Get Rid of Climate Crisis Paralysis. Now!
Overwhelmed by the scope and seriousness of this global issue? Here’s a simple mindset shift to get you from anxiety to action.
Climate Crisis is one of the three planetary crises on our dear earth. It’s urgent. It’s freaking scary. Too scary and urgent to lose you with a long intro. Here are three points to give you that “let’s-tackle-the-problem” mindset:
1. There is hope. It’s scientifically proven
If we continue ‘business as usual’, we will exceed global warming of 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels. Crossing the critical 1.5-degree threshold makes reaching so-called tipping points very likely.
For example, the collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice would lead to an exponential increase in global temperatures. Extreme events like floods, wildfires, and thunderstorms (just to name a few) that we already experience much more often than in the past will occur at an even higher frequency. Over a billion people are estimated to have lost their homes to unbearable environmental conditions by 2050. A billion people!
It’s real. It’s us. It’s bad, experts agree, there’s hope. — Anthony Leiserowitz, Human Geographer at Yale University
We do not have much time to prevent the worst effects of climate change. Yet, according to the latest reports of the World Climate Council IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), there is still a small window left to do so. And if there is hope to prevent us from a worst-case scenario, we should exploit that hope by action.
Amongst the advancements that help us possibly halt climate change at some point are the massive increase in renewable energies and new technologies like Carbon Capture and Utilisation or Storage. These developments are fed by “the massive increase in public awareness of climate change”, says IPCC chief Hoesung Lee. This leads to a higher “readiness of governments and other actors to address the challenge.”
2. You can always improve the room you’re in
The advancements above are quite big — and urgently need to be pushed further to halt climate change. But you do not have to save the entire world on your own. Prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed by an 'all-or-nothing' mindset. Start small. This might be through more sustainable buying decisions; interacting with family, friends, and colleagues on the topic; or attending demonstrations.
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” — Jane Goodall
By implementing small improvements, you will likely feel successful in the sense that you contribute to the change society needs. You will feel more part of the solution than of the problem. And feeling good about yourself keeps the motivation to continue. There is a lot to start with — if it’s just bringing your reusable coffee cup to ditch the disposable one, that’s cool!
3. Climate action will give you a purpose (maybe a job as well)
Kicking off tangible action feeds the belief in your ability to induce change (“self-efficacy”), which has been proven to boost our happiness. For me, even if it is only writing this article, climate action gives me a sense of purpose each morning. And this is a great feeling!
After a while of getting into the topic, my feeling of purpose was so strong that I wanted to professionalize climate action — and made sustainability my job. I am on trend with this: Sustainable skills are more requested than ever. LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report 2022 states:
“Many green skills are […] some of the fastest growing skills in the economy. Sustainable Fashion, Environmental Services, and Sustainable Growth have all grown by more than 60 percent over the past five years.” Still, “demand for workers with green skills will surpass supply.”
So education on the climate crisis and a drive for climate action do not only benefit our planet. It ultimately benefits you.
I do not leave you without some good reads
I hope you are eager to figure out your climate action now! Own education plants a great seed for that. Here is my favorite literature to dive deeper into the topic:
- The Year of the Dugong by John Ironmonger, who is great at connecting beautiful storytelling with creating awareness of climate change
- How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates, which is a compendium of the most essential facts on the climate crisis
- We are the weather by Jonathan Safran Foer to learn about the connection between food and climate change in a captivating manner
