Climate change needs to be personal
Posted by DavidM in Climate change | 17 January 2007
Everyone who didn't spend 2006 living in a cave or the White House has heard about climate change and how it's really not a good thing. But there is still a huge amount of resistance to change.
I think there are two reasons for this.
First, and most obviously, is because of the conflict of information. Although the scientific community are agreed on climate change and the fact that mankind is causing it, the media and interested parties have done a great job in muddying the rising waters.
The second is the way climate change has been positioned. It's a global catastrophe that will raise temperatures - up to 5% in Europe. I've seen pictures showing the extensive flooding of the Indian continent, Africa and Southern Europe turning into desert and so on. But it was only when I read 'Where's the personal' on the Sustainability in Hawaii blog that the problem occured to me.
In the western world we respond most when it's personal. Shocking images of famine in Africa will get us to put a few coins in a bucket, but plans to put a mobile phone mast at the end of our road will have us out demonstrating, petitioning and writing a stern letter to The Times.
The conversations about climate change need to become more personal. If we delay now and have to take more drastic action later, how will that affect our daily lives? Instead of being charged a penny for using a plastic bag we could have partial energy supply.
If we fail entirely we won't be worrying about how much more green energy costs, we'll be barrackading ourselves indoors as those displaced from the flooded coast pitch their tents in our back yard.
Awareness and understanding of climate change came a long way in 2006. There is more activity than every to reduce our impact on the environment. But to get a real step change we need more people to believe it will affect them.
