Every day there is talk of the negative effects that climate change is producing around the world. There are many people who, individually, want to participate and contribute their grain of sand to combat and reduce it.
Although the effects of climate change may seem distant to you, perhaps because of where you live, we are all responsible for this phenomenon. Want to know how you can do your part to combat climate change?
Be aware that we are part of the problem
Although we do not feel protagonists in the advance of climate change, given that our personal impact does not have much impact, we must bear in mind that we do not live alone in the world and that, like us, there are another 7,5 billion more.
On an individual level, we emit CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere when we use our own vehicles or public transportation. We also emit emissions when we use electricity at home, shop for groceries, and so on. Almost everything we consume involves emissions in its production, packaging, distribution, and other processes. Therefore, our daily actions contribute to increased global warming and, consequently, to the effects of climate change.
Since it is impossible to fight against climate change individually, we can help to eliminate habits that promote it. There are many actions that are beneficial for the environment and that help to avoid the increase of climate change.
Actions to stop climate change
The actions we must change are both individual and collective. Social participation is essential to building public policies that help us reduce our environmental impact. These policies must be geared primarily towards decarbonization and the energy transition , as these are the sources of pollution that contribute most to climate change.
Renewable energies are the future of energy. We are forced in one way or another to develop and use renewables as the main energy source, sooner or later. Either because the effects of climate change are devastating or because of the depletion of fossil fuels.
Allowing citizens to participate in public policy would lead to more detailed, informed, better understood, and fairer policies for all, as well as increased trust in institutions. It has been mentioned that individuals can't do much, but social participation is vital in the fight against climate change, since society is the primary driver of the changes in consumption, energy, and mobility patterns that contribute to the current increase in greenhouse gas emissions. If society simply demands changes toward more sustainable and less polluting mobility, it will be succeeding in reducing the emissions that contribute to climate change.
For this purpose, there are already tools implemented in cities such as the well-known Agenda 21s , originating from the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, which have as one of their basic principles citizen participation through the Citizen Forum to define the municipal environmental action plan.
To participate effectively in shaping more sustainable environmental policies, you must think globally and act locally. For example, one individual action you can take to combat climate change is to properly recycle the waste generated in your home. This will increase the reuse of materials and decrease the consumption of raw materials, consequently reducing polluting emissions—something that is also related to sustainable practices. Furthermore, by recycling, you contribute to adapting plants to climate change and its impact on the environment.
Use specific messages
When communicating about climate change, it has already been confirmed that alarmist messages proclaiming the end of the world are ineffective in increasing citizen participation. Therefore, it is more appropriate to emphasize viable and achievable solutions to a given environmental problem and highlight the benefits that can be gained from them.
To encourage society to participate in the fight against climate change, we need to increase the number of conversations about it in our daily lives. This will allow us to immerse those around us in knowledge about climate change and spark interest and concern, motivating us to learn more and take appropriate action, as exemplified by the case of Germany and its environmental impacts. For instance, the potential disappearance of cities due to global warming is a topic of great concern and should be addressed in our conversations.
