In her powerful acceptance speech for Time’s Earth Award, American marine biologist and climate leader Ayana Elizabeth Johnson cuts through the noise with one urgent question: if we already have the solutions, why are we still waiting? Rejecting passive optimism, she calls instead for strategy, courage and action – from clean energy to cultural change. Her message is clear: act as if you love the future, and be tenacious on behalf of life on Earth.
“I was asked to talk about hope. But I work on climate change and last year was the hottest year on Earth in human history. And Hurricane Melissa, supercharged by a Caribbean Sea that’s way hotter than it should be, just smashed into Jamaica, the island my family is from, with record-breaking winds. So what I have to say is: Fuck hope. What’s the strategy? What are we going to do so that we don’t need hope?
Take it from me, a scientist: yes, things are dire, and yes, it’s because humans have burned fossil fuels and burned forests – scientists agree on this. To be clear, most of the blame for this climate crisis goes to the greedy fossil fuel executives and big agriculture executives, their greenwashing PR firms, and the politicians in their pockets. But each of us deserve some blame too because we are letting it happen. We are going about our lives while powerful people set our future on fire.
But here’s the good news – and if you remember only one thing I say tonight, let it be this: We already have the solutions we need. We can transition to clean energy now – solar panels and wind turbines are already the cheapest ways to generate electricity. We can protect and restore ecosystems now. We can grow food sustainably, green our buildings, and improve public transit now. We can put our money where our mouth is now. There’s no magical technology we need to wait for.
We are making progress, but we need to move much faster. The longer we delay, the harder and more expensive it will be.
Now, despite co-founding a policy think tank, Urban Ocean Lab, it took me way too long to realize that cultural change usually comes before policy change. This was true for civil rights, for gay marriage. And the people in this room shape culture. You have so much power to accelerate climate action, to inspire your crowds and shift the status quo. You can write romcoms and songs about climate solutions, design products for circularity, support key policies. Come see me at table 6 if you want to talk about what you, specifically, can do. I will personally help you figure out how to make the biggest difference. [I got some takers! We’ll see what ripples may come….]
What everyone definitely needs to do is speak up. Right now 2 out of 3 Americans rarely or never hear about climate on the news or on social media. And as long as that silence continues there’s no chance we’re going to solve this. And don’t let climate deniers scare you – they may be loud, and too many of them are running our government right now, but they are only 15% of Americans.
You may think that climate change is not your issue, but it affects everything. Whether you care about national security and food security, public health and racial justice, robust infrastructure and low energy bills, outdoor concerts and sporting events, SCUBA diving on coral reefs, skiing on real snow, having ice thick enough for ice fishing, eating chocolate and peaches, drinking wine and coffee, or your house not getting swallowed by the ocean, climate is your issue.
And if you’re concerned about immigration now, well, we are poised to see the largest and fastest migration of people in human history – hundreds of millions of people will have to relocate as climate change renders their places unlivable.
It’s all intertwined. And, as usual, the people with the fewest resources will get screwed. But even if you have a bunker in New Zealand, climate change is coming for you too. And we are not all going to Mars.
If you care about the future at all, you need to care about nature and act on that care.
Use your platforms and your votes. Leverage your networks and your dollars. Where you keep your money is probably the biggest part of your personal carbon footprint, actually – even more than flying. So, divest your banking and divest your retirement savings. Call your money manager first thing in the morning and tell them you don’t want a single one of your dollars funding oil, or gas, or coal. Then, move toward a plant-based diet.
Remember: We already have the solutions we need. And it’s not all or nothing. Every tenth of a degree of warming we prevent, every inch of sea level rise we avoid, every increasingly unnatural disaster we avert, every species we save, every bit of nature we protect and restore, it all matters.
Addressing the climate crisis is the work of our lifetimes. So I invite you to join me: Act as if you love the future. And be tenacious on behalf of life on Earth.
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist, policy expert and writer known for linking ocean science with climate action and social justice. She is author of the book ‘What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures’ (2024), among other books.
Ayana’s blogpost on Substack
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s action list
1. Ditch passive hope – focus on strategy and action
• Don’t wait for reasons to feel hopeful.
• Ask: What’s the plan? What are we going to do so we don’t need hope?
2. Recognise the problem and who’s responsible
• The climate crisis is human-made – driven mainly by fossil fuel and agribusiness executives, PR firms, and complicit politicians.
• But citizens also share blame by allowing it to continue through inaction.
3. Use existing solutions
• Transition to clean energy – solar and wind are already cheapest.
• Protect and restore ecosystems.
• Build greener cities and transport.
• Support sustainable food systems.
• Redirect investments toward climate-positive choices.
• No new technology is needed to start.
4. Accelerate progress
• We’re moving, but far too slowly – every year of delay makes action costlier.
5. Lead with culture as well as policy
• Cultural change precedes policy change – artists, designers, storytellers and influencers shape what’s “normal.”
• Use creativity to shift culture and inspire climate solutions.
6. Break the silence
• Two-thirds of Americans rarely hear about climate – talk about it in your circles, media, and work.
• Don’t be intimidated by deniers – they’re a small minority.
7. Connect climate to what people love
• Climate affects everything: food, health, housing, jobs, travel, recreation – even wine, coffee and chocolate.
• Show others that climate is everyone’s issue.
8. Acknowledge inequality and global migration pressures
• The poorest will suffer first and worst – but no one is immune.
• Even the wealthy can’t escape a destabilised planet.
9. Leverage your power
• Vote, speak, write, design, invest, and collaborate for solutions.
• Move your money – divest from fossil fuels in banks and retirement funds.
• Shift toward a plant-based diet.
10. Remember progress is cumulative
• Every tenth of a degree, every tree saved, every community protected matters.
• Act as if you love the future – and be tenacious on behalf of life on Earth.