Effective climate action requires us to abandon viewing our efforts as a ‘sacrifice'

Steel, Daniel; DesRoches, C. Tyler; Mintz-Woo, Kian

Effective climate action requires us to abandon viewing our efforts as a ‘sacrifice'

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Steel-2023-Effectiveclimateactionrequiresustoabandonviewingoureffortsasa'sacrifice'A4Nov1423.pdf(4.46 MB)

Published Version

Date

2023-11-14

Authors

Steel, Daniel

DesRoches, C. Tyler

Mintz-Woo, Kian

Publisher

The Conversation Trust (UK) Limited

Abstract

If you’re like most people, you’ve been taught that climate action is a sacrifice. Cutting emissions from fossil fuels, you’ve probably been told, is the economy-squeezing price we must pay for a livable planet. But our research explains why we should look at this issue through a different frame. Frames help us think about complex issues. They suggest starting assumptions, problems to be solved and point towards possible solutions. Sacrifice frames begin with the assumption that climate action is a burdensome cost. Given that assumption, it naturally follows that climate action is all about convincing people to make sacrifices. But scholars have criticized sacrifice frames for being bad at motivating action. Tell a person to sacrifice, and they’re likely to give you a list of reasons why they shouldn’t have to do it. We suggest a different approach. Instead of explaining why you should sacrifice for the climate, we explain why climate action isn’t a sacrifice. We also suggest an alternative, more hopeful frame that fits with current science.

Keywords

Climate change , Climate ethics , Climate justice

Citation

Steel, D., DesRoches, C. T. and Mintz-Woo, K. (2023) 'Effective climate action requires us to abandon viewing our efforts as a ‘sacrifice'', The Conversation, 14 November. Available at: https://theconversation.com/effective-climate-action-requires-us-to-abandon-viewing-our-efforts-as-a-sacrifice-213046 (Accessed: 18 September 2024)