Climate and you

Academics meeting in Bristol recently for Britain's first conference on the psychology of climate change argued that the greatest obstacles to action are not technical, economic or political

They are the denial strategies that we adopt to protect ourselves from unwelcome information.

Nearly 80% of people claim to be concerned about climate change, but many people have a tendency to define this concern in ways that keep it far away.

They describe climate change as a global problem (not a local one) and as a future problem (not one for their lifetimes).

And 60% of people believe that "many scientific experts still question if humans are contributing to climate change" while 30% believe climate change is "largely down to natural causes".

Seven per cent deny climate is changing at all.

The exact percentages are not the point

The point is not even pushing it away

It is our perceived powerlessness

Powerlessness to change anything

Powerlessness to influence

This perception flavours everything we do

Time to recognise that collectively we can influence

Can change things

Apathy never changed anything

So start with yourself

Make that effort, sign that paper

Go to that website

Write that letter

Sign the petition

Be clear you do not like lies

Lies about climate change for a start

The climate has always changed

Will always change, everything in nature changes

Everything evolves

Inform yourself about the truth

Then you can be clear

Then you can act

Because when you know the truth of things your psychology changes as well

It can move beyond denial to a more proactive position

To the point where you accept that we are all involved

And that we all make a difference however local this might be