Abstract
As the risks of the climate crisis continue to grow, so too do the challenges of facing a harsh climate future with honesty and courage; justice and compassion; meaning and purpose. Visionary leadership and courageous collective action to accelerate the transition to a just and resilient zero-carbon society and restore a safe climate remain our most urgent political priorities. Awareness that even the most rapid action might still be insufficient to prevent severe and irreversible social and ecological damage is however a source of deep distress for many people passionately committed to decisive climate action.
This chapter explores diverse sources of learning and wisdom – from climate scientists and activists; philosophers and social theorists; Indigenous cultures and ways of life; faith-based and spiritual traditions; artists and writers – which can strengthen our capacity to live courageous, compassionate, and creative lives in a world of rapidly accelerating climatic and ecological risks.
Key insights arising from these diverse perspectives on hope and courage in a harsh climate include the importance of facing climate risks with our eyes wide open; overcoming isolation and despair through collective action, solidarity, and care; intensifying disruptive innovation while avoiding the delusion of technological hubris; illuminating and resisting relationships of violence, oppression, and injustice; understanding and respecting ecological complexity, fragility, and interdependence; imagining and creating pathways to resilience, regeneration, and the restoration of a safe climate; and honoring and celebrating the beauty of the Earth.
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Wiseman, J. (2021). Hope and Courage in a Harsh Climate: From Denial and Despair to Resilience and Transformation. In: Brears, R.C. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Climate Resilient Societies. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42462-6_130
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