Framestorming for Climate Future

The following words describe the political agendas, personal motivations, and beliefs that affect how we engage with climate work. Keep in mind that this is not a complete list, and each word has multiple connections with other words. The English language does not always allow for the blending of concepts (linguistic relativity), as highlighted in how many connections there are in the mind chart. This is by no means comprehensive, and I do not claim ownership of any of these words or definitions.

For those deeply engaged in this work, this framestorm can give new perspectives and avenues from which to tackle climate change.

For those completely new to climate change, this framestorm can give you ways to get involved, in whatever avenue you choose.

afrofuturism: ideology shaped by generations of artists, musicians, scholars, and activists for the African diaspora culture. The genre is a source for positive futures. “We have the power to show what an inclusive future looks like. We can show what ergonomic housing and transportation, food, and water equality, as well as the dismantling of systemic racism, looks like. When a narrative is embedded with those visuals it takes on a more powerful connecting tissue. That is Afrofuturism.” — Tim Fielder
biotic homogenization: a global process that leads to less biodiversity as native biotas by locally expanding non-natives. To break that down: human-disturbed habitats are often similar, and thus favor similar species. Cities often favor shorter flight and non migratory birds, animals and insects that reproduce quickly, and those less affected by light pollution.
buen vivir (sumac kawsay): Translating from Spanish into “good living,” this worldview is rooted in the Quechua peoples of the Andes, describes a way of life that focuses on community, ecological balance and culture. The concept is related to the tradition of legal and political scholarship advocating legal standing for the natural environment. The rights approach is a break away from traditional environmental regulatory systems, which regard nature as property.

climate forcing: Any influence on climate that originates from outside the climate system itself. The climate system includes the oceans, land surface, cryosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. Examples include human induced changes in greenhouse gases, atmospheric aerosols, and surface reflectivity.

climate grief: feelings of loss and anxiety related to the overall effects of climate change.

degrowth: a political, economic, and social movement as well as a set of theories that critiques the paradigm of economic growth.

eco-optimism: Belief in a positive future for the environment, such as through climate change mitigation, or adaptation. “Optimism itself is a method of practical orientation since it gives hope and promises a brighter future.”

eco-socialism: Belief that the capitalist system is the cause of social exclusion, inequality and environmental degradation through globalization and imperialism under the supervision of repressive states and transnational structures.

ecoanxiety: extreme worry about current and future harm to the environment caused by human activity and climate change.

ecocide: substantially damaging or destroying ecosystems or by harming the health and well-being of a species, including humans. This is a crime in some countries, see Wikipedia for a list of existing domestic ecocide laws. Not yet an international crime, but there are many efforts to make it so.

ecofascism: a totalitarian government that requires individuals to sacrifice their interests to the well-being of the land. This movement may use the growing concern over the environment to push for racist, pro-border laws.

ecointertia, ecocynicism: describes the mindset where a person decides not to do any environmental action since the perceived “best” action seems too difficult. For example, “political action seems to be the best route but that’s impossible, and what is one person going vegetarian doing for the environment anyway?”

ecomodernism: a capitalist-based manifesto that believes if technology can improve, humanity can decouple economic growth from environmental degradation. Drawdown and carbon sequestration are based on this belief.
ecotopia: an ideal society or region where humans, other species, and the environment can exist in balance. This definition is subject to interpretation. See Laputa, Castle in the Sky or Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach.

ecovillages: traditional or intentional community that aims to be socially, culturally, economically, and/or ecologically sustainable through intentional physical design and resident behavior choices. These can range from communal villages, to funded developments, to city neighborhoods, to science facilities.

environmental justice: a social movement that focuses on the “fair” distribution of environmental benefits and burdens. Some issues this movement focuses on include the lack of representation in the environmental movement, the lack of trees and prevalence of highways poor and BIPOC neighborhoods, the Flint water crisis, and the role of fossil fuel companies in greenwashing the climate crisis. See Sunrise Hub.

extractivism: the process of extracting natural resources from the Earth to sell on the world market. It exists in an economy that depends primarily on the extraction or removal of natural resources that are considered valuable for exportation worldwide.

future design: policymaking mechanism that attempts to solve the lack of intergenerational representation in politics. It designates people to ‘take on the role of future generations,’ which changes their point of view.
militarism: the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or promote national interests.

rewilding: activities are conservation efforts aimed at restoring and protecting natural processes and wilderness areas. This may include providing connectivity between such areas, and protecting or reintroducing apex predators and keystone species.

sustainable development: development that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The Sustainable Development Goals by the UN are based on this principle, although were criticized for not including the opinions of the Global South. See degrowth, ubuntu, and Swaraj for alternatives.
ubuntu: I am because we are — is linked to the popular saying ‘umuntu

ngumuntu nga-bantu’: a person is a person through other persons. To care for one another implies caring for the physical nature as well. Without such care, the interdependence between human beings and physical nature would be undermined. In a deeper sense it refers to ‘seriti’, a field which connects all living beings. Source: page 190. Other dimensions of African philosophy:

• The source and justification of all power is in the people (democracy);
  we may go our own way, whenever urgent and vital issues arrive, we still have the obligation to come together and try and find a common solution (consensus politics; truth and reconciliation);
• If faced with a choice between wealth and the preservation of life of another human being, one should choose the life of the other’ (sharing goes above wealth; mutual aid);
• No single human being can be thoroughly and completely useless (the criminal, ill or handicapped are part of humanity; reconciliation);
  If God dishes you rice in a basket, do not wish to eat soup (acceptance of one’s fate); and
• No one shows a child the Supreme Being (spirituality is self-evident)