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At Centre for Climate Safety, for more than a decade, we have been studying the problems we are up against when it comes to carbon emissions and climate. When we know that lives are at stake, why is humanity not acting faster on solving this climate emergency? And more importantly: How do we change this situation?
Here is a theory of change. First, understanding what is causing the problem. Then, in the realisation that unfortunately there are no ‘quick fixes’ here – we need to deal with the roots of the problem – rolling out an 8-point road map of how we do that.
THE PROBLEM
Why aren’t we acting faster on climate?
Despite increasingly alarming predictions, the world continues to struggle with making rapid, significant cuts to greenhouse gas emissions. The first nine months of 2024 saw an increase in global CO₂ emissions of 4.7 million tonnes per day. Even as the impacts of climate breakdown – rising temperatures, devastating wildfires, stronger storms, and droughts – become more visible and severe, global emissions have not decreased at the pace needed to avoid a future marked by irreversible climate impacts. A recent United Nations report shows that climate safety now requires the equivalent of a coronavirus lockdown – every year.
But if we understand the potential devastation, why aren’t we changing our ways more quickly?
The answer lies in a mix of economic, political, psychological, and social factors that together make this shift complex and slow.
Economic interests and fossil fuel dependency
Many economies are deeply reliant on fossil fuels, and the industries tied to oil, gas, and coal hold significant economic power and influence. The companies involved in fossil fuel extraction and distribution have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, often lobbying governments to protect their markets. Transitioning away from fossil fuels isn’t just an economic challenge – it’s a systemic shift. Jobs, industries, and even entire regional economies depend on fossil fuels. Moving away from these sources of energy also means confronting financial losses, which is politically challenging and financially complex.
Political and social inertia
Climate safety requires long-term solutions, but our political systems generally focus on short-term goals. Politicians operate within election cycles and are motivated to address issues that will yield visible, immediate results. This tendency to prioritise short-term gains over long-term sustainability has been one of the greatest obstacles to comprehensive climate action. Additionally, the social systems we live in have evolved around a fossil fuel economy; from transport infrastructure to food production, our society is embedded in fossil-based energy, making any large-scale transformation seem daunting and disruptive.
Public awareness and misinformation
While public awareness of climate change has grown, misinformation campaigns – often funded by fossil fuel interests – have sown doubt about the science and downplayed the urgency of the crisis. In some cases, people are simply not aware of the full extent of the crisis, while others believe that their actions won’t make a significant difference. Misinformation has contributed to climate inaction, as doubt and confusion persist around the severity and immediacy of climate breakdown. This general lack of clarity in society have caused climate action to feel less pressing or even overwhelming, reducing momentum toward meaningful change.
Cost and accessibility of clean alternatives
Transitioning to cleaner electricity sources, emissions-free transportation, and sustainable agriculture is expensive, and the costs of adopting these green solutions are often prohibitive for individuals and communities. For example, installing solar panels or buying an electric vehicle requires a high upfront investment that many cannot afford without government incentives or subsidies. Even in cases where green technologies are accessible, they may require additional infrastructure and policy support to become viable on a large scale. This barrier to accessibility slows the green transition, especially in lower-income regions where funds are more limited.
Psychological distance and adaptation bias
The perception that climate change is a distant problem – one that will primarily impact future generations or far-off places – can reduce a person’s urgency to act. This psychological distance makes it difficult for people to prioritise climate action in their daily lives. Additionally, adaptation bias comes into play: as climate changes gradually, people become accustomed to new “normals,” which can lead to complacency. This tendency to adapt to incremental changes can prevent a strong sense of urgency, causing people to underestimate the need for bold, immediate action.
Complexity and global coordination challenges
Climate change is a global issue requiring cooperation among countries with vastly different economies, priorities, and capabilities. Wealthier nations often have the resources to adopt cleaner technologies, but developing countries may lack these means, prioritising economic growth over immediate emissions cuts. This disparity makes unified global action challenging, as wealthier nations are sometimes perceived as placing demands on others without acknowledging their own historical contributions to emissions. The lack of consistent, coordinated international action has slowed progress, with countries pointing fingers at each other rather than working in harmony.
Fear of lifestyle changes
Addressing climate breakdown requires changes in daily habits, such as reducing meat consumption, conserving energy, and choosing more sustainable forms of transportation. However, these changes may seem inconvenient, costly, or less comfortable. Cultural norms and preferences also play a role, as people may resist changes that disrupt their way of life. They want to protect their ‘freedom of choice’ and ‘right to pollute’, even when that choice and that freedom contributes to wrecking the climate for everyone else. The fear of lifestyle changes can lead to resistance and inaction, as it may be difficult to reconcile the desire for comfort with the need for sustainable practices.
Gradual escalation of climate impacts
While climate impacts are worsening, many of these changes have occurred gradually, making them easier to dismiss as isolated weather events rather than as signs of a larger, systemic crisis. When media reports on the calamities, they ignore the opportunity to explain how extreme weather chaos is connected with climate which again is connected with our use of oil, coal and gas and our consumer choices. This gradual escalation can make climate change seem like a future problem rather than a present-day emergency. Without a sense of immediate crisis, it’s challenging to build widespread support for the drastic changes required to mitigate long-term climate risks.
SOLVING THE PROBLEM
How we move forward
Addressing the climate emergency in a democracy requires building public support, which then translates into political will and policy reform. To make meaningful progress, each step must follow a sequence that builds on the previous one, creating a shift that can ultimately drive systemic change.
Here’s how this can roll out:
- Public awareness and education:
Rebuilding trust, raising awareness and educating the public about the reality of climate change, its causes, and solutions is foundational.
HOW: Effective climate education should be accessible at all levels – through media, schools, community programs, and workplaces. Public broadcasters play a key role in this effort. Clear, honest communication about both the risks of climate change and the real benefits of action can help counter misinformation and build a culture of responsibility. Working with trusted sources like scientists, educators, and community leaders can strengthen this message and reach a wider audience. Government-backed public awareness campaigns, along with efforts from climate NGOs and media, are essential to create a well-informed society. - Changing the narrative:
In a world facing urgent environmental challenges, language is a powerful tool for shaping our response and guiding action. Words frame our perceptions and influence our decisions, making it essential to adopt a new narrative that will inspire and mobilise Australians toward a sustainable future. Australia needs a unified, positive language that shifts perspectives, fosters collective responsibility, and encourages a future-focused mindset. Through clear, constructive language, we can elevate climate awareness and empower Australians to see the transition towards climate safety as both necessary, achievable and inevitable.
HOW: Changing the conversation requires a clear, inclusive, and solutions-focused approach to climate language. Media, public broadcasters, educators, and community leaders all help shape and spread this message. Media, for example, can highlight local climate solutions and make terms like “the green transition” part of daily life. Schools can help young Australians see their role in climate solutions, while government campaigns and trusted partnerships can strengthen the message. By adopting a unified narrative, like Denmark’s ‘Den Grønne Omstilling’ (the Green Transition), we can inspire action across communities, governments, and industries. To explore in more depth how this narrative shift could become a reality, have a look at this research paper: The global transition. - Psychological framing:
To motivate people to act, it’s crucial to reduce the psychological distance between individuals and climate breakdown. Instead of seeing it as a distant or abstract problem, people need to feel its relevance to their lives.
HOW: By focusing on how climate change affects people locally and personally, we can make the issue more relatable. Highlighting impacts like extreme weather, rising food costs, and health risks from pollution makes climate change relevant to jobs, homes, and futures. Showing the local benefits of action, such as job creation in renewable energy or health improvements from cleaner air, can help people see that climate action is both achievable and beneficial. - Building a groundswell of public demand:
Once awareness and a personal sense of relevance are established, the next step is to harness public opinion to demand change. In a democracy, the voices of citizens directly influence political agendas and decisions.
HOW: Grassroots movements, advocacy groups, and community organisations are vital for mobilising public pressure on politicians to act on climate. Actions like petitions, demonstrations, social media campaigns, and direct outreach to lawmakers make public demand for climate policies visible. Encouraging people to join campaigns that hold political candidates accountable for their climate positions creates a powerful force that politicians cannot ignore, especially when seeking re-election. - Electing climate-forward leaders:
With public support and demand at a high, the next essential step is electing leaders who are committed to addressing the climate emergency.
HOW: Educating and mobilising voters during elections is crucial. Civic organisations, NGOs, and community leaders can inform voters about candidates’ climate stances and promote transparency in their commitments. Climate-focused debates and scorecards that rate candidates’ positions help ensure climate action remains a priority. In Australia, the Community Independents movement provides strong momentum for change, pushing for integrity and truth-telling on climate action. This movement champions transparency and accountability, reflecting public demand for leaders who will genuinely address the climate crisis. - Systemic change and policy reform:
Once the right leaders are in place, the government can address climate action as a priority by creating policies that support a shift towards sustainability.
HOW: Elected leaders can introduce policies to phase out fossil fuels, support renewable energy, and promote green infrastructure. Policies like carbon pricing, clean technology subsidies, and stricter emissions regulations help steer the economy toward sustainability. Government support for green technology research and partnerships with private companies can further accelerate the transition, aligning economic incentives with climate goals and making it easier for people and businesses to go green. - Making sustainable alternatives accessible and affordable:
For systemic change to succeed, clean alternatives must be available and affordable to all.
HOW: Governments can make green technology more accessible for low- and middle-income communities by providing funding and subsidies for solar power, electric vehicles, and energy-efficient housing. Investing in infrastructure like expanded public transit and community solar projects supports the shift from fossil fuels. Policies like tax credits for sustainable choices and community energy co-ops make it easier for everyone to choose sustainability. - Fostering global cooperation:
Finally, climate change is a global issue that requires international collaboration. As countries make internal changes, they must also work together to share technology, offer financial support to developing nations, and align on emissions goals.
HOW: Governments can work together globally through agreements like the Paris Agreement to set climate targets. Wealthier countries can support developing nations by providing funding for clean energy and resilience measures. Programs like technology transfers and international climate funds create a global effort where every country can contribute to – and benefit from – the shift toward climate safety.
By following this sequence, democracies can build the foundation for climate safety and sustainable change, from educating and engaging the public to enacting meaningful policies. Through a process that respects public opinion, addresses social and psychological barriers, and ultimately shifts political priorities, we can move toward a future where climate action becomes an integral part of governance and society.
It can be done. But will we have enough time?
As studies have shown, climate breakdown leads to disruptions and tensions within society that can, in turn, fuel a dangerous political shift toward authoritarianism, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. This is what we are increasingly up against and also why the issue must be dealt with at emergency speed.
When communities face repeated crises – whether from extreme weather events, resource shortages, or economic instability – fear and frustration can grow, creating fertile ground for populist leaders who promise quick fixes without democratic checks and balances. These leaders exploit uncertainty, offering security through strong-handed rule while sidelining climate action or even reversing environmental protections in the name of economic stability.
The risk of misinformation grows in these contexts, as rapid changes and visible disasters create confusion and anxiety. Unfounded theories that deny climate science or blame disasters on scapegoats can spread easily, especially on social media. This environment erodes trust in scientific and governmental institutions and makes unified, informed action harder to achieve. If left unchecked, this misinformation can shift public opinion away from real solutions, fueling division and derailing climate policies.
Values of integrity and trust
This is why, along with climate action, we need a focus on building societal resilience and maintaining democratic values. Education and clear communication are essential to equip citizens with the understanding they need to interpret climate-related events accurately. Governments, too, must stay transparent and responsive, fostering trust through open dialogues and evidence-based policies.
Communities play a powerful role here, supporting initiatives that enhance local adaptation to climate impacts and promoting mutual aid. Ordinary members of the community must step up and become community leaders, leading the way.
It is possible to avert a slide toward authoritarianism and misinformation, but it requires commitment from both political leaders, business leaders and the public. Democratic societies can withstand the pressures of climate disruption if enough of us recognise these risks and work proactively to counter them.
Only by reinforcing democratic values and principles of openness, truth, trust and collaboration, and by assisting and supporting a well-informed, engaged public, will we be able to respond to the escalating climate crisis and build a resilient, climate-safe future.
Earth for all
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