Apocalypse maybe? Motivational implications of climate change visions: A case study of climate activists

Abstract

Averting catastrophic climate change demands collective action to create a just and carbon neutral world, yet our cultural imagination is widely regarded as ‘apocalyptic,’ depicting humanity failing to act. The theorised motivational implications of an apocalyptic imagination are diverse and even contradictory; little helped by the limited empirical research into individual expectations of climate change futures. This thesis thus investigates how visions of climate change futures influence motivation to engage in collective climate action. A transdisciplinary, adaptive theory approach is taken by integrating theoretical understandings of climate apocalypse with a qualitative case study of climate activist organisation 350.org. The various theoretical conceptions of climate apocalypse are developed into an analytical framework of four distinct narratives, each with associated outcomes: they are climate apocalypse as eschatological catastrophe, post-apocalyptic survival, slow disintegration, and revelation and social transformation. Respectively, these are visions of dramatic final destruction, individual or collective survival in the aftermath of social collapse, continual crises through the attempted preservation of the status quo, and pre-emptive social change to avert disaster and build a better world. The framework is used to analyse the presence and consequence of apocalyptic visions of climate change within the official discourse of 350.org and the personal discourse of its members. Data is collected from published sources, speeches, and semi-structured interviews. All four narratives are present within the sample confirming the existence of an apocalyptic imagination, although an ‘apocalyptic’ label is only applied to the popular, secular form of catastrophic destruction. Participants have highly negative expectations of the future in relation to climate change which prompt their initial recognition of the need for action. However, such fear can become overwhelming if not contained and lead to despair or other maladaptive responses. The ability to stay motivated and engaged in collective action comes from holding onto the possibility that a wholly negative future will not eventuate; keeping hope for positive outcomes and agency for action. This need for positive possibility results in dynamic visions of the future that change over time, with multiples occasionally present. Visions of humanity averting climate catastrophe and creating a better and fairer society are most inspiring, though not always convincing, and rely on a strong faith in the collective ability of humanity to bring about such a future. 350.org’s official discourse reveals such an understanding of its members’ perspectives by focusing heavily on the possibility and necessity of social change through activism, illustrating exactly how to get involved. When fear and a lack of agency are present there is a need to for visions of possible, positive transformation towards a just and carbon neutral world in order to facilitate motivation for taking collective action. Show more