Oct
12
Climate change: I don’t care enough
Filed Under Politics | 8 Comments
I don’t care enough about climate change. I’m not proud of that. I believe experts when they say that it is the biggest threat to the future of civilisation. I pity the plight of poor farmers in areas of the world vulnerable to changes in the climate (Maldives, Bangladesh spring to mind). And I would like to live a responsible lifestyle, contributing more to society than I take out. But that’s not enough to make me care about climate change.
Patrick Hadfield asks: Why aren’t people more angry? Despite years of basically unrefuted evidence of climate change – we even studied it at secondary school geography – none of the messages have made a sufficient impact on me to make me angry, mad or just scared about the future of the planet. Instead, poverty, abuse, hopelessness caused by social alienation, systemic failings in our country (drugs, prisons, mental health, educational outcomes for minority groups) all move me in a way that climate change does not – and I’ve limited capacity for worrying about ‘big problems’ (although seemingly unlimited capacity to worry about the minute details of Liverpool Football Club).
Arrogantly, absurdly perhaps, I believe that I could have a bigger influence on these issues (belonging to the Howard League, donating to Shelter, being a school governor) than I can about climate change. The great mass of social protests, political speeches, media coverage, disaster movies has had some affect on my life. I have a wormery at home. I’ve asked the decorator to put insulation beneath the floorboards (if taking them up doesn’t add significantly to the cost). I do consider whether to drive to Liverpool or catch the train – though the cost of petrol and reliability of the roads is a bigger consideration than the relative impact on the climate.
Occasionally I do swallow paying a little extra for things that will be less harmful for the environment. I will shop at the farmers market, despite the eye-watering prices, and walk past Tesco Metro and Sainsbury’s local on route. I have purchased energy saving lightbulbs for a while (even though, let’s be honest, they aren’t fit for purpose). But even then I don’t know if I’m doing any good: I read today that actually mass food production may be marginally better for the environment.
Having a baby daughter has changed my views in some ways: I was passionate (to the point of obsession) about ensuring her child trust fund was an ethical investment and am adjusting my own financial products accordingly. But the future of the planet is too remote, too big, too unrewarding to make me upset. And that means it’s too easy not to take any action.
So what might make me care about climate change?
- Experiencing dramatic consequences of climate change
- Clear direction of what I need to do to make a difference
- Rewards for doing it
- Social shame if I fail
- Evidence that it’s making a difference
Climate change may be difficult to frame in this way. But if it is impossible, then it may prove to be a challenge too far.
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It’s curious that you don’t care so much that you wrote a post about it!
The more I think about this, the more I think individual action is only important inasmuch as it can influence governments: I could get rid of all my electrical appliances and it would still have a negligible effect on climate change. The scale of the problem is so big and literally global that only governments can intervene to make a difference.
I found it interesting that I can’t remember any speeches on climate change at the big three party conferences, when I feel this is the biggest issue facing us.
By the time people start feeling the direct effects of climate change, it will be too late for them to do anything!
Fair point Patrick! (I’ve now spelt your name correctly).
There’s a tension whereby governments will only act if there is enough public pressure but without government action, the public won’t achieve enough. For example, variable road user charging would help cut petrol consumption. But the public don’t want it and government won’t do it. And no amount of localised public support for nuclear power plants is going to stop a vocal number standing in its way.
Moreover, the most valuable government action is actually on an international stage where local public opinion counts for less.
So I sort of agree with you, but fear that without citizens leading the way, governments won’t do what is necessary and without the public being able to accept the hard realities of life-changing compromises, government won’t be able to act.
Does that make any sense?
If everybody feels like this nothing will happen – and I fear that’s exactly the case.
We’re all prerpared to wait for the ‘dramatic consequences’.
Yes, it makes sense to me!
I haven’t written to my MP because I think any agreements achieved at Copenhagen will be the result of horse-trading at the 11th hour. The UK government seems to be pretty active, too, so I don’t actually see how I can influence things.
But I also think that showing that people believe strongly about an issue is a way of communicating its importance: the way I shop, the way I travel and most things I do can send signals about what I think is important.
And I think just talking – or writing – about it is better than nothing!
@Patrick:
Yes – and Jubilee 200 et al certainly had a positive impact in the years before and during Gleneagles 2005.
@Steve Fleming:
Or a politician who can come along and nudge us in the right direction
You underestimate the value of your minimal actions Matthew because you don’t aggregate. Hundreds and thousands of people acting like you, really do make a huge difference. This isn’t a personal accusation at all but I think your sensation of hopelessness is down to the solipsistic culture in which you find yourself.
I suspect one of the most defining characteristics historians will lay at the feet of Teflon Tone and not the Iron Lady, will be this utter selfishness. Why else would so many MPs still, after the tangible anger the public feel, still feel like complaining they are being hard done by? What astounds me is that they didn’t even show much imagination! Just got themselves a new video or fridge, or got someone else to do the garden. Obviously never read Voltaire, any of them, but then that doesn’t surprise me at all.
[...] I thought about this when I read Matthew Cain’s recent blog, Climate Change: I don’t care enough: [...]