03. What if? How creative thinking can save the environment

 Publication 3

What if? How creative thinking can save the environment

A new approach against climate change and the environmental crisis by the internationally renowned activist and author Rob Hopkins

Whether you're an activist or not, this article is all of interest to you just because you live on planet Earth.

But why is everyone talking about climate change? Why have activists and environmental scientists been ringing the alarm bell for years? Why do many programmes to address climate change fail? What 'ingredient' are we missing to save the environment, and therefore ourselves?

To answer these questions correctly, a basic clarification is needed. Is climate change a natural/physiological process?

Climate change is not a natural process. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), defined climate change as a change in climate that is directly or indirectly caused by human activities, distinguishing the term from climate variability that has natural causes. Our planet has gone through a vast range of stages and seasons of climate variability: Seasons of drought, seasons of frost, seasons when dinosaurs roamed and flew, seasons of disasters, volcanic eruptions, and gigantic floods. All these things have existed, all these living organisms have lived and been raised by nature itself. Nothing remains constant. We are constantly experiencing change. 

So why should we worry if these changes have been and are always happening? The difference, in the times we live in, is that we are talking about climate change, not climate variability. The changes that have been occurring in recent decades have been caused by human activity and human exploitation of natural resources. 

For this subject I was inspired by a talk, which I had the pleasure of attending, by the internationally recognized activist and author on environmental issues Rob Hopkins. What struck me tremendously during his talk was that he made no attempt either to convince the audience of the existence of climate change or to talk about ordinary proposals such as recycling (which is tremendously important but not the subject of the central idea). It was both interesting and positive that he took this information (acceptance of climate change, recycling, awareness, etc.) for granted, not only for him but also for those listening to his talk. And he was right. 

As Hopkins mentioned, humans can bring about dramatic changes in the world, as history has proven to us. However, when it comes to climate change, we are failing because we have let our most critical tool wither away: the human imagination. The social reformer John Dewey defined imagination as the ability to see life and things as if they could be different. That is, the ability to wonder what if? And now is the time when we need to operate that way more than ever.

Hopkins asks why imagination is in decay and what we need to do to revive and reclaim it. Once we do, there is no end to what we could achieve.

"From What Is to What If" is a call to action to reclaim and unleash our collective imagination, which unfolds through the stories of individuals and communities around the world who are witnessing often rapid and dramatic change for the better.

The same street before and after being the result of collective imagination and action.

Hopkins has long been a leading figure in envisioning how we could reshape our societies for the benefit of nature and humanity. His new book is a powerful call to imagine a better world. In particular, he proposes a series of ideas and that we should move into action rather than just staying in words. Some of the messages are:

Don't try to convince those whose ears are closed. Find people who believe in the same ideologies as you, in the reality of, for example, the existence of climate change and its effects. Find people with appetite, creativity, and a goal for a better future. 

I agree that it might even be a waste of time to try to convince someone terribly unpersuadable about the very existence of climate change. For example, in recent years there have been many people who believe that the Earth is flat. How long can you debate with them? There's a slight chance you might actually get some results. But rarely. Therefore, it is better to be with people of the same understanding and the same desire to act for a brighter future. Collective imagination can bring about incredible results, not only for environmental goals, but at all levels of life. In short, nothing is impossible until it is done. Did anyone think before the quarantine in Greece that there would come a day when we would have to text a sms to leave the house? I didn't... (I'm not criticizing or mocking any countermeasures to the virus; I used the example as something terribly unexpected). So, by that logic we can transform the world even when it seems unbelievable.

Why think of the worst-case scenario rather than the one we would like.

One lesson is that of optimism. Unfortunately, our society is steeped in attitudes that teach you to fear the worst but not to imagine the best. It takes imagination and courage to move forward. This lesson can touch all aspects of life.

Rob Hopkins' book reviews.

"I couldn't stop reading this book and the ideas wouldn't stop coming to mind. Rob Hopkins brings imagination back to the heart of dreaming about the future, offering us an irresistible invitation to dream bigger and then make those dreams a reality. For anyone seeking a renewed sense of possibility, this book is for you." - Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics.

"What if we're looking for solutions to our countless challenges in all the wrong places? Hopkins, co-founder of the global Transition movement, reminds us that a key ingredient for navigating the various upheavals of the coming decades is not only the resilience of our community, re-education and activism - but also civic imagination." -Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy Studies; author of Born on Third Base.

Link : The Book – Rob Hopkins

https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change

Weber, E. U. (2010). What shapes perceptions of climate change?. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 1(3), 332-342.

Schneider, S. H. (2001). What is' dangerous' climate change?. Nature, 411(6833), 17-19.

Dewey, J., Schilpp, P. A., & Hahn, L. E. (1939). The Philosophy of John Dewey.