Thread by @wang_seaver

Hopping on the bandwagon to bash #climatechange defeatism is nice, but I think a more useful exercise is to ask *why* people believe that 'failure' to mitigate is a foregone conclusion. Why do my smart, well-meaning friends sigh and ask me if I *really* think we can cut CO2? (1)

Is it just the fatalism of the post-9/11 world? We passed the 18th anniv. of war in Afghanistan last mo., the Syrian civil war is in its ninth year. Unarmed civilians are being gunned down in Chile + Iraq, government brutality is on public display in Lebanon and Hong Kong... (2)

We wonder if our elections and elected officials have been compromised by foreign influence and have ceased to be surprised by political corruption. Storms batter Puerto Rico this time, or the Philippines, fires burn Greece and CA (3)

With all this in mind, I don't think #climatechange defeatism is born primarily out of ignorance, genuine nihilism, or contrarianism. Rather, its safe to say that people are fatigued and hopeless, and don't feel enough optimism about human nature and the state of the world (4)

This is where I think climate catastrophism fails us. Sounding alarm on a (misleading) 12-year climate deadline, carbon footprint guilt tripping, prophesying extinction - it mobilizes the climate base, bless our martyr tendencies - but you can't demand emotional energy... (5)

...from those who have precious little to spare as it is. The inactive are *not* indifferent, they're just paralyzed by sadness, and catastrophism hurts rather than helps with this. People barely holding together as it is have no room for more guilt, panic, and worry (6)

I'm speaking as a lifelong activist with frontline experience. Arrested alongside @billmckibben protesting #KeystonePipeline in March '14. Spent the last nine years calling out to smart, young fellow students on univ. quads for petition signatures, recruitment, calls to reps (7)

"12 years to save the climate" has galvanized protests of inspiring size and passion around the world, but I worry that's the high water mark for a movement fixated on the language of disaster. Disaster is exhausting to think about - even writing this is draining. (8)

I feel the focus needs to shift. People are disengaged and pessimistic because they have little confidence in government and their individual ability to change things. Fixing this requires prioritizing restoration of people's faith in political process + society (9)

This starts at the tactical, short-term level. Begin by targeting repair of the democratic process, fighting corruption and influence, enforcing accountability for misconduct. Restore people's confidence that their voice matters and that gov't works to serve them. (10)

At the same time, we start seriously planning now. A detailed roadmap - and focusing advocacy around planning and specific action - can show the disengaged that attainable paths towards a better future exist. Your voice matters + we have a way out of this = heads lift up. (11)

Finally (and I'm likely advocating in vain), junk the 12-year climate deadline. Not only a misrepresentation of the science (nature.com/articles/s4155…), but it makes climate chg into a bleak all-or-nothing binary future rather than the (nonlinear) sliding scale it is. (12)

We need to focus on hope, regain confidence in progress. We've come so far. WW1 ended just over 100 yrs ago - today we have reduced war, disease, hunger, poverty while expanding education, lifespans. History is not monotonic progress but neither is it a foregone tragedy. (END)