Happy Earth Day 2023!

Hope you had a good weekend. I had a great vacation and have been busy adjusting to my new role since we got back. My time is starting to fill up. I’m attending tons of training and info sessions, introducing myself to other activists, and getting involved in a couple campaigns. More on that soon…

I remain grateful and humbled by all the support I’m receiving. It inspires me to make the most of this year of climate activism, to really try to make a difference. It also pushes me to get out of my comfort zone. Although I prefer to be safely behind the scenes, I’m pushing myself to speak up and make my voice loud, whether it’s yelling at a rally or publishing this blog. It can be scary. I know that along the way I will encounter criticism, anger, even hate.

But I have to say that the vast majority of the reactions I receive are positive, many of them enthusiastically so! I think this chart gives a hint as to why:

Fully 58% of people are either “alarmed” or “concerned” about climate change. Only 19% are “doubtful” or “dismissive”. There are a few things I take from this.

If you, like me, are well towards the left of this chart, you are not alone. You are not on the fringe. In fact, you are part of a large and growing majority that is concerned about climate change.

So when you talk about climate change with friends and strangers there’s a good chance you’ll encounter someone who is not only open to it, they may very well be grateful for the opportunity. They may be relieved to know they are not alone with their fears and to connect with someone who shares their views. So maybe we can be more comfortable starting climate change conversations.

Another thing is that it’s likely not worth the effort to try to convince a “dismissive” person. They are unlikely to change their minds, and there is already a pretty strong climate majority without them.

How to talk to “dismissives” made me hesitate before deciding to work on climate activism. I worried that I wouldn’t have the evidence or rhetorical skills to counter their (often bad-faith) arguments and magically transform them into a believer. Thankfully, I don’t have to.

Finally, look at the chart above and imagine that everyone moved one circle to the left. We would be unstoppable! There’s a happy thought.

Links:

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication for research on public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behaviour, as well as climate change science and solutions.

The Climate Majority Project. Connecting and supporting people in the UK to speed up the coming shift towards serious climate mitigation and adaptation.

Katharine Hayhoe on how to talk about climate change.

Aaron Wherry (CBC) on Canada’s GHG emissions and the social cost of carbon.