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By Luke Faulks – Opinions Editor
Just over a month ago, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the planet’s highest climate research body, released the latest in a series of Climate predictions that are damning. Among the terrifying Their finding that global emissions must peak in order to ensure a livable planet was a call to action. 2025. It takes us only three years to reverse the horrifying. Upwards trendin planet-warming emission. The problem is that it’s not resonating with citizens.
Predictably,Researchers have been trying to work out why climate doesn’t animate voters for a while. One idea that’s gained prominence recently is the “Finite Pool of Worry” (FPW) hypothesis. FPW argues humans only have a finite number of issues that they can stress about at any given moment. Although the term was first used in, 1991In 2004, the hypothesis was applied to climate change for the first time. The study examined why climate change was not on the forefront of public opinion. They conducted a survey of two groups of farmers. Each WasThe research was on seasonal climatic conditions for next year. It included one favorable and one negative outlook. It was found that the group with the poorer climate outlook was more concerned than those who ranked climate as a greater concern. Other factors such as taxes and politics should be taken into consideration. Basically, “as the concern about climatic risk increased, concern about political uncertainty diminished.”
In recent years, the FPW hypothesis has gained traction beyond academia. Mainstream news outlets. Why the boom? COVID-19.
Some academicsI was concerned that stress might be a problem. COVID-19Climate anxiety would be reduced. Instead, research shows that climate anxiety remained high even as COVID-19 rose. A Survey of the United Kingdom in 2021 suggests that climate has become an “intransigent” worry for citizens. In essence, it’s an issue citizens feel consistently upset about, regardless of the context — including, apparently, a global pandemic. The hypothesis is supported by opinion surveys in Canada. The hypothesis is supported by opinion surveys in Canada. heat domeEnvironment It is impossible to surpass COVID-19 as Canadians’ “top national issue of concern.”
The question arises, then, why aren’t we doing anything about it? The answer is we don’t have the time to care. Research, let alone political participation, are luxuries that an overly-busy citizenry can’t afford in an economic system that demands so much of our time.
Let’s take Canada. Whether it’s taking the time to exerciseTo. CookTo lead otherwise, or to? Healthy lifestyles, Canadians don’t have enough free time on their hands. This could be why Canada was ranked number 30 in the survey. Ranking AmongThe bottom five States whose citizens are informed about any national climate plan. In a busy country, we don’t find ourselves with the time to engage meaningfully with the issues of the day.
Guy Standing is a British labour economist who is also a champion of universal basic ine, and is known as the British labour economist. written spoken about the need to recapture citizens’ time. A new political system that is based upon time Arguments, is necessary to spur citizens’ “community and political engagement.” He’s right. Canada, politics based on reclaiming Canadians’ time is a necessity for climate action. Only a fully informed citizenry can be fully engaged on climate action, and right now, that’s not us.
The FPW hypothesis doesn’t account for everyday pressures felt by Canadians. Even though climate is always present in our minds, our ability and willingness to engage meaningfully on the issue, let along keep it at forefront of our everyday lives, are severely limited by the smaller pressures that we face every day. Climate change is a serious threat. To have a citizenry that’s meaningfully engaged on the issue, however, means reforming the way we work and live to afford us time.
