[✔️] February 12, 2022 - Daily Global Warming News Digest

[👀 Richard Pauli]

/*February 12, 2022*/

/[ important article in The Guardian -- send this to everyone you know ] /
*Here’s how to demolish the most common excuses for climate crisis apathy*
Elizabeth Cripps
Every one of us now has a duty to do something, if not for ourselves 
then for the survival of future generations
Sat 12 Feb 2022
Climate change is terrifying, so why don’t we do more to stop it? Read 
any headline on the climate crisis, and it seems unbelievable that we’re 
not all chaining ourselves to the headquarters of oil and gas companies, 
or at least hammering on MPs’ office doors. But we’re not. “Of course, I 
care about climate change,” we say. “But … ”

Then they come out, the reasons for apathy. We’ve all heard them. We’ve 
probably all said some of them. But do they really excuse us?

Let’s look at some of them, starting with:*“It’s so far in the future.”*

It’s not. This is already happening: in wildfires, storms and floods in 
Europe, Australia, the US and the UK, and in decades of devastation in 
the global south. The victims of climate change include future 
generations, but they also include the 11-year-old in Bangladesh whose 
friend drowned, the New Orleans family who lost everything in Hurricane 
Katrina and the girl forced into child marriage because her parents can 
no longer feed her.

Even if this were “just” about future generations, they matter too. 
Because they are our children and grandchildren, and because they are 
people. Take the least controversial moral rule you’re likely to find: 
don’t seriously harm other people. Suppose, says the philosopher Henry 
Shue, you plant a landmine on a busy path. That’s wrong if it will 
explode tomorrow. It’s still wrong if it won’t go off for another 150 
years. Climate change is that landmine – and a whole lot more of them.
*
**“It’s too expensive!”*

This is the so-called economic argument against mitigating climate 
change: that it’s cheaper to adjust to a hotter planet. Even if this 
were factually unassailable (spoiler alert: it’s not), it would be 
morally flawed. It relies on what philosophers call utilitarianism – the 
view that we should maximise overall welfare (often, in practice, 
overall money) even if some people suffer desperately along the way. 
That’s in direct contradiction to the most basic intuition of 
commonsense morality. It disregards human rights.
Even if we swallowed this pill, it takes another questionable assumption 
to make the anti-mitigation sums add up. These economic arguments, says 
the philosopher Simon Caney, assume that future people’s pain, even 
their deaths, count for less in the cost-benefit calculations if these 
are further in the future. That isn’t standard economic discounting; 
it’s discounting the lives of our descendants.

*“It’s the government’s problem.”*

Climate change is a catastrophic failure by governments. But we are 
voters, and governments act on our behalf. Many of us are drivers, 
flyers, meat-eaters. Morally speaking, we can share responsibility for 
harms we are part of or those we fail to prevent between us. I’m not 
saying you (or I) should feel guilty about this unfolding global 
disaster, but we should feel ashamed. We should act.
*
**“I’m already vegan and don’t fly.”*

This one is the flipside to “it’s all the government’s fault”: putting 
it all on individuals. That’s inefficient, unfair, and doesn’t work 
anyway. Going car-free is harder without a good public transport system; 
leaving mitigation to individuals means putting all the burden on those 
who happen to make the effort. And individual carbon-cutting, although 
important, isn’t enough. It won’t avert this catastrophe without 
governments on board or fossil fuel giants being held accountable. Faced 
with institutional failure, we shouldn’t feel powerless, but we should 
all be climate activists, using our own actions to bring about change 
from above.

*“Lying in front of lorries isn’t my thing.”*

So don’t do that! But perhaps look past the optics that make you 
uncomfortable and ask yourself why anyone would feel desperate enough to 
glue themselves to a road. It’s not because they enjoy it. Then ask what 
it is that you will do. Write to your MP? Wave banners outside 
parliament? Demand that your bank or pension fund divest from fossil 
fuels? Donate to climate justice NGOs? Progress takes a combination of 
tactics, from lobbying politicians to civil disobedience. Do what you’re 
good at, as part of a bigger picture.

*“I won’t make a difference.”*

But we could. And that should matter to each of us. Philosophers explain 
this in various ways. Sure, some say, it probably won’t change the world 
if you turn up to a protest or ditch your car. But you might be a 
trigger, making the protest big enough for politicians to listen, saving 
untold lives. In any case, you would have helped – by being part of the 
group who made a difference. And what’s the alternative? Sitting on the 
sidelines, while others right this collective wrong? That’s not fair on 
them.

*“I’ve got enough to do already!”*

I get this. I really do. But climate justice isn’t some esoteric goal. 
It’s about living in a way that doesn’t kill people: doesn’t drown them, 
burn their homes or give them malaria. So how much money or time or 
emotional effort should each of us put in for this basic collective 
morality? I don’t have a final answer because the ethical debate is 
continuing. But I have an answer that will do for now, for those living 
comfortably in rich countries. However much we should do to avert this 
tragedy, it’s more than most of us do now.

Elizabeth Cripps is a writer and moral philosopher at the University of 
Edinburgh, and author of What Climate Justice Means and Why We Should Care
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/12/excuses-tackle-climate-crisis-apathy


/[   as summarize by Britt Wray,   ] /
*Climate emotions aren’t all “negative”*
A new taxonomy scours the research for all the ways we feel about this 
crisis
Britt Wray
Leading eco-emotions researcher Panu Pihkala’s recent article Toward a 
Taxonomy of Climate Emotions is a review of the literature that aims to 
bring more clarity to what is meant not only by signature responses 
(like ecological grief and climate anxiety), but what climate emotions 
deserve more attention. He explains that climate emotions are linked to 
multiple impacts, ranging from behavioural reactions (like increased 
pro-environmental action and constructive climate responses), to 
psychological wellbeing and health (deriving meaning and purpose from 
one’s distress), as well as moral issues (moral emotions include guilt, 
grief, shame, and anger). However little is known about the full breadth 
of eco-emotions that range from “positive” to “negative”, or what we can 
do with them once we recognize them in our own lives. I found his 
findings surprising and original, and as someone with a lot of climate 
emotions, quite useful. It’s helped me think about some of my own 
emotive responses to the moment in new ways.
https://gendread.substack.com/p/climate-emotions-arent-all-negative
https://gendread.substack.com/p/climate-emotions-arent-all-negative?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjgzNTA5LCJfIjoiRmxlcjMiLCJpYXQiOjE2NDQ1OTY2OTYsImV4cCI6MTY0NDYwMDI5NiwiaXNzIjoicHViLTY0NTkwIiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.Nh6xGvcXs1mij_fdShNrvuRuckpV-2C9_5PEPoyR5yw

- -

/[ORIGINAL RESEARCH article]/
Front. Clim., 14 January 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2021.738154
*Toward a Taxonomy of Climate Emotions*
Panu Pihkala*
Faculty of Theology and HELSUS Sustainability Science Institute, 
University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
There is a growing evidence that emotions shape people's reactions to 
the climate crisis in profound but complex ways. Climate emotions are 
related to resilience, climate action, and psychological well-being and 
health. However, there is currently a lack of research about the array 
of various climate emotions. There is also a need for more integration 
with general research about emotions. This article conducts a 
preliminary exploration of the taxonomy of climate emotions, based on 
literature reviews and philosophical discussion. The term emotion is 
used here in a broad sense, as is common in climate emotion research. 
Because of the urgency of the climate crisis and the lack of previous 
research, this kind of exploration is aimed to be helpful for both 
practical climate work and for future research which would include more 
systematic reviews of the topic. Research items which discuss at least 
five different climate emotions, based on empirical observations, are 
used as major sources and a table about them is provided. Climate 
emotions are discussed on the basis of interdisciplinary research. The 
article considers many aspects of the phenomena of climate anxiety and 
climate grief.

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fclim.2021.738154/full#B77



[ Podcast - audio on global warming and happiness ]
*Climate Change and Happiness*
An international podcast that explores the personal side of climate change.
A psychologist from Portland, Oregon and a climate emotions researcher 
from Helsinki, Finland have an international dialogue about climate 
change feelings and coping.

    Saudade, solastalgia, ikegai, dugnad, pura vida, weltschmertz,
    hyper-object, hyper-empathy, thumos, ubuntu, awe, riittämättömyyden
    tunne, sisu, hope… Welcome to the language of Climate Change and
    Happiness, an international podcast that explores the personal side
    of climate change — your feelings, what the crisis means for you,
    and how to cope and thrive.

    This is a show for people around the globe who are thinking deeply
    about the personal side of climate change and their mental health
    and wellbeing. Clinical and environmental psychologist Thomas
    Doherty and climate emotions scholar Panu Pihkala talk about their
    research, and experiences as individuals and parents. They model how
    to cope with climate stress and build capacity for hope and
    happiness. They invite guests and consider your questions.

https://climatechangeandhappiness.com/



/[ another point of view of our shared reality -- Call it the 8 seasons 
of the Rovaniemi ]/
*Eight Seasons*
Four seasons did not suffice for Laplanders and the Sami people in the 
olden days. Instead, they structured time into eight periods: 
autumn-winter; winter; spring-winter; spring; spring-summer; summer; 
summer-autumn and autumn. The four main seasons were supplemented in 
this way by four “half-seasons”.  The warm, moonlit nights of August 
belong to summer; however, August comes with a hint of autumn’s 
crispness and its piercing, melancholic light. It only takes a couple of 
cold, frosty nights, and the autumn-summer turns into autumn. When 
leaves begin to fall and lakes become covered with fog and ice at night, 
autumn has arrived in full force, though it is not quite yet autumn-winter.

Pakkastalvi (‘frosty winter’) is the first season of the year. The New 
Year festivities have come to an end, and it is dark, cold and quiet 
until March or April when, soon after the Lental Season, hankikanto 
(‘the spring of crusted snow’) arrives. The amount of light increases 
significantly, even though it is still dark and cold at night.  With 
increased light, everything in nature begins to awake. At the first sign 
of spring, jäidenlähtökevät (literally ‘ice break-up’)  begins: snow 
still covers the ground, but the first plants begin to appear, and 
reindeer give birth to calves.  The first stoneflies begin to crawl on 
the snow near the waterfront.

Once the sun no longer sets, the ‘light green summer’ (keskiyönauringon 
aika), or the time of the midnight sun, begins. With 24 hours of 
daylight, the entire ecosystem lives in ecstasy. The ‘harvest time’ 
(sadonkorjuunaika) begins when the willowherb blossoms, and days begin 
to get shorter.  This is followed by ruska or ‘colourful autumn’ when 
the fiery autumn colours remind us that soon the ground will be covered 
by ice and snow again. And then... the ‘first snow’ (mustalumi) arrives, 
only to melt during the first days of mild weather. The frost that 
follows this period of “black snow” will freeze the ground.

The last season, ending the yearly cycle, is Christmas (joulukaamos), a 
period of constant darkness. The long polar nights are followed by the 
greatest celebration of the year: Christmas - a celebration of rebirth, 
light and letting go of the old.

There were valid reasons for dividing time into eight distinctive 
seasons. By predicting weather and carrying out seasonal tasks according 
to the weather signs, the northern way of life gave birth to the 
northern state of mind: a mentality which imitates nature. Nature is in 
a constant state of change, simultaneously in the present season while 
on the way to the next. This is also true of humans: we are constantly 
in a state of flux; always moving on and preparing for tomorrow.

The structures and institutions of society may change, but mentalities, 
moulded by nature, remain practically unchanged through generations. In 
this way, the eight seasons have also remained. In a number of ways, 
they still influence the things we do, what we feel and how we think, 
all the time. The eight seasons give a rhythm to this website as well. 
The pictures on the site and its colours also change according to the 
seasons.
https://international.rovaniemi.fi/en/8-seasons

- -

/[ another marking of 8 seasons from the Salish ]/
*THE EIGHT SEASON YEAR*
*1. Budswell*
Late Winter February 1 to March 22 Budswell begins sometime around 
Brigid’s Day, also called Imbolc ...

*2. Springtime*
Early Spring March 20 to May 1 Springtime begins on the Vernal Equinox 
in late March.  ...

*3. Bloom*
Late Spring May 1 to June 22 Bloom begins on Mayday, the apex of growth, 
when ...

*4. The Drying*
Early Summer June 22 to August 5 The Drying begins with the summer 
solstice, the longest ...

*5. Harvest*
Late Summer August 5 to September 22 The beginning of Harvest Season is 
marked by old ...

*6. Leaf Fall*
Early Autumn September 23 to November 5 The beginning of Leaf Fall is 
marked by the ...

*7. Frost*
Late Autumn November 5 to December 22 The beginning of Frost are the 
last harvest festivals ...

*8. The Darkness*
Early Winter December 22 to February 1 Darkness begins with the longest 
night of the year, ...
https://ecosystemguild.org/the-eight-season-year-2/



/[  send this Webinar video link to your teenagers --  youth policy 
innovation team - wants targeted change ] /
*Achieving an Equitable and Sustainable Energy Transition*
Feb 11, 2022
Climate & Energy College
Diverse knowledge and perspectives play key roles in driving research 
and innovation on climate change action. Despite equitable participation 
and the value of city-based partnerships as key dimensions of local 
climate action, youth are an important but often excluded cohort in 
local climate action. As part of a partnership between Student Energy, 
Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), and the 
Melbourne Centre for Cities at the University of Melbourne, a team of 
youth researchers representing eight global regions have been assembled 
as part of the GCoM Youth Policy Innovation Team to advance these 
imperatives for city and local climate action.
Drawing from the world’s first social dataset of youth perspectives 
gathered from Student Energy’s Global Youth Energy Outlook (GYEO), 
members of the policy innovation team have analysed and distilled these 
datasets into concrete recommendations for an inclusive, climate safe 
and energy transition. This seminar will provide insight into the key 
findings and elaborate on the identified pathways and perspectives for 
action: Youth Vision for the Future Energy System, Governance and Policy 
Innovation, Technological and Financial Innovation and Social Innovation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZNynLG33Do



/[ Classic video study -- misinformation and disinformation  ]/
*Everything Wrong with the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter*
Oct 9, 2021
Gutsick Gibbon
My name is Erika, I'm a primatologist, and in early June I visited the 
Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter. It turns out, there is far more 
incorrect, and potentially downright deceptive, in these attractions 
than I had ever imagined.
Join me in an unnecessarily deep dive into Midwest Creationism and the 
world of evangelical pseudoscience!
Socials: gutsickgibbon at gm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bhzuitLM5w



/[  Fiction prediction ] /
*The Sheep Look Up: cult 1970s sci-fi novel predicted today’s climate 
crisis*
February 9, 2022
Smog-ridden cities. Endless war. Water so polluted it cannot be drunk. 
Crop failure. Acid rain. A pandemic of antibiotic-resistant diseases. 
Declining life expectancy and human fertility. Endangered bees, 
collapsing agriculture. Mass extinctions have finished off most birds 
and fish. Only the wealthiest can afford quality organic food, while the 
poor subsist on lab-produced junk (with added tranquilisers). A 
celebrity president peddles misinformation in tweet-like slogans. A 
disillusioned academic tries in vain to bring about change, while his 
followers block roads and resort to terrorism.

This is not a bad dream version of recent climate change headlines. This 
is the dark vision in the 50-year-old dystopian novel, The Sheep Look 
Up, by John Brunner. A British author, Brunner was one of a handful of 
writers who were early advocates of environmental activism.

*No more heroes*
Experimental in style, bleak in outlook, the novel is short on heroes 
and villains. The chapters follow 12 months in which the United States 
gradually collapses as unrestricted pollution wipes out the water and 
food supply. Some of its best lines go to Austin Train, an 
environmentalist who attempts to persuade others that that they must act 
now to protect human life. But throughout the novel he is mostly ignored.

The book is a reminder that the courage of activists such as Greta 
Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate should not be ridiculed or ignored, but 
celebrated for speaking truth to power. All of us must heed their 
warnings and act now to reduce our impact on global heating. Western 
countries have become too dependent on outsourcing our pollution to far 
away lands. It’s time to stop outsourcing our dissent.

More than 140,000 readers get one of The Conversation's informative 
newsletters
Read more: Plants are flowering a month earlier – here's what it could 
mean for pollinating insects

*Failure to act*
Brunner wrote his novel the same year that the Club of Rome, an 
international group of policymakers, economists and business leaders, 
published their influential report The Limits to Growth. Using computer 
projections, it warned that the planet lacked the resources to sustain 
current projections of human consumption and growth.

The green and black cover of the book The Sheep Look Up.
The cover of sci-fi climate classic The Sheep Look Up. Cover by Mark 
Rubin and Irving Freeman., CC BY
 From the early 1960s there were signs that human activity was starting 
to be linked to environmental damage. Author Rachel Carson wrote her 
acclaimed Silent Spring in 1962 – and in 1965 the US science advisory 
committee report wrote to US president, Lyndon Johnson, about the 
dangers of air pollution.

Brunner was surprised that more people weren’t alarmed. The Sheep Look 
Up warns about what happens when people fail to act against an unfolding 
catastrophe. While the present might be endurable, the future will not 
be, as demonstrated in the recent scenarios forecast in the most recent 
IPCC report.

As one of Brunner’s characters observed: “This is the future, unless we 
prevent it.”

*Fiction’s influencers*
Some early readers drew a bleak analysis that environmental activism was 
futile, but many read it as a call to action. Brunner used sci-fi as a 
form of social and political criticism, something that was fairly new at 
the time.

Abstract projections about emissions, droughts and pollutions can be 
hard to grasp. But research shows that fictional narratives and 
metaphors have a significant role in helping us understand complex 
social issues.

Storytelling helps us recognise the consequences of our decisions to act 
or not act, as we follow the impact of choices made by characters.

Around the world, psychologists and clinicians are now observing a 
condition called “climate anxiety” or “eco-anxiety”. As the name 
suggests, it’s marked by anxiety, panic attacks, depression and feelings 
of anger and betrayal. A recent global survey of 10,000 young people 
found that 75% felt that the future was frightening and that 59% were 
very or extremely worried about climate change.

But what some researchers and campaigners have also found is that 
anxiety reduces when people get together and focus on collective action.

Great storytelling is all about revealing the choices that lie before 
us. And this is all part of Brunner’s technique. It connects the great 
20th-century dystopias of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley to the 
modern-day climate fiction of Margaret Atwood and Amitav Ghosh.

*What next?*
Brunner’s dire predictions have not completely come to pass. Clearly 
there have been dramatic and dangerous environmental changes, but also 
steps forward in knowledge. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the 
United Nations Environment Programme, and the 30th anniversary of the 
Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit.

There have been some important achievements in curbing pollution, from 
the Montreal Protocol to the 2015 Paris Agreement. And around the world, 
voices young and old are now demanding urgent, systemic change, 
something that might have surprised Brunner.
Dan Taylor - - Lecturer in Social and Political Thought, The Open University
https://theconversation.com/the-sheep-look-up-cult-1970s-sci-fi-novel-predicted-todays-climate-crisis-176490


/[ Many of us remember seeing this brief, important, classic video ]/
*On this day in the history of global warming February  12, 1958*

February 12, 1958: "The Unchained Goddess," part of the Bell Laboratory 
Science Series produced by Frank Capra, is broadcast. "Goddess" directly 
addresses human-caused climate change; the existence of the program 
would never be acknowledged by climate-change deniers.

http://youtu.be/m-AXBbuDxRY
/   [ Lessons not learned, will be repeated ]/


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