You can save the planet!

There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a climate crisis. Greta Thunberg explains that "At the current emission rate our remaining CO2 budget for 1.5C will be completely gone within 7 years". Although the outcomes of the recent Climate Ambition Summit look positive: the UK has pledged to cut emissions by 26% by 2030 and the EU by 55%, is this really enough to save the planet? It may be time 'we the people' take action.  

I recently listened to a Guardian podcast on Spotify titled 'Leaded petrol, acid rain and CFCs: why the green movement can overcome the climate crisis'. Shortly after listening to this, I had a seminar about social constructivism and 'norm 'lifecycles'. The environmental movements spoken about in the podcast were fitting examples of a social constructivist explanation of change in society: new environmental norms had developed and become internalised over time. In the podcast, Janet Alty talks about the successful campaign she fronted to ban lead in petrol. She was passionate about the ban and so became an entrepreneur for the movement. In 1971, she started spreading the word in the UK through leaflets and petitions. In 1981, the 'clear' movement gained media attraction and support from wealthy donors. In 1983, politicians got on board and started to phase out leaded petrol. The podcast also revisits the environmental campaigns against acid rain and CFCs - both successful, resulting in political action. Fiona Harvey follows up in a Guardian article. 

The message was that environmentalists today need to retain hope that they can achieve change. They should look back at past successful movements because local movements have started with norm entrepreneurs but ended with wide-spread adoption of a norm by multiple states. Collective thinking of people, coupled with the expertise of epistemic communities and the socialisation of governments, can lead to norms becoming 'taken-for-granted' and structural change.

The podcast made me think about the climate issues we are facing today and whether becoming carbon neutral could become a norm. Two norm entrepreneurs who have attracted the most attention surrounding climate change urgency have been Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough. Greta's solo school strike in 2018 'snowballed into a global youth movement' and ever since she has been calling for politicians to cut fossil fuel emissions - even more so with the recent Climate Ambition Summit. Greta has said that change will occur when 'we the people' become collectively aware of global warming dangers and take action. 

In September 2020, David Attenborough released a new film on Netflix: A Life on Our Planet. Below is the trailer in which Attenborough calls the film his 'witness statement' and pleas that if 'we act now we can put it right'. The film sparked conversation across social media, especially from the younger generation whom since it is their world in danger of destruction. 

As norm entrepreneurs, Attenborough and Thunberg have been successful in rallying support against global warming. The question is, will being carbon neutral become a norm that cascades across state policies? The answer may lie in the ability of civil society, as well as scientific experts, to continue to put pressure on governments. We may be approaching the tipping point of a norm cascade with an increasing number of governments making pledges to reduce their emissions. However, environmentalism cannot stop until it is taken-for-granted that businesses be carbon neutral. 

Looking back at past environmental movements gives us hope. It is vital that activism continues with enthusiasm because it can have the power to achieve change. You can make a difference!