How Climate Doomism Harms Our Movements and what we can do about it

As a climate psychologist, I believe that doomism is one of the biggest threats to our movement. Especially after events like the recent heat wave in Europe, we’ve seen lots of headlines predicting an imminent apocalypse. This is unscientific, and it ignores years of research showing that people are most inspired by hope, not fear.

Doomism is not compatible with social justice. It ignores those at the frontline of climate impacts, who do not have the luxury of giving up. Talking yourself into accepting death, destruction and societal collapse is not “adaptation”. It’s siding with those who benefit most from the status quo and do not want us to act.

Fighting for change can be difficult and tiring. But it’s important to remember that there is hope, and especially in western countries we have a historical responsibility to take ambitious climate action - after all, we’ve created this mess in the first place.

I’ve personally struggled with climate-related mental health issues in the past, and what helped me the most was to get involved in organising and witnessing the change that every single person is capable of bringing about. When we work together, we are unstoppable. We can create that better world - but it won’t be a passive process. And we need each and every one of you to fight this fight with us.