What What can can we we do do? Marta Cullberg Weston Marta - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

PEOPLE BEHAVE PEOPLE BEHAVE IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS IRRATIONALLY TOWARDS CLIMATE CHANGE – CLIMATE CHANGE What What can can we we do do? Marta Cullberg Weston Marta Cullberg Weston

World Bank report World Bank report With business as With business as usual usual we we will will end end up in a 3 up in a 3-4 4 degree degree warmer warmer world…. world…. For a For a long long time time politicians politicians have have said said they they are are planning planning to to keep keep the the warming warming to 2 to 2 degrees degrees But But not not much much has has happened happened … A 3 A 3-4 4 degree degree warmer warmer world is world is not not something something we we want want to live in… (Mark Lynas: ” to live in… (Mark Lynas: ” Six Six degrees degrees ”) ”)

Still Still people people do do not not react react … One One problem…for problem…for a a long long time the time the wrong wrong concept was concept was used used : ”global : ”global warming warming ” ” which which people people read read literally literally … Instead Instead it it can can be all sorts of be all sorts of erratic erratic weather weather patterns patterns as part of as part of climate climate change change Draughts Draughts, , forestfires forestfires, , flooding flooding , storms … , storms … Another problem: Another problem: people people do do not not know know the the problems of a 3 problems of a 3- 4 4 degree degree warmer warmer world… world…

In the western world In the western world most most people people ” know know ” ” about about climate climate change change but but we we still still do do not not act act on on our our information information What What contributes contributes to this to this passivity passivity? ? The The main main reason reason is the human is the human brain brain … It is not It is not well well adapted adapted to to handle handle diffuse diffuse threats threats

The The threat threat from from climate climate change change is is hard hard for human for human brains brains to to handle handle  Diffuse Diffuse  Invisble Invisble -(If If CO2 CO2 had had color color we we might might have have solved the problem solved the problem already already)  In the In the future future  Distant Distant

The human The human fear fear system is not system is not adapted adapted to to modern world modern world threats threats Our ” Our ” old old brain brain ” ” reacts reacts to to immediate immediate threats threats Wild animal =Action Wild animal =Action now now -- --adrenalin adrenalin flows flows

Dan Gilbert: Four ” Dan Gilbert: Four ” threat threat ” -buttons buttons  Actor Actor behind behind the the threat threat  Present Present threat threat  Clear Clear actions actions to to avoid avoid the the threat threat  Violates moral Violates moral codes codes Climate Climate change change does does not press not press these these buttons buttons

We We need need to to understand understand the the challenges challenges our our brain brain poses poses when when it it comes comes to to acting acting on the on the threat threat from from climate climate change change I I will will outline outline 4 different kinds of 4 different kinds of challenges challenges

Humans are not Humans are not always always rational rational! ! 1. 1. DENIAL = PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAPS DENIAL = PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAPS 2. 2. COGNITIVE TRAPS COGNITIVE TRAPS that block that block good good decision making decision making 3. SOCIAL TRAPS that that lead lead to to unwise unwise decisions decisions 4. 4. ECONOMIC TRAPS ECONOMIC TRAPS that make that make us us blindfolded blindfolded

Climate Climate stereotypes stereotypes  ” Red herrings Red herrings ” = ” = take take note note

1. The Denial Denial Mechanisms Mechanisms 1. The Different Different ways ways to to shut shut our our eyes eyes (If If you you put put your your head head in the sand you in the sand you know know something something is is wrong wrong)

Many Many versions of versions of denial denial  Breakfast Breakfast defence defence – cognitive cognitive scan scan – emotions are emotions are dissociated dissociated-- -- gives gives peace peace for the moment for the moment but but is bad in the is bad in the long long run run  Diffusion of Diffusion of responsibility/denial responsibility/denial of of guilt guilt (blaming blaming others others)  Denial Denial of the of the content content of the of the threat threat  It is It is too too improbable improbable — it just it just won’t won’t happen happen !

Humans Humans have have an an array array of different of different denial denial mechanisms mechanisms to to avoid avoid unpleasant unpleasant feelings and the information that cause feelings and the information that cause them them. Denial Denial helps helps us us distance distance ourselves ourselves from from a a threatening threatening reality reality -- -- when when we we think think we cannot we cannot do do anything anything about about it / it /when when we we feel feel helpless helpless.

1. The 1. The Climate Climate repressor repressor (Ostrich Ostrich) ”I ”I change change channels channels on TV or on TV or move move on to on to another another page in the page in the newspaper newspaper if if there there is a is a program or an program or an article article about about climate climate change change .” .” Protects Protects us us from from anxiety anxiety short short term. term. Does not Does not address address the the problem…maladaptive problem…maladaptive

2.The 2.The climate climate ” comfortable comfortable ” ” This is not a problem I This is not a problem I worry worry about about — nature nature has solved has solved things things before…and before…and now now the the scientists scientists will will take take care care of the problem!” of the problem!” Denies Denies the the content content of the of the threat threat

A A threat threat without without a a clear clear solution (like solution (like climate climate change change) gives ) gives rise rise to to unnerving unnerving feelings feelings we we want want to to avoid avoid  Fear/anxiety Fear/anxiety  Powerlessness/helplessness Powerlessness/helplessness  Guilt Guilt …(that …(that we we are are responsible responsible)

American journalist/researcher John John American journalist/researcher Krosnic Krosnic: ”People ”People stopped stopped paying paying attention attention to to climate climate change change when when they they realized realized that that there there is no is no easy solution for it.” easy solution for it.” We hate We hate to to feel feel powerless/vulnerable powerless/vulnerable (we we did did as small as small children children — we we do do not not want want it it again again) ) so so we we deny deny the the threat threat

Denial Denial leads leads to to what what psychiatrist psychiatrist Robert Robert J.Lifton J.Lifton calls calls The The absurdity absurdity of the of the double double life life We live with a We live with a disconnect disconnect between between abstract information abstract information about about climate climate change change and and how how we we live live our our daily daily lives lives

We We tend tend to to choose choose a a reassuring reassuring lie over lie over Gore Gore´s s Inconvenient Inconvenient truth truth

Success Success story: story: Threat Threat to to ozone ozone layer layer  Quick Quick response response from from law law makers makers  Simple Simple identifyable identifyable targets targets --- --- Unfortunately Unfortunately to to combat combat climate climate change change we we need need more diverse more diverse actions actions … But But maybe maybe one one way way is to attack is to attack one one ” enemy enemy ” ” /problem at a time to get /problem at a time to get started started? ? Bill Bill McKibben McKibben (350.com) suggests (350.com) suggests oil oil companies companies Sot is Sot is another another focus focus that has that has been been suggested suggested

To To bypass bypass denial denial mechanisms mechanisms information information needs needs to to target target emotions emotions and provide solutions and provide solutions —  Throwing Throwing arguments at arguments at people people does does not not change change their their views views.. ..  Threats Threats should should not be not be presented presented without without giving giving hope hope = show that solutions are = show that solutions are possible possible  Psychology Psychology professor Timothy Wilson: professor Timothy Wilson: ” Stories Stories are are more more powerful powerful than than data.” data.”