Too little too late?

I am amazed at the increasing space the environmental topics are getting in all the media. I am thrilled, excited, and happy for the media finally helping educate the population, also creating pressure on decision makers. But also I’m puzzled with the target of 50% reduction on emissions by 2050. The debate is who signs up, who commits to it, who doesn't. 50% by 2050!? With the climate repercussions I’m reading in the news, with the invasion of new insects, spreads of diseases, droughts, flooding, artic melt, nature life extinction just to name a few, does anyone seriously believe we can leisurely wait until 2050 to have 50% less emissions? As I talked to a colleague who I won't name but who is a world renown expert in climate change, I asked him this naive question. He smiled and said ' you're right..., but even to this goal it is difficult to commit... That still doesn't make it the right goal - i contested, and he looked at me and said It's almost unethical, isn't it? to fight for a goal that is not what is actually seriously needed.. I wonder if we just will need to be hit by more dramatic climate disasters, in order to review this goal. Hey, what were we talking about, 2050!? We may be in BIG problems by then. We cannot wait that long. But I also realize the challenge, the power of denial, the resistance to quit the comfort of our current way of living. And I say this thinking of myself. Why is it that I am not thinking of moving out of Florida, why is it that I’m not selling the car and buying a hybrid, why is it that I'm using air-conditioning all night? As I went yesterday into a shop to buy a decorative pillow for my new sofa, I had this image, that I was rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic...