Global Problem? Local Solution.
By: Alix Kashdan
COP. UNFCCC. IPCC. The world of international climate change is filled with acronyms like these – almost a language unto themselves. If you’re worried about climate change, it can be hard to feel empowered to make a difference when it seems like environmental policies are being decided at the highest levels and in the least accessible places. But in fact, there is a lot an individual can do, even if they are not in the rooms where these decisions are being made.
The latest report from the IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change*) in August 2021 sounded alarm bells around the world about the direction the world is heading on climate change. A few months later, the UN’s climate change conference, COP26**, drew additional attention and headlines as people around the world demanded global leaders ramp up ambition to limit climate change.
Climate change action is needed at all levels. Efforts made at the international level, like COP26, are essential for ensuring that governments adopt policies designed to mitigate and adapt to climate change. These global-level processes also convene the world’s leaders, along with NGOs, businesses, and youth activists, to engage in conversations about climate action, equity, and justice. What’s more, they help ensure government actions are transparent and enable the world to hold global leaders accountable.
When it comes to what you as an individual can do about climate change, however, the global climate change regime does not offer a lot of answers. What can one person do when faced with a problem that is playing out on a global scale and is being discussed at international meetings hosted by the United Nations? One answer: look closer to home. While you may not be able to influence a country’s transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy by yourself, you can still have a tremendous impact in your own community. In fact, individuals have come together to demand their cities or universities divest from fossil fuels. Individuals can join already existing movements.
Eco.Logic is launching a new program that will empower you to learn how you can make a difference in your own community: Climate Change Crews. When we think about how change happens, we can think about our spheres of influence. How can you make a change that will have a ripple effect? Behaviors like choosing more plant based meals, biking instead of driving, and bringing reusable bags to the store are all examples of how individual actions have led to shifting trends. Join climate change crews for practical ways to have an impact.
For the month of April 2022, Climate Change Crews will consist of small groups of people who want to learn more about environmental issues and discover ways to take action. They are designed to combine education from expert facilitators with actual action steps you can take around climate change – empowering participants to make a real difference, at their local level, in the global movement to solve this planetary crisis. Corporations and governments respond to consumer pressure – so let’s get to work!
Click below for more information about Climate Change Crews and how you can participate.