As humans we are driven by emotion and reason. Both of these will contribute to our attitudes and actions when considering the man-made environmental and climate crisis that we face.
Emotional responses include a love and enjoyment of what we have and a sadness, pain and nostalgia for what we are losing, perhaps felt with tears of sadness that its beauty is being destroyed and may never be recovered.
It is important to feel about what we are losing when it comes to the environment – its awesome and inspiring beauty, richness and complexity. These feelings can sometimes drive our concerns more forcefully than anything else.
It has been said that Nostalgia is primarily motivating environmentalism. But Environmentalism is not only based on a subjective and emotional experience. Another, perhaps more important basis is the extensive wide ranging and well researched science on the subject. This science is clear that Business As Usual will see an unsustainable and unliveable future.
The world we are heading into is one with temperatures soaring past 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels leading to huge risks for civilization and possibly humanity itself.
We long for forests, fresh water, and thriving oceans not just because they are beautiful and inspiring but because we literally cannot live without them.
Emotion can be a temporary feeling. We eventually move on. The reasoning underlying Environmentalism is about survival. When the issues are understood we must stay and act.
“The facts alone justify immediate and drastic action … The impacts of climate change, no doubt constitute an existential threat if we fail to act. But we can act. Our fragile moment can still be preserved” [1]
[1] https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Michael-Mann/Our-Fragile-Moment–how-lessons-from-the-Earths-past-can-/29103193
Our Fragile Moment, Michael Mann, 2023
