Mastodawn

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Climate-fueled extremes are endangering people everywhere. So why aren't we seeing an immediate response at scale?

Because they're only dismantling one barrier to action, psychological distance -- and there are two more.

Lack of efficacy is rampant among those already worried about climate change; and paradoxically, the worse the impacts get, the less we think we can do about it. It's a self-reinforcing cycle.

Solution aversion also hardens as the urgency of action becomes ever more evident.

But here's the good news; they can be tackled, too!

Here's how: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkMIjbDtdo0

If I just explain the facts, they'll get it, right?

Global Weirding is produced by KTTZ Texas Tech Public Media and distributed by PBS Digital Studios. New episodes every other Wednesday at 10 am central. Brou...

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AI6YR Ben Jul 31, 2023

@kathhayhoe This is great! (and has been) -- especially the emphasis that more and more facts doesn't convince people who don't want to be convinced...

Ted Lemon Jul 31, 2023

@ai6yr @kathhayhoe As far as I can tell, the only solution that can work is regime change (democratically, of course!). Is that what you're talking about? It feels like "making good choices"-type solutions are just another smokescreen, because they can't get enough uptake to matter. (We built a Passivhaus in 2013, but I don't see building codes changing, for example).

Kevin Leecaster Jul 31, 2023

@abhayakara @ai6yr @kathhayhoe
Building codes in particular are difficult political obstacle for sure. Biden's trying though at least which is great. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/01/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-launches-initiative-to-modernize-building-codes-improve-climate-resilience-and-reduce-energy-costs/

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Launches Initiative to Modernize Building Codes, Improve Climate Resilience, and Reduce Energy Costs | The White House

New Building Codes Initiative will boost resilience to the impacts of climate change, lower utility bills for homes and businesses, and prioritize underserved communities Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing a National Initiative to Advance Building Codes that will help state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments adopt the latest, current building codes and standards, enabling…

The White House

Ted Lemon Jul 31, 2023

@GreenFire @ai6yr @kathhayhoe That's kind of the opposite of what I meant, though. "a difficult political obstacle" exists because we aren't electing the right people. We aren't electing the right people because we (collectively) don't want to. Is that something we can change? That's what I'm getting at. "It's politically difficult" is by design—it's not inherently difficult, but is engineered that way by carbon profiteers.

Ted Lemon Jul 31, 2023

@GreenFire @ai6yr @kathhayhoe Like, is there a way to make electing climate-friendly legislators at the local, state and federal level easier? Can that be how we help people to feel less helpless? Right now the usual answer to this question is that it's hopeless and we should give up, which, it seems to me, is precisely what Ms. Hayhoe is saying is the problem. I'm not convinced it's hopeless.

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe Aug 1, 2023

@abhayakara @GreenFire @ai6yr it isn't, and that's exactly why I'm convinced that ... https://www.ted.com/talks/katharine_hayhoe_the_most_important_thing_you_can_do_to_fight_climate_change_talk_about_it?language=en because that is how it starts!

Katharine Hayhoe: The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it

TED

Kevin Leecaster Jul 31, 2023

@abhayakara @ai6yr @kathhayhoe
Building codes are local at the level of almost 4,800 jurisdictions in the USA and the difficulty found towards updating them is not entirely caused by those I call #FossilFools as you rightly point out as being bad actors blocking #ClimateAction

No, it's not hopeless though, but imo the consumers are who we've got to manage to reach. Only when there's a market demand for net-zero will businesses start providing it rapidly enough.

Regulations are too slow imo.

Ted Lemon Jul 31, 2023

@GreenFire @ai6yr @kathhayhoe To be clear, I'm asking Ms. Hayhoe, not you, to answer this question. Your answer appears to be the stock neoliberal answer: if we help people to make good choices, they will make good choices, and that will avert climate catastrophe. This is a strategy for delaying progress, not a way to make progress. I don't know if you are sincere in thinking this could work, but the evidence thus far is that it doesn't work at all. Look at "light trucks" post Obama.

Kevin Leecaster Aug 1, 2023

@abhayakara @ai6yr @kathhayhoe
Perhaps Dr. Hayhoe will provide you with an answer more in line with your political ideology as demonstrated by your reply to me with its implied dismissal of my expertise.

These survey results suggest how "we help people to make good choices" as you ask.

We have to increase voter turnout in order to have representatives that more closely align with the majority opinion on issues like #GlobalWarming especially at our primary elections as seen in North Carolina.

AI6YR Ben Aug 1, 2023

@GreenFire @abhayakara Not to wade into the fray, but I giggled at the "Whig Party" being included in that graph.

Kevin Leecaster Aug 1, 2023

@ai6yr @abhayakara
Democratic-Republicans too! Got to love Wikipedia, at least I do.

Ted Lemon Aug 1, 2023

@GreenFire @ai6yr @kathhayhoe sorry, my previous response was needlessly snarky. But please don’t assert expertise here. I’m asking for engagement, not reassurance. The model you have for this is centralized persuasion, but historically things like this get solved either by tort (smoking) or by grassroots work (above ground test ban). Centralized persuasion has not worked.

Kevin Leecaster Aug 1, 2023

@abhayakara @ai6yr @kathhayhoe
I would argue that we don't have an historical analogy to the existential crisis we're facing, but whatever. Hopefully you'll find the answer you're looking for somewhere.

Ted Lemon Aug 3, 2023

@GreenFire @ai6yr @kathhayhoe Ozone and leaded gas didn't have the same countervailing profit incentive, but tobacco certainly did.

BTW, regarding "market demand," another thing to keep in mind is that the market for green housing is always always going to be smaller than the number of young folks who would like their future not to be a burning disaster. So this also militates for a grass roots approach, not a market demand-based approach.

Kevin Leecaster Jul 31, 2023

@kathhayhoe
The dismissives seem to not be worth the trouble to convince for sure. What I hope that some marketing research will soon uncover is how to convince the Americans concerned about #GlobalWarming to become alarmed enough to decarbonize their lives in order to help drive the market and politics faster. https://climatecommunication.yale.edu/about/projects/global-warmings-six-americas/

Global Warming's Six Americas - Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Global Warming's Six Americas.

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe Jul 31, 2023

@GreenFire It is not about being alarmed. It is about being activated! Only a tiny fraction of alarmed are activated; 90% of the world could be alarmed but if they aren't activated, nothing will happen.

I think you need to read my recent posts again more carefully, especially the part about how we don't want the world paralyzed with fear, we want them motivated to act :)

Kevin Leecaster Jul 31, 2023

@kathhayhoe
Yeah, I shouldn't have used Yale's "Six Americas" terminology. Activated is definitely what we want for them to be.

Perhaps the Climate Communication team could add that seventh category into their next polling. I would like to know how many people have decarbonized for sure.

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe Aug 1, 2023

@GreenFire activated, but not necessarily personally decarbonized. We need to change the system: not demand personal perfection as a preliminary requirement before using our voice to convince our city, company, school, government to change, right?

Kevin Leecaster Aug 1, 2023

@kathhayhoe
I've been working on it for so long and our carbon budget is so filled from our pollution that it's my opinion that it has now become necessary for the richest in our society to begin decarbonizing prior to us finally getting business and political leaders to do it for us which is why I have.

I think that having more people living carbon-free will help to increase the necessary political will plus people need physical models as well as computer ones to help change behaviors imo too

Jo - pièce de résistance Aug 8, 2023

we are seeing some around the world. Projects at scale. They aren't doing as much in the West, but they are happening and we should be sharing these ideas and the community involvment and immediate benefits more so people can see how fast it can be done and how good it can be.
https://mastodon.social/@JoBlakely/110849907552363390