Affect and emotion are among the strongest predictors and mediators of public response to climate action. Why is that? What key emotions shape climate response? And, what can we do about it?
Our recently published paper explores this topic in depth, through co-produced research with climate actors in Vancouver and BC.
Respondents discussed the prevalent affect and emotions, often linked with worldviews and questions of identity, in the face of the broad societal changes that climate action evokes. Four repertories were identified, including:
1) Affect and emotions about changes to jobs and livelihoods (i.e., “A résumé course and a bus ticket”),
2) Feelings and concerns about whether one can find belonging in such changes (e.g., “You matter”),
3) Frustrations with feeling disempowered—or powered-over—in climate action decision-making (e.g., “Don’t regulate me”), and
4) Fears on the process of change itself and what might come next (e.g., “Blind jump”).
Respondents also discussed various ways these psycho-social challenges could be better engaged in climate action work.
Now, the work ahead is to integrate and apply such research into practice.
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eas2.70029
Art credit: Anya Simpson