For some, climate change is as real as Santa Claus.

It’s tempting to blame greed or ignorance for climate change denial. And when government officials shut their eyes to the truth, hoping for meaningful environmental policy can feel like wishing for the impossible. To bring about the action we need to fight this global crisis, we must work with the deniers to understand their beliefs from a psychological perspective.

Whether you believe in climate change or not, you’re a human being. Fear is deeply ingrained in the human psyche, strengthened by the evolutionary battle between predator and prey. Our ability to fear has been central to our success as a species, and it’s clear we need to be very afraid of climate change if we want to survive the consequences.

From the devastation of Superstorm Sandy to the droughts wringing California dry, the effects of global warming cannot be overstated when these visible losses aren’t the only threats we face.

For many, the actions we must take to prevent this destruction are frightening. Much of the legislation that can limit carbon emissions carries the stigma of “environment over economy,” vilifying policies to mitigate climate change at the expense of protecting economic growth.

But the most lethal effect of climate change is the belief that individual effort is meaningless. The fear of powerlessness is just another factor allowing us to ignore its existence and convince ourselves there’s no problem, rather than addressing that this issue may be too big to solve alone.

As humans, it’s natural to be afraid of what climate change might bring. It’s easier to deny that climate change exists than to face the scary truth. But now, we must let our shared humanity bring us together to overcome this fear and look beyond divisions of politics, people or place.

When we do so, we move toward a new future for our planet — toward a climate of compassion we can create together.

Maizy Ludden is a senior biology major. Her column appears biweekly. She can be reached at mtludden@syr.edu.

Published on January 15, 2018 at 9:08 pm