¿ Alarmism or hope? The thin line to transmit weather emergency

During the opening day of the COP26 , the UN secretary general , António Guterres , warned in his speech that " we are digging ou

¿
Alarmism
 or
 hope?
 The thin line
 to transmit
 weather emergency

During the opening day of the COP26 , the UN secretary general , António Guterres , warned in his speech that " we are digging our own grave " . Earlier this year , Boris Johnsonavisó that climate change posed a threat to world peace . They are not far from the only one who have used almost apocalyptic messages to refer to a problem with consequences that could reach Serlas . However , the message cove and , in fact , there are doubts whether this strategy really works.

The problem has several edges and is also slippery terrain dates. On the one hand , experts warn , it is necessary to convey the need to act and to do so as soon as possible . But on the other , a message too alarmist apathy or defeatism may return .

"In Valencian, we have a saying that is Folleu, Folleu, that the Món S'Acaba," illustrates Andreu Escrivà, Environmentologist and author of 'and now I What I Do: How to Avoid Climate Guilt and Go to Action.' "It's a very clear current," he recognizes, and even books are published with the places that a person should visit not before dying, but that these disappear. "We are arriving in defeatism and catastrophism too because we see that there are no structural changes that take us to think that this is going to be solved," he contextualizes him.

In this sense, Escrivà believes that also influences the guilt of the citizen on foot - "They are telling you that you are the culprit of everything because you see Netflix, you eat meat and take the car" -, which joins the impotence of seeing that the Things do not change. "You're not going to annoy life because if you do not do the rest of the world," she says.

Anyway , the discloser does not consider that to sound the alarm is alarmist : "We are facing a process that affects the entire planet that is already affecting the lives of millions of people , which will affect more and will generate losses economic brutal , "he recalls . "I think the rational and honest is to sound the alarm , the problem is that we want to convey a sense of urgency , but we spent braking ," he explained time acknowledging that he himself is included in this group.

Tatiana Nuño, responsible for the climate change project in Greenpeace, coincides at this point: "We are living a climate crisis and it is important to communicate it from what it is". Of course, she appreciates that there is getting more and more information "and we know how to tell her better." The key, she exposes her, is "communicating from science" and always supported by three pillars: causes, consequences and, above all, solutions.

"We are already seeing a climate crisis , we are already seeing the impacts of climate change; it must be told , but we must always link it with the why ," he argues . Ie , explain what is the origin of the situation and what can be done to reverse rather than treating it as an immeasurable and unfathomable entity. " We can not stay alone in the crisis and the drama of the impacts of climate change that we're seeing and we face " sums Nuño.

Thus , after telling what causes climate crisis can finish the speech " that solutions exist, are in our hands," the expert argues . And to emphasize that the scenario changes a lot if you act : " Avoid the climate crisis will have many more benefits to our health and our way of life that act and there's not that much influence ."

"It is important to give an overview " summarizes . In a connected world , "information is very quick and we were in the headlines ," she explains . " We need to be able to digest what the causes are and what the solutions are and not stay only in the catastrophism " .

Escrivà agrees with this idea of explaining "clearly" that you can still do things and that "this is not a deterministic catastrophe and we will experience an apocalyptic future let us do." Again, find the balance to dodge the defeatism, but also passivity.

Faced with this lack of interest, Escrivà advocates distinguish between being getting late and it 's late ; between that climate change it is already irreversible and still be adjusted by its magnitude. And for the communication of the message he puts figuratively his house on fire. " Imagine you 're at home and one room is burning : it is clear that what was there was burned , but does that mean you do not have to try to save the rest of your house? " . It is to be transmitted to be put out that fire , with the urgency that entails , but people think that home is not going to end up.

The environmentalist also considered " increasingly skeptical " of communication with dates, as with all the targets set for 2030. In the end , regrets , people see it as distant something and think of it as a test that you can study the last day to get a miraculous approved . And he reroll comparison , this time football : " The question is not that in 2030 live in Mad Max , the point is that in 2030 we can be in mathematical descent" . At this juncture , " not to alarm , we must offer an alternative and, above all , we must tell people that we will not live worse , the actions must be perceived as action to live better."

Nuño , meanwhile , believes that a good summary of the situation could communicate with the fable of the hummingbird before a forest fire begins to extinguish the flames with water carrying in its beak . At the beginning, the rest of the animals believe that makes no sense, but seeing his tenacity join him and , together, they get put out the fire . "The reality is disturbing, but the scenarios we face are much worse ," laments Nuño. Thus, it should address the "Not from paralysis , but from activism and activity to avoid the scenario that we do not want and that is avoidable."

Date Of Update: 08 November 2021, 23:00