Climate Psychology: On Indifference to Disaster

This book investigates the psycho-social phenomenon of societys failure to respond to climate change, analyzing the emotional, ethical, social, organizational, and cultural dynamics that contribute to this global lack of action. It features eleven research projects from four different countries and explores the many ways in which we both avoid and square up to this gathering disaster.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 270 pages
Publication date: 12 June 2019
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

This comprehensive book delves into the profound psycho-social phenomenon of societies' inability to effectively address climate change. It conducts a comprehensive analysis of the non-rational factors contributing to our collective paralysis in the face of escalating climate change and environmental degradation, exploring the emotional, ethical, social, organizational, and cultural dynamics at play.

The book is organized into two parts, the first showcasing innovative research methodologies, while the second presents fresh findings. Contributors to the first part demonstrate how a 'deep listening approach' can unveil the anxieties, tensions, contradictions, frames, and narratives that shape people's experiences regarding climate change and other environmental risks. Through detailed interview extracts drawn from politicians, scientists, activists, and ordinary individuals, the second part examines the diverse strategies we employ to either avoid or confront this impending disaster, as well as the range of reactions it elicits, including alarm, outrage, denial, and indifference.

This book offers a valuable exploration of the complex interplay between human psychology, societal structures, and the urgent need for climate action. It sheds light on the emotional barriers that hinder our collective response to climate change and provides insights into the transformative potential of empathy, awareness, and collective action. By examining the non-rational dimensions of our collective paralysis, this book serves as a call to action, urging individuals, communities, and governments to rise above narrow self-interest and work together to create a sustainable and resilient future for generations to come.

Weight: 388g
Dimension: 150 x 210 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030117405
Edition number: 1st ed. 2019