Let's talk about climate apathy

Climate change is a threat to human well-being and planetary health. There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all. IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report, 2023

Climate apathy is getting me down. Changing rainfall patterns, increasing bushfires, heat waves, rising sea levels and bleached coral. And yet, action from much of the community doesn't reflect a sense of urgency for our circumstances. Maybe it still feels like this climate change stuff is far away, or someone else's problem. Like the Government should do something. Or big corporations. Like the oil companies or gas companies. If others don't pull their weight, why should individuals be the ones making sacrifices? What difference can one family make?

When I talk about making changes in my household, responses range from 'that's great' to 'you know what we do here doesn't matter', usually followed by some comment that relates to densely populated countries.

I understand that climate apathy, or the struggle to take action can come from many places, let's have a look at a few but first let's get grounded in a common understanding of what we're talking about.

Getting on the same page

There is always more to learn about the impact human actions are having on the planet, as scientists are expanding their knowledge constantly. However, one thing has been known for decades, and that is that climate change is anthropogenic, meaning humans have caused and continue to cause climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) contains a wealth of information from the world's best scientists.

Some people may think that climate change is a problem for future generations and not an immediate concern, but again, it is clear that climate change is already having an impact and the time to act is now, in this decade. Here are some summaries below -

Is there scientific evidence climate change is caused by humans?

The scientific evidence that human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, are causing climate change is clear and overwhelming. This is supported by various reputable scientific sources, including prominent universities like Harvard, Boston, Oxford, and Cambridge.

The IIPCC, which is made up of hundreds of climate scientists worldwide, has issued several reports stating that it is "extremely likely" that human activities are the primary cause of global warming. This is based on extensive research and data analysis, which have consistently shown a significant correlation between the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and the rise in global temperatures.

NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have also conducted extensive research on climate change. Their findings show that the Earth's atmosphere and oceans are warming, ice caps and glaciers are melting, and sea levels are rising, all of which are consistent with human-caused climate change.

In Australia, universities such as the Australian National University (ANU), the University of Melbourne, and the University of New South Wales have research programs dedicated to climate change. They have produced significant research on the effects of climate change on Australia and the world, including more frequent heatwaves, longer droughts, and increased risk of bushfires and flooding.

Other reputable scientific organizations that support the consensus on human-caused climate change include the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports the fact that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, are causing climate change. This issue is a global challenge, and it is crucial that we take urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the worst effects of climate change.

What impact is climate change having in Australia?

Climate change is already having a significant impact on Australia, and unfortunately, things are expected to get worse in the coming years. Here are some of the ways climate change is affecting us:

1. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent, longer and hotter, and this is causing health problems like dehydration, heat exhaustion and even heatstroke. Heatwaves also increase the risk of bushfires. The ten hottest years on record (for average temperature) have all occurred since 2009.

2. Droughts are getting longer and more severe in many parts of Australia. This is having an impact on agriculture, water supplies and ecosystems.

3. Bushfires are becoming more common and more dangerous. Hotter and drier conditions are making it easier for fires to start and spread, and we saw this in the devastating bushfires of 2019-2020.

4. Rising sea levels due to the melting of polar ice caps are causing flooding in coastal communities. This poses a significant threat to people living in these areas.

5. The Great Barrier Reef, which is a national icon, is under threat from climate change. The rising sea temperatures are causing mass coral bleaching events, which can lead to the death of coral reefs. This is having a significant impact on the marine life that relies on the reef for habitat.

Sources:

• The Bureau of Meteorology's climate database, known as the Australian Climate Observations Reference Network - Surface Air Temperature (ACORN-SAT), provides a consistent and homogeneous record of temperature observations for Australia since 1910. Similarly, the Bureau's Australian Water Availability Project (AWAP) provides a long-term record of rainfall and other climate variables for Australia dating back to 1900.

• Climate Council. (2021). Australia's Rising Heat: Climate Change and Health. Retrieved from https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/australias-rising-heat-climate-change-and-health/

• CSIRO. (2021). Climate change impacts in Australia. Retrieved from https://www.csiro.au/en/research/natural-disasters/climate-change/impacts#australia

• Great Barrier Reef Foundation. (2021). The Great Barrier Reef and Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/the-threats/climate-change

What might cause climate apathy?

I've also been reading a lot about the culture of toxic individualism, which is generally considered more of a western phenomenon, where we embrace an individualistic over collectivist culture. Its where we place excessive emphasis on the individual, often at the expense of collective responsibility and action. It can be characterized by a belief that individual success and happiness should take precedence over the needs of the community, and that individuals should be able to achieve their goals independently. Think of social media advertising you might be exposed to and how it promotes an ideal lifestyle, career or family situation.

Individuals may feel that their personal actions won't make a significant difference in the face of a global crisis, and that it's not their responsibility to take action on a problem that they see as being caused by larger systems and institutions. They may feel that making significant changes to their lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprint is too inconvenient or uncomfortable, and that they should be able to continue living their lives without making significant sacrifices for the greater good.

Affluence?

Like toxic individualism, it could also be true that more affluent folk feel that their wealth insulates them from the effects of climate change and so do not feel the need to take action.

I love this note from The American Psychological Association - on research that suggested people "who are apathetic toward climate change may also be more emotionally unresponsive in other areas of their lives". A study from Emotion found "participants with more blunted emotional responses to climate change tended to be male, conservative, and formally religious". Surprise factor, zero.

And then Gary said, "We'd have to sacrifice profits for climate change" (laughing ensues)

A sense of powerlessness?

Climate change is a complex issue, and individual actions may feel insignificant in the face of global challenges. Some feel a sense of powerlessness, that their personal choices or actions cannot make a meaningful impact in the grand scheme of things.

For all of us though, the time for individual and collective action is now. It's important for us to recognize the impact of our own actions on the environment and to take responsibility for their role in contributing to climate change, as well as taking collective action to push for systemic change and hold institutions accountable for their role in creating and perpetuating the crisis.

The message given at the 58th session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC) held in Interlaken, Switzerland, 13 - 19 March 2023, was both an urgent call to action, coupled with a ray of hope if that action is taken now.

All global modelled pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C (>50%) with no or limited overshoot, and those that limit warming to 2°C (>67%), involve rapid and deep and, in most cases, immediate greenhouse gas emissions reductions in all sectors this decade. IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report, 2023

But can individuals in Australia really make a difference?

It's easy for me to say 'yes!' of course we can. And I fully recognize that my version of 'we' is certainly one of privilege, of someone who owns a car, has a roof over my head and disposable income to buy takeaway coffee. For those who also live my privilege, if we buy, eat, prepare & dispose of food, we wear clothes, purchase goods and services, drive cars or use transport, take holidays, own pets, live in houses and if we do those things, then we can make a difference to climate change.

If we have jobs or we are part of a volunteer group, community group, school community or similar and have the power of voice to influence, lobby or make decisions to the way our work/community groups:

• use energy,

• where energy comes from or how it is purchased or stored,

• how waste is disposed of or recycled,

• how goods and/or people are transported,

• how our groups' impact on the environment, including waterways or biodiversity,

then we can be a change for good. Every day we are faced with a myriad of choices, many of them habitual, about how we show up in the world and impact on the environment, contributing to climate change.

I want to arm you with different sources of information, so you can choose to make some simple swaps or changes and gradually lessen your impact.

I know that some of you are still unconvinced of the impact on your individual choices, and it's hard to see the power of compounding change and collective action from a culture of individuality. So, to understand if individuals can make a difference, we need to look at some of the numbers - who, where, what are the biggest emitters, and why. Next post, back to the data!