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Switching from impotency to collective enthusiasm: how to
speak about climate change?
By Alba Martínez del Campo
Desde que hace 30 años empezáramos a oír hablar de cambio climático, la mayor parte de las
noticias que hemos escuchado sobre el tema son chungas o directamente deprimentes. Esto ha
generado en la mayor parte de la ciudadanía un velo invisible entre la información que recibe,
ya de por sí escasa para la gravedad del asunto, y el resto de su vida.
Over the 30 years since we started hearing about climate change, the vast majority of the news
that we hear, read or see on this subject has been nonsense or downright depressing. This has
brought down, on a large part of people, an invisible veil, separating the information received,
which is scarce despite its gravity, from the rest of the person’s life.
We live aloof of climate change until it hits us with a cyclone or drought. When we do finally
look at it head on, it seems such an enormous challenge that, in comparison, we feel little more
than insects.The diminutive individual opposite the colossus; feeling such impotence we resort
to our emotional armour.
Emotional resistance to climate change is an understandable and widespread phenomenon.
However, those who are responsible for teaching and informing have reflected little on this.
This resistance represents one of the main handicaps at a time when the public is looking
at itself as a component in the solution and is getting involved in the strategies and policies
required to stop climate change.
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