Yesterday, the latest climate change report from the IPCC hit the headlines, and it made for bleak reading. I braced myself for the harsh truths I knew were coming: climate change is “unequivocally” caused by humans. It’s already happening – we have already caused 1°C of heating, and more is inevitable – and people across the world are already suffering.
And then, I braced myself for the waves of despair to roll across my social media feeds. And sure enough, they came: “There is no hope, we’ve ruined everything, there’s no point even trying.” People seemed to revel in mourning a world that was – the last time I checked – still very much alive.
Because that’s the thing – all is not lost. And as someone who works for a global environmental organisation, I find this defeatism not only frustrating, but downright dangerous. At this pivotal point in history, when urgent action is most needed, despair is the worst thing we can do.
Because it absolutely IS possible to avoid climate apocalypse. The media paints it as a huge, complex challenge, but you’d be surprised at how straightforward – and relatively cost-effective – it could be. What’s more, we’re already beginning to take action.
One of the biggest ways to tackle climate change is to stop burning fossil fuels – and the tide is already beginning to turn towards renewable energy such as solar and wind. in 2020, the growth rate of the world's renewable energy industry increased by a record-breaking 45%. Both Iceland and Uruguay generate almost 100% of their electricity from renewable sources, and countries across the world are following suit. Past successes show what’s possible when we make big changes to industry – the ozone layer is now slowly healing thanks to the widespread ban on CFC chemicals in aerosol cans.
Another big solution is to protect and restore natural habitats. Every year, forests absorb approximately 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere – one third of the amount released from burning fossil fuels. And every day, in my job, I hear stories of hope: communities in Rwanda and Burundi planting more than a million trees to restore their local forests, or the wetlands bordering the Yellow Sea being classed as a World Heritage site after years of campaigning.
Even the financial cost isn’t impossible. Estimates range from $300 billion to $50 trillion. That may look like a lot, but let’s put it into perspective. To recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, governments have promised over $13 trillion to reignite their economies. If they can do it for COVID, the can do it for climate change.
A lot of the younger generation are frozen in indecision and inaction because of the seeming magnitude of the problem.
So why all the doom and gloom? Well, the media focuses on the negative because it sells copy. A lot of environmental charities follow suit because they think it will incite action. And in a way, it does – if they make enough of a stink about it, businesses and governments will be forced to sit up and take notice. But for the public, it often has the opposite effect.
We hear about the fight or flight response to fear, but there's another common response: "freeze". I feel like a lot of the younger generation are frozen in indecision and inaction because of the seeming magnitude of the problem. Long lists of terrifying facts and figures don’t exactly motivate us – to inspire action, we need to appeal to hearts and minds.
Don’t get me wrong – tackling climate change won't be a walk in the park. Maybe we won't manage it. Or, we’ll only partly manage it (the climate report itself reminds us that it’s not all or nothing, and that every action counts). But wouldn't you like to say you tried, rather than just sat frozen in despair?
Don't despair – because that could discourage someone else from taking action.
So what CAN we actually do? Well, individual decisions (eating less meat, taking public transport, buying less fast fashion) are all important, but we also need to change the system. As you may know,just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions. So we need to carry on going to climate marches, vote for political parties that prioritise the environment, and support environmental charities – many of whom have decades of knowledge and experience on how to lobby governments and make practical change on the ground.
Today, you could switch to a green energy provider, or move to a green bank that doesn’t invest in projects that damage the planet. Long-term, consider having fewer children, or none at all if you're not that bothered. But above all, don't despair – because that could discourage someone else from taking action.
And even if it does all end, even if civilisation crumbles, even if we are the last ever generation of humans to walk this earth, let's not waste our precious last few decades on doom and defeatism. Let's hold onto out hope, our humanity and our very real power to make change.