally, try to reduce, reuse, repair and recycle as much as possible and don’t forget to share this information with others!