3 Forms of Advocacy That Every Global Citizen Worried About Climate Change Could Master To Transform Eco-anxiety Into Action
Climate is getting crazy, and the world is starting to freak out.
But we can’t just numb ourselves out. We need to transform eco-distress into climate action. Hopefully, advocacy in environmental issues is a powerful tool for people to channel this energy and influence the decision-makers of the State, Congress, and companies. After being in the field for more than ten years, I believe it is essential to develop these capacities worldwide to take climate action.
Here are 3 primary forms of advocacy that every global citizen could master to make an impact:
🕵♀️ #1. Citizen monitoring:
Information is the cornerstone of advocacy.
Depending on where you live, citizens have the right to demand information on environmental issues, and the States have an active duty of transparency. In most cases, writing an email is all that it takes.
You should start by figuring out what rights you have regarding access to environmental information and how to obtain it.
🤝 #2. Forming Alliances:
It’s hard to do activism alone.
Successful environmental campaigns often result from collaborative efforts between different organizations and individuals. For example, the successful “Patagonia sin Represas” campaign in Chile, which aimed to prevent the construction of hydroelectric dams in the Patagonia region, resulted from a coalition of national and international environmental organizations, citizen groups, and local communities.
Pro-tip: learn to use symbols to gather even more adherents to your cause.
✊ #3. Request meetings with authorities:
With information and allies behind, it’s easier to demand changes.
Citizens can request meetings with legislators, governors, and public service officials to raise environmental concerns and interests. By doing so, they can exert pressure on decision-makers to take action on issues such as air pollution, waste management, or deforestation.
Advocacy is a necessary skill to learn nowadays. It gives you the power to change other people’s ideas, actions, perceptions, and decisions by combining collaborative and confrontational activities. The world urgently needs more citizens pushing for urgent climate action.
The good part? Nowadays, you can do all of this without leaving your computer. Check out my other article:
The Mindset Of A Digital Activist: 3 Frameworks To Achieve Maximum Climate Impact
