Why do we find it so hard to take action on climate change?
Why do we find it so hard to take action on climate change?
For decades scientists have warned us about the risks of climate change. Yet humans are badly psychologically designed to face up to the challenge of changing our behaviour. Research shows that constant threats of impending doom make us hit the snooze button rather than waking us up. And our evolutionary shortcomings mean we respond to the threat of immediate danger rather than what might happen in the future.
So what can actually work to help us change our status quo?
Presenters Kate Lamble and Neal Razzell are joined by:
George Marshall, Founder of Climate Outreach and author of Donβt Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change
Elke Weber, Professor of Psychology at Princeton University
Per Espen Stoknes, Psychologist, Economist and author of What We Think About When We Try Not To Think About Global Warming.
Producer: Sophie Eastaugh
Reporter: Frank Walter
Researcher: Natasha Fernandes
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Editor: Emma Rippon
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot
Last on
Broadcasts
- Mon 20 Dec 2021 04:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Americas and the Caribbean
- Mon 20 Dec 2021 09:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service
- Mon 20 Dec 2021 13:32GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
- Mon 20 Dec 2021 20:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
- Mon 20 Dec 2021 21:06GMTΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except Online, Americas and the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East & UK DAB/Freeview
Podcast
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The Climate Question
Why we find it so hard to save our own planet, and how we might change that.