How our perception of time shapes our approach to climate change
That basic human relationship with time makes climate change a tricky problem.
"I consider climate change the policy problem from hell because you almost couldn't design a worse fit for our underlying psychology, or our institutions of decision-making," says Anthony Leiserowitz, the director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Our obsession with the present obscures the future
Those institutions — including companies and governments that ultimately have the power to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions — can be even more obsessed with the present than individuals are.
For example, says Leiserowitz, many companies are focused on quarterly earnings and growth. That helps drive short-term behavior, such as leasing new land to drill for fossil fuels, that makes long-term climate change worse.
There are deadlines looming for those elected leaders. The Biden administration pledged to cut emissions in half by 2030. By 2050, humans need to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions entirely in order to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change later this century.
Fortunately, our collective focus on the present also offers hints, psychologists say, about how to harness that hyperfocus on the present to inspire action.
To spur action, speed up the psychological rewards for addressing climate change now
For example, there are ways to highlight the quick payoff for addressing climate change. In the political realm, that could mean that an elected official gets more votes because they support policies that reduce emissions. The promise of a benefit in the next election may be more galvanizing than the goal of protecting future generations, even if the latter has more moral weight.
Jacquet says the huge spending bill passed last year by Congress, called the Inflation Reduction Act, is another example of using our focus on the present to drive climate-conscious behavior. The bill includes financial incentives for people who buy electric vehicles or install solar panels.
"They're trying to speed up the benefits," says Jacquet. "That's smart. That's good. That plays into how we think about things."
Extreme weather is starting to catch everyone's attention
In some ways, our focus on the present is less and less of a problem as climate change makes itself more and more obvious today — in our daily lives. Everyone on Earth is experiencing the effects of a hotter planet. That makes it a problem of the present, not of the future.
That immediacy is already showing up in how Americans view climate change, according to Leiserowitz, who has been leading an annual poll on the topic for more than 15 years. As extreme weather is becoming more common, he says support for climate policies is also growing, especially at the local level.
For example, the vast majority of respondents in a September 2021 poll said they support local governments providing money to help make homes more energy efficient, to increase public transportation and to install bike lanes. And the majority of respondents supported investments in renewable energy.
There's no time to waste
Widespread public support for climate policies can help push politicians and corporate leaders to act quickly – which is important, because scientists warn that greenhouse gas emissions need to drop dramatically, and immediately, to avoid runaway warming later this century.
This story is part of our periodic science series "Finding Time — taking a journey through the fourth dimension to learn what makes us tick."
SOURCE of article: NPR News
"The vast majority of respondents in a September 2021 poll said they support local governments providing money to help....". Yes, but how would they respond if they were asked if they'd like to pay more tax to fund the changes? Everybody wants a better world but nobody wants to pay for it. Strange really, because most of us know that when we go shopping, the cheapest goods are not the best value in the long term, but somehow we vote in anyone who says they will lower taxes.
ReplyDeleteAh, well here in America we're reaping the results of the cheaper politicians this week! Value doesn't seem to exist in their beings.
DeleteIt has taken years to move into electric vehicles. The hold of the big car companies really kept them from advancing. It's all about profits. I am glad we are making progress in that area.
ReplyDeleteGood point. I must admit to disagreeing with the author in hoping to have politicians ask for support for the environment through their votes. They aren't the people who really would ever work for the environment. Though I guess someone in government should stand up for it.
Delete...most of us live in the moment.
ReplyDeleteIt is something the spiritual teachers seem to support.
DeleteThank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like it (or not!) I agree that short time frames need to be addressed, but I disagree that politicians will help that much.
DeleteFingers crossed.
ReplyDelete