Climate Anxiety or Optimism?
BY DELPHINE LIU
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Sunrise's new mural emphasizes disheartening climate truths, while illustrating a fight for hope.
2022 was a year that brought historically unmatched floods in Pakistan, droughts in Somalia, and sea level rise that is shifting islands in the Pacific. In the midst of these climate changes and their rippling consequences, many people are experiencing climate anxiety. Those who have climate anxiety, report feeling mentally debilitated, depressed, anxious, and existential thoughts. Many who experience climate anxiety also are overwhelmed by the thought that their actions won't make a difference in the climate crisis. Environmental activists are responding to these findings by illuminating hope, despite the climate's worsening state. "I am optimistic because at the point that we are, that's the only choice we have to save the planet." Chloe Daniel, a co-leader of DSA's Sunrise Club, responded. After the COVID-19 school year, Daniel felt she could do more for the planet, and co-brought the Sunrise Movement to DSA. The movement stresses both optimism and urgency, and works through chapters and hubs around the country influencing climate policy and advocating for a Green New Deal and Civilian Climate Corps. Recently, the latter has been adopted by the Biden administration as part of their Build Back Better program. "For me, I think it's a myth that individuals are responsible for climate change," Daniels continued, "Not everyone has the resources to change." |
PHOTO CREDIT: KENNY HOLSTEN
Surrounded by lawmakers, President Biden signs the infrastructure bill into law. The bipartisan agenda will funnel money into roads, bridges, and transit systems. 
PHOTO CREDIT: SUNRISE MOVEMENT WEBSITE
A young activist holds up an "our time to lead" poster. Sunrise highlights the need for youth leadership when combating the climate crisis. |
For Daniels, personal responsibility won't be the savior of the planet, instead she believes in holding corporations accountable. Doing her part for the climate means educating and bringing climate justice to a diverse array of social groups.
"It's going to depend a lot on if we keep voting for people who want to see climate progress, and if we as a society continue to encourage it." Daniels reflected.
Many methods have been used to try to mobilize people to act, but most environmentalists would agree that this number is still not sufficient when realizing the climate's dire state.
"Scare tactics and fear-mongering don't mobilize people to act," Ian De La Rocha, an environmental advocate for the Clean Water Action group, declared, "What if we were to face climate change with hope instead of fear?"
This sentiment is held by many, and has helped the work of social groups lead to executive action through the Biden Administration's Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under the former, congress authorized $391 billion to spend on clean energy and climate change. Part of that is a $10 billion investment towards jobs working on conserving public land and water, and advancing environmental justice through a new Civilian Climate Corps. There has also been a promise to cut national emissions in half by 2030, the Environmental Defense Fund — an environmental advocacy group — reported that in order to carry this commitment out, the US should seriously aim to cut agricultural emissions by 23% and boost forest carbon storage by 43%.
"Agriculture has two super powers to quickly slow warming this decade: cutting methane from livestock production and nitrous oxide from fertilizer use." Amy Hughes, senior manager for climate-smart agriculture at the Environmental Defense Fund, declared.
Despite this hope in climate policy, a poll conducted by the Nature journal, reported that 92% of climate scientists expected the goals under the Paris Climate Accord will not be reached. Most climate scientists believe the goal is unattainable, with the inaction of many governments, but, they are resistant to share this truth.
"Experts warn that prematurely killing the target [of not surpassing 1.5℃] could have a chilling effect on global climate action, and cause confusion about what target the world is supposed to focus on next," the Scientific American journal wrote.
Despite many scientists refraining from being climate pessimists, there have been many scientists who voice skepticism towards the optimistic approach.
"I think that '1.5 is alive' is a form of hopium, hopium is very dangerous," Peter Kalmus, a NASA climate scientist and activist, shared.
Referring to the goals set under the Paris Climate Accord, Kalmus sees these measures as pillars of false hope.
Ms. Que, a long term substitute teacher, finds an alternative method of creating climate action. She focuses on inner-peace and connecting to her surroundings.
"I think the reason we have these environmental issues is because we are content destroying ourselves, so we are content destroying the world around us." Ms. Que, expressed, "It starts with learning how to love self, build a healthy body, mind, spirit. In that, comes care for the earth."
From an individual level to multi-billion dollar corporations, climate optimism encourages people to join the movement, whether it is a long term solution for mitigating the drastic effects of global warming, it is hard to know. Despite this, organizations like Sunrise, GreenPeace, Friday's for Future, and others are working effortlessly to mobilize people, and fight for a greener and better future.
"When people want to do something, they can, climate justice is possible, we have the resources, we just need the mindset," Daniels concluded.
"It's going to depend a lot on if we keep voting for people who want to see climate progress, and if we as a society continue to encourage it." Daniels reflected.
Many methods have been used to try to mobilize people to act, but most environmentalists would agree that this number is still not sufficient when realizing the climate's dire state.
"Scare tactics and fear-mongering don't mobilize people to act," Ian De La Rocha, an environmental advocate for the Clean Water Action group, declared, "What if we were to face climate change with hope instead of fear?"
This sentiment is held by many, and has helped the work of social groups lead to executive action through the Biden Administration's Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under the former, congress authorized $391 billion to spend on clean energy and climate change. Part of that is a $10 billion investment towards jobs working on conserving public land and water, and advancing environmental justice through a new Civilian Climate Corps. There has also been a promise to cut national emissions in half by 2030, the Environmental Defense Fund — an environmental advocacy group — reported that in order to carry this commitment out, the US should seriously aim to cut agricultural emissions by 23% and boost forest carbon storage by 43%.
"Agriculture has two super powers to quickly slow warming this decade: cutting methane from livestock production and nitrous oxide from fertilizer use." Amy Hughes, senior manager for climate-smart agriculture at the Environmental Defense Fund, declared.
Despite this hope in climate policy, a poll conducted by the Nature journal, reported that 92% of climate scientists expected the goals under the Paris Climate Accord will not be reached. Most climate scientists believe the goal is unattainable, with the inaction of many governments, but, they are resistant to share this truth.
"Experts warn that prematurely killing the target [of not surpassing 1.5℃] could have a chilling effect on global climate action, and cause confusion about what target the world is supposed to focus on next," the Scientific American journal wrote.
Despite many scientists refraining from being climate pessimists, there have been many scientists who voice skepticism towards the optimistic approach.
"I think that '1.5 is alive' is a form of hopium, hopium is very dangerous," Peter Kalmus, a NASA climate scientist and activist, shared.
Referring to the goals set under the Paris Climate Accord, Kalmus sees these measures as pillars of false hope.
Ms. Que, a long term substitute teacher, finds an alternative method of creating climate action. She focuses on inner-peace and connecting to her surroundings.
"I think the reason we have these environmental issues is because we are content destroying ourselves, so we are content destroying the world around us." Ms. Que, expressed, "It starts with learning how to love self, build a healthy body, mind, spirit. In that, comes care for the earth."
From an individual level to multi-billion dollar corporations, climate optimism encourages people to join the movement, whether it is a long term solution for mitigating the drastic effects of global warming, it is hard to know. Despite this, organizations like Sunrise, GreenPeace, Friday's for Future, and others are working effortlessly to mobilize people, and fight for a greener and better future.
"When people want to do something, they can, climate justice is possible, we have the resources, we just need the mindset," Daniels concluded.
