{"id":527,"date":"2023-06-18T22:28:16","date_gmt":"2023-06-19T05:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webspace.royalroads.ca\/dfourt\/?p=527"},"modified":"2023-06-20T09:12:19","modified_gmt":"2023-06-20T16:12:19","slug":"who-is-holding-us-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webspace.royalroads.ca\/dfourt\/2023\/06\/who-is-holding-us-back\/","title":{"rendered":"Who is Holding us Back?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Women
Photo credit – Adam Simpson, The New York Times<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The impact on the vulnerable<\/a> is a priority often mentioned in climate action reports and plans. Climate leaders know that every tonne of greenhouse gas emitted increases the intensity, frequency, and duration of climate impacts (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2021), and thereby human suffering. There are multiple climate action frameworks from social and physical science that \u201cidentif[y] opportunities for transformative action which are effective, feasible, just and equitable\u201d (Lee et al., 2023). Now is the time to apply them. But there has been a frustrating lack of effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions<\/a>, so suffering continues. What or who is holding us back from taking climate action?<\/p>\n

Understandably, as communities mop up from disasters, awareness is growing about the need to increase climate adaptation<\/a> measures (Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), 2022). Unfortunately, increased support for adaptation has not translated into support for emissions reductions<\/a> (Lavery, 2022). Therefore, without support for emissions reduction, is transformational action possible?<\/p>\n

As it stands, incremental change<\/a> has failed to do enough<\/a> to reduce emissions and slow the rate of change or increase the resiliency of vulnerable communities (Eichinger, 2019, Uitto, 2022). Transformative adaptation is a way to deal with the multiple crises communities face (Fedele, 2019). It is a way to restore ecological systems while reducing the underlying causes of vulnerability to create resilient and sustainable communities (Fedele et al., 2019). Fedele et al. point out there are many barriers to implementing transformative adaptation. Barriers include challenging ones, such as different visions of the future and actors benefiting from the status quo. To achieve transformational change that will rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, stewarding the ecosystems for the benefit of ALL will require broad consensus about the problem and the solution (Eichinger, 2019, Uitto, 2022).<\/p>\n

At this point, surveys indicate Canada is far from a broad consensus (Lavery, 2022). Canadians’ support for implementing measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ranks near the bottom of 34 countries surveyed by Ipsos. Although \u201cyounger age groups and women were more likely to back the proposals\u201d (Sanyam Sethi, as reported by Lavery, 2022), their support is still below the global average. Climate communications researchers similarly find that women are more concerned and \u201cmuch more likely to support climate action\u201d (Bennet et al., 2021, p. 4.).<\/p>\n

In their report, Ipsos Public Affairs (Sethi, 2022) highlighted the need for an effective education and communication campaign to increase Canadians’ support of the climate change policies listed in Table 1. If the Canadian government implements such a campaign, who should they target to achieve a broad consensus? Based on the Ipsos poll (see Table 1) and climate communications research, men have the lowest support for climate action (Bennett et al., 2021 & Sethi, 2022). Should they be targeted?<\/p>\n

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Interestingly, men dominate the industries responsible for climate change and the political arena responsible for implementing climate policies (Nagel & Lies, 2022). Men are \u201ccaptains of industry and the champions of carbon consumption\u201d (Osborne, 2022, p. 2). If men are also doubtful or dismissive (see Table 2) and \u201ccompletely unconcerned and strongly opposed to policy responses\u201d (Maibach, 2011, p. 16), their disproportionate amount of power is of concern. Gender inequality<\/a> is not just in industry but also politics. Men dominate politics and can be \u201cmotivated by powerful and wealthy interests who tend not to lobby for climate justice\u201d (Nagel & Lies, 2022, p. 3). This is demonstrated by \u2018Big Oil<\/a>\u2019 remaining undeterred and unembarrassed by the exposure of its role in climate denial. These companies continue to lobby the government<\/a> and politicians intensively to minimize climate action. Oil companies’<\/a> influence has left politicians squabbling and ineffective<\/a> rather than working on climate change. If the politicians cannot stand up to the mostly male \u2018Big Oil\u2019 executives, who will? Is it left to activists like Mary Heglar<\/a>, who target greenwashing<\/a> online \u201cwith wit and memes\u201d (Telford, 2021, p. 1), to sway opinion?<\/p>\n

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Another aspect to consider is not just the specific gender of the actor but the predominance of masculinity embedded in political and corporate institutions, particularly those associated with the fossil fuel industry. However, even \u201cclimate scientists …tend to focus on physical science, not the human dimensions of climate change” (Masood, 2021, as cited by Nagel & Lies, 2022, p. 3). The need to engineer solutions and control nature is a predominately masculine desire leading to expensive technical solutions that prop up the status quo, such as carbon capture and storage<\/a> (Nagel & Lies, 2022). Similarly, climate science modelling has made advances in understanding the physical aspects of climate change. Still, there is not a similar understanding of climate change’s impacts on \u201csocial inequalities or human physiology, psychology, and wellbeing\u201d (Nagel & Lies, 2022, p.3).<\/p>\n

Masculinity is also identified by social economist Julie Nelson in her essay Economics for (and by) Humans<\/em> (2022) as impacting mainstream economics. She argues that mainstream economics is \u201cprofoundly gendered\u201d <\/em>(p. 271) and built around masculine characteristics such as markets, self-interest and competition and tends to reject those that are deemed feminine such as other-interest, cooperation, or qualitative analysis. Mainstream economics accepts that profit maximization is the primary goal. There is little concern for ethics which has had unfortunate effects given the economists’ knowledge is rarely questioned (Nelson, 2022). Ignoring ethics and narrowly focusing on economic objectives has contributed to rapid growth in inequality and insufficient effort to combat climate change. As an antidote, Nelson argues that \u201cin the service of survival and flourishing\u201d (p. 280), economists must \u201chelp people see that we are all part of a complex social economy\u201d and can take an \u2018all hands-on deck\u2019 attitude towards addressing the world\u2019s pressing problems\u201d(p. 279 & 280).<\/p>\n

To help people work toward a livable future, climate change communication research has found that it is important to provide a vision that demonstrates the benefits of a zero-emissions and biodiverse world (Bennett et al., 2021). Do men beholden to fossil fuel see themselves in this vision? Are zero emissions transportation choices or lifestyle (veganism, for example) threatening masculinity? Interestingly, researchers Brough et al. (2016) have found that sustainable behaviours and products have a \u201cgreen-feminine stereotype\u201d (p. 568). The stereotype sufficiently threatens some men\u2019s masculinity that it prompts opposite behaviour. However, the researchers also found that \u201cthe identity signalled by a particular product or behaviour can change when a new social group identifies with it\u201d (Berger and Rand, 2008, cited in Brough et al., 2016, p. 580). Also, \u201cthat masculine branding could be an effective strategy for altering the feminine association attached to green products and actions\u201d (Brough et al., 2016, p. 580). This highlights a key point for climate leaders working on transformational adaptation to consider how all audiences receive messaging or engagement efforts. It is important to remember that changing people\u2019s minds is more complicated than providing facts (McRaney, 2022).<\/p>\n

In his book, How Minds Change<\/em> (2022), author David McRaney dives into why people develop strong beliefs, and how their minds can change. He writes, \u201cno status quo is eternal. Every system occasionally grows fragile. The key to changing a nation, or a planet is persistence\u201d (McRaney, 2022, p. 288). He contends that anyone can \u201cstart striking at the status quo\u201d (p. 288). Each of our efforts is part of the collective action that will inevitably flip the system. He found effective techniques such as Street Epistemology<\/a> encourages people to think about their thinking process<\/u> rather than challenging them on what they think or believe. Through respectful conversations, actors evaluate \u201cthe merits of their own arguments\u201d (McRaney, 2022, p. 227). If the government wants to change the status quo, then there must be conversations with those that do not support climate action. An awareness campaign on its own will not be enough.<\/p>\n

If transformative adaptation is going to be a climate action solution, then men who oppose climate action must be engaged. Based on David McRaney\u2019s research, this could mean through conversations or other means to get men opposed to climate action thinking about how they think and act and its impact. Men that have already adopted a green, climate-action lifestyle are the best ones to deliver the message or demonstrate the behaviour needed for a sustainable future. \u201cWomen\u2019s skills at negotiation and insights into the human dimensions of climate change\u201d (Nagel & Lies, 2022, p. 4) are well suited for leading transformative adaptation.<\/p>\n

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References<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bennett, A., Hatch, C., & Pike, C. (2021). Climate messaging that works<\/em>. Climate Narrative Initiative, Climate Access. https:\/\/climateaccess.org\/sites\/default\/files\/Climate%20Messaging%20that%20Works%20-%20Talking%20Energy%20Transition%20and%20Climate%20Change%20in%20Canada.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

Brough, A. R., Wilkie, J. E. B., Ma, J., Isaac, M. S., & Gal, D. (2016). Is eco-friendly unmanly? The green-feminine stereotype and its effect on sustainable consumption. Journal of Consumer Research<\/em>, 43<\/em>(4), 567\u2013582. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/jcr\/ucw044<\/a><\/p>\n

Eichinger, M. (2019). Transformational change in the Anthropocene epoch. The Lancet Planetary Health<\/em>, 3<\/em>(3), e116\u2013e117. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S2542-5196(18)30280-8<\/a><\/p>\n

Fedele, G., Donatti, C. I., Harvey, C. A., Hannah, L., & Hole, D. G. (2019). Transformative adaptation to climate change for sustainable social-ecological systems. Environmental Science & Policy<\/em>, 101<\/em>, 116\u2013125. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.envsci.2019.07.001<\/a><\/p>\n

Lee, H., Calvin, K., Dasgupta, D., Krinner, G., Mukherji, A., Thorne, P., Trisos, C., Romero, J., Aldunce, P., Barrett, K., Blanco, G., Cheung, W., Connors, S., Denton, F., Diongue-Niang, A., Dodman, D., Garschagen, M., Geden, O., Hayward, B…Zommers, Z. (2023). Longer report (Subject to copyedit). In P. Arias, M. Bustamante, I. Elgizouli, G. Flato, M. Howden, C. Mendez, J. Pereira, R. Pichs-Madruga, S. Rose, Y. Saheb, R. Sanchez, D. Urge-Vorsatz, C. Xiao & N. Yassaa (Eds.), Synthesis report of the IPCC sixth assessment report (AR6)<\/em>. https:\/\/www.ipcc.ch\/report\/ar6\/syr\/downloads\/report\/IPCC_AR6_SYR_LongerReport.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2021). Summary for policymakers. In V. Masson-Delmotte, P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. P\u00e9an, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelek\u00e7i, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (Eds.), Climate change 2021: The physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change<\/em> (pp. 3\u221232). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA. https:\/\/doi:10.1017\/9781009157896.001<\/a><\/p>\n

Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). (2022, November 15). New data shows 85% of Canadians want action on climate adaptation<\/em>. Retrieved 1 April 2023, from http:\/\/www.ibc.ca\/on\/resources\/media-centre\/media-releases\/new-data-shows-85-percent-of-canadians-want-action-on-climate-adaptation<\/a><\/p>\n

Lavery, I. (2022, November 6). Canadian support for climate change initiatives lags ahead of COP27: Ipsos. Global News<\/em>. https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/9255609\/canada-climate-change-cop27-ipsos\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Maibach, E., Matthew, N.,& Weather, M. (2011). Conveying the human implications of climate change \u2013 A climate change communication primer for public health professionals<\/em>. Fairfax, VA: George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication. https:\/\/nswnma.asn.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Conveying-the-Human-Implications-of-Climate-Change-attachment-4C-Communication-Primer.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

McRaney, D. (2022). How minds change: the surprising science of belief, opinion, and persuasion<\/em>. Portfolio\/Penguin. New York, N.Y. https:\/\/www.davidmcraney.com\/howmindschangehome<\/a><\/p>\n

Nelson, J. A. (2022). Economics for (and by) humans. Review of Social Economy<\/em>, 80<\/em>(3), 269\u2013282. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/00346764.2020.1792966<\/a><\/p>\n

Osborne, N. (2015). Intersectionality and kyriarchy: A framework for approaching power and social justice in planning and climate change adaptation. Planning Theory<\/em>, 14<\/em>(2), 130\u2013151. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1473095213516443<\/a><\/p>\n

Sethi, S. (2022, November 6). Ahead of COP27, Canadian public support for policies encouraging sustainable technology adoptions trails behind most other countries surveyed<\/em>. Ipsos. https:\/\/www.ipsos.com\/en-ca\/news-polls\/Ahead-of-COP27-Canadian-public-support-for-policies-encouraging-sustainable-technology-adoptions-trails-behind-most-other-countries-surveyed<\/a><\/p>\n

Telford, T. (2021, July 30). These self-described trolls tackle climate disinformation on social media with wit and memes. Washington Post<\/em>. https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/business\/2021\/07\/30\/greentrolling-big-oil-greenwashing\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Uitto, J. I. (2022). Transformational Change for People and the Planet: Evaluating Environment and Development \u2013 Introduction. In J. I. Uitto & G. Batra (Eds.), Transformational Change for People and the Planet: Evaluating Environment and Development<\/em> (pp. 1\u201313). Springer International Publishing. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/978-3-030-78853-7_1<\/a><\/p>\n

Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. (2023). Global Warming\u2019s Six Americas<\/em>. Retrieved 18 June 2023, from https:\/\/climatecommunication.yale.edu\/about\/projects\/global-warmings-six-americas\/.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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