The psychology of climate change

What role does psychology have to play in climate change?

Look at the work of the Climate Psychology Alliance (CPA) which asks questions such as:

  • is there common ground to be developed between the diverse range of psychological disciplines?
  • can this be used effectively as a resource for improved communication in the voluntary sector, government and the public sphere?
  • how might collaboration to this end be most fruitfully pursued?
  • if the climate/ecology problem is the greatest challenge to our own survival yet created and faced by humanity, are we motivated to transcend our cultural differences in the interest of pooling energies, insights and potential influence?

Look at their Handbook of Climate Psychology for teaching and learning ideas.

There is a variety of material online you can use as starting points for discussion and lesson plans including:

Denial or despair? How to rewrite your climate change story | Clover Hogan,  Force for Nature, eco-anxiety work – TEDx talk

21-year-old Clover Hogan has been a climate activist for 10 years. She knows first hand the struggles with eco-anxiety that plague her generation – those who have inherited the world’s climate crisis, and are told they are the ones that must fix it.

Deep Adaptation Q&A with Caroline Hickman hosted by Jem Bendell