Our species is in a race with climate change, and a lot of people want to know, “Can I really make a difference?”
This question concerns what’s known as agency. Its meaning is complex, but in a nutshell, it means being able to do what you set out to do and believing you can succeed.
How well people exercise their agency will determine the severity of global warming—and its consequences.
The evidence is clear that people are changing the climate dramatically. But human actions can also affect the climate for the better by reducing fossil fuel burning and carbon emissions. It’s not too late to avert the worst effects of climate change, but time is running out.
Despite abundant technical agency, humanity is alarmingly short of psychological agency: belief in one’s personal ability to help. A 10-country survey study in The Lancet, a British medical journal, found that more than half of young people ages 16–25 feel afraid, sad, anxious, angry, powerless, and helpless about climate change.
As professors, we bring complementary perspectives to the challenges of taking action on climate change. Tom Bateman studies psychology and leadership, and Michael Mann is a climate scientist and author of the recent book The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet.
Believing ‘I Can Do This’
Human activities—particularly relying on coal, oil, and natural gas for energy—have dramatically affected the climate, with dire consequences.
As greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuel use accumulate in the atmosphere, they warm the planet. Rising global temperatures have fueled worsening heat waves, rising sea levels, and more intense storms that become increasingly harder to adapt to. A new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change describes some of the dangerous disruptions already underway and how they are putting people and the environment at risk.
Just like humans can choose to drive gas guzzlers, they can also choose to act in ways that influence the climate, air quality, and public health for the better. Scientific knowledge and countless opportunities for action make that agency possible.
A key part of agency is one’s belief, when faced with a task to perform, a situation to manage, or a long-term goal like protecting the climate, that “I can do this.” It’s known as “self-efficacy.”
This may be the most important psychological factor in predicting how well people will cope with both climate change and COVID-19, recent online survey data from Europe indicate. People feeling adequate agency are more likely to persevere, rebound from setbacks, and perform at high levels.
With climate change, a high sense of self-efficacy strengthens a person’s willingness to reduce carbon emissions (mitigation) and prepare for climate-related disasters (adaptation). Studies confirm this for actions including volunteering, donating, contacting elected officials, saving energy, conserving water during extreme weather, and more.
How to Boost Your Sense of Agency
To build agency for something that can feel as daunting as climate change, focus first on the facts. In the case of climate change: Greenhouse gas emissions cause the most harm, and people can help far more than they realize.
Successful agency has four psychological drivers, all of which can be strengthened with practice:
1. Intentionality: “I choose my climate goals and actions for high impact.”
Deciding to act with purpose—knowing what you intend to do—is far more effective than thinking, “My heart’s in the right place, I just have to find the time.”
In the big picture, one’s highest climate efficacy is in participating in larger efforts to stop fossil fuel use. People can set specific ambitious goals for reducing personal and household energy use and join others in collective actions.
2. Forethought: “I am looking ahead and thinking strategically about how to proceed.”
Knowing your goals, you can think strategically and develop an action plan. Some plans support relatively simple goals involving individual lifestyle changes, such as adjusting consumption and travel patterns. Wider-reaching actions can help change systems—such as long-term activities that advocate for climate-friendly policies and politicians, or against policies that are harmful. These include demonstrations and voter campaigns.
3. Self-regulation: “I can manage myself over time to optimize my efforts and effectiveness.”
Worrying about the future is becoming a lifelong task—off and on for some, constant for others. Climate change will cause disasters and scarcities, disrupt lives and careers, heighten stress, and harm public health. Seeing progress and working with others can help relieve stress.
4. Self-reflection: “ I will periodically assess my effectiveness, rethink strategies and tactics, and make necessary adjustments.”
It’s difficult to imagine a greater need for lifelong learning than as we navigate decades of climate change, its many harms, and efforts by fossil fuel companies to obscure the facts. Reflection—or, more precisely, keeping up with the latest science, learning, and adapting—is vital as the future keeps presenting new challenges.
Personal Agency Is Only the First Step
Even seemingly minor first steps can help reduce carbon emissions and lead to paths of greater action, but individual actions are only part of the solution. Big polluters often urge consumers to take small personal actions, which can deflect attention from the need for large-scale policy interventions.
Individual agency should be seen as a gateway for group efforts that can more quickly and effectively change the trajectory of climate change.
“Collective agency” is another form of agency. A critical mass of people can create societal [tipping points] that pressure industry and policymakers to move more quickly, safely, and equitably to implement policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Helping to elect local, state, and national officials who support protecting the climate, and influencing investors and leaders of corporations and associations, can also create a sense of agency known as “proxy agency.”
Together, these efforts can rapidly improve humanity’s capacity to solve problems and head off disasters. Fixing the world’s climate mess requires both urgency and a sense of agency to create the best possible future.
This article was originally published by The Conversation. It is published here with permission.
Michael E. Mann is a Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State, with joint appointments in the Department of Geosciences and the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI). He is also director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center (ESSC). Dr. Mann was a Lead Author on the Observed Climate Variability and Change chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Scientific Assessment Report in 2001 and was organizing committee chair for the National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science in 2003. Dr. Mann is the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications, numerous op-eds and commentaries, and five books, including Dire Predictions: Understanding Climate Change, The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines, The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial is Threatening our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy, The Tantrum that Saved the World and The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet.
Thomas S. Bateman specializes in organizational behavior. He conducts research on leadership, problem solving, motivation, decision making, personality, stress, and managerial goals. Current research projects focus on behavior and decision making in the domain of climate change. Professor Bateman publishes articles in academic and professional journals, writes textbooks, presents papers at professional meetings, and participates in executive education programs. His most recent article concerns the work styles of scientists as they pursue deep versus broad contributions to knowledge. A recent book chapter discusses ways in which people can develop as leaders, from a self-directed rather than a classroom or program perspective. Another recent book chapter discusses “proactive behavior,” in which people create extraordinary change by overcoming personal and situational constraints, surpassing others’ expectations, and creating and seizing opportunities. Professor Bateman teaches workshops in North America, Europe, and Asia and is working on the 14th edition of his textbook Management: Leading & Collaborating in a Competitive World (McGraw-Hill/Irwin).
"Watu wengi wanajiuliza, ""Je, ninaweza kufanya tofauti?"" swali hili linahusu kile kinachojulikana kama ""wakala.""" Maana yake ni tata, lakini kwa ufupi, inamaanisha kuwa na uwezo wa kufanya kile unachotaka kufanya na kuamini unaweza kufanikiwa. Jinsi watu wanavyofanya kazi vizuri itabainisha uzito wa ongezeko la joto duniani na matokeo yake. Kuna uthibitisho ulio wazi kwamba wanadamu wanabadilisha hali ya hewa sana. Lakini vitendo vya binadamu pia vinaweza kuathiri hali ya hewa kwa bora kwa kupunguza kuchoma mafuta ya visukuku na uzalishaji wa kaboni. Haijawa kuchelewa sana kuzuia athari mbaya zaidi za mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa, lakini wakati unakaribia. Licha ya wingi wa shirika la kiufundi, ubinadamu ni alarmingly mfupi wa shirika la kisaikolojia: imani katika uwezo wa mtu binafsi wa kusaidia. Uchunguzi uliofanywa katika nchi 10 katika jarida la matibabu la Uingereza, The Lancet, uligundua kuwa zaidi ya nusu ya vijana wenye umri wa miaka 16-25 wanahisi hofu, huzuni, wasiwasi, hasira, kukosa nguvu na kutokuwa na msaada kuhusu mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. Kama maprofesa, sisi kuleta mtazamo complementary kwa changamoto ya kuchukua hatua juu ya mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. "Tom Bateman, mwanafunzi wa saikolojia na uongozi, na Michael Mann, mwanasayansi wa hali ya hewa na mwandishi wa kitabu cha hivi karibuni ""Vita vya Hali ya Hewa Mpya: Mapambano ya Kurudisha Sayari Yetu.""" Kuamini "Naweza Kufanya Hii" Shughuli za kibinadamu - hasa kutegemea makaa ya mawe, mafuta, na gesi asilia kwa nishati - zimeathiri sana hali ya hewa, na matokeo mabaya. Gesi zinazotokana na matumizi ya mafuta ya makaa ya mawe zinapokusanyika angani, zinafanya dunia iwe na joto. Ongezeko la joto duniani limesababisha kuongezeka kwa joto, kuongezeka kwa kiwango cha bahari, na dhoruba kali zaidi ambazo ni vigumu zaidi na zaidi kukabiliana nazo. Ripoti mpya ya Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) inaelezea baadhi ya usumbufu hatari ambao tayari unaendelea na jinsi wanavyoweka watu na mazingira katika hatari. Kama vile wanadamu wanavyoweza kuchagua kuendesha magari ya kutumia gesi, wanaweza pia kuchagua kutenda kwa njia zinazoathiri hali ya hewa, ubora wa hewa, na afya ya umma kwa njia bora. Ujuzi wa kisayansi na fursa nyingi za kutenda hufanya chombo hicho kiwezekane. "Kifungu muhimu cha ujasiri ni imani ya mtu, wakati anakabiliwa na kazi ya kufanya, hali ya kusimamia, au lengo la muda mrefu kama kulinda hali ya hewa, kwamba ""naweza kufanya hili."" Inajulikana kama ""kujifanya vizuri"" - hii inaweza kuwa sababu muhimu zaidi ya kisaikolojia katika kutabiri jinsi watu watashughulika na mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa na COVID-19, takwimu za hivi karibuni za utafiti wa mtandaoni kutoka Ulaya." Watu wanaohisi kuwa na uwezo wa kufanya mambo kwa njia inayofaa wana uwezekano mkubwa zaidi wa kuendelea, kupona mapungufu, na kufanya kazi kwa kiwango cha juu. Kwa mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa, hisia ya juu ya ufanisi wa kibinafsi inaimarisha utayari wa mtu wa kupunguza uzalishaji wa kaboni (kupunguza) na kujitayarisha kwa majanga yanayohusiana na hali ya hewa (kujipatanisha). Uchunguzi unaonyesha kuwa hii ni kweli kwa vitendo kama vile kujitolea, kutoa michango, kuwasiliana na maafisa waliochaguliwa, kuokoa nishati, kuhifadhi maji wakati wa hali mbaya ya hewa, na mengineyo. Jinsi ya Kuongeza Hisia Yako ya Wakala: Ili kujenga shirika kwa kitu ambacho kinaweza kuhisi kama kutisha kama mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa, angalia kwanza juu ya ukweli. Katika hali ya mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa: uzalishaji wa gesi za chafu husababisha madhara zaidi, na watu wanaweza kusaidia zaidi kuliko wanavyojua. Uwezo wa kufanikiwa una vichocheo vinne vya kisaikolojia, ambavyo vyote vinaweza kuimarishwa na mazoezi: "Kusudia: ""Ninachagua malengo yangu ya hali ya hewa na vitendo kwa athari kubwa.""Kuamua kutenda kwa kusudi, kujua unachotaka kufanya, ni ufanisi zaidi kuliko kufikiri, ""Moyo wangu uko mahali pazuri, lazima nipate wakati.""" Watu wanaweza kuweka malengo maalum ya kupunguza matumizi ya nishati ya kibinafsi na ya nyumbani na kujiunga na wengine katika vitendo vya pamoja. 2. Uwezekano wa kupata Kufikiria kimbele: <unk>Ninaangalia mbele na kufikiria kimkakati juu ya jinsi ya kuendelea.<unk> Kujua malengo yako, unaweza kufikiri kimkakati na kuendeleza mpango wa hatua. Baadhi ya mipango hiyo hutegemeza miradi rahisi inayohusisha mabadiliko ya mtindo wa maisha ya mtu binafsi, kama vile kurekebisha matumizi na mitindo ya kusafiri. Hatua za kina zaidi zinaweza kusaidia kubadilisha mifumo - kama vile shughuli za muda mrefu ambazo zinatetea sera na wanasiasa wa kirafiki wa hali ya hewa, au dhidi ya sera ambazo ni mbaya. Hizi zinatia ndani maonyesho na kampeni za kupiga kura. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Kujidhibiti: <unk>Naweza kujisimamia kwa muda ili kuboresha juhudi zangu na ufanisi.<unk> Kuhangaikia siku zijazo inakuwa kazi ya maisha yote <unk> mbali na juu kwa baadhi, mara kwa mara kwa wengine. Mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa yatasababisha misiba na upungufu, kuharibu maisha na kazi, kuongeza mkazo, na kuharibu afya ya umma. Kuona maendeleo na kufanya kazi pamoja na wengine kunaweza kusaidia kupunguza mkazo. 4. Uwe na uhakika "Mfano: ""Nitachunguza ufanisi wangu mara kwa mara, kufikiria upya mikakati na mbinu, na kufanya marekebisho muhimu."" - Ni vigumu kufikiria haja kubwa ya kujifunza maisha yote kuliko wakati tunasafiri miongo kadhaa ya mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa, madhara yake mengi, na juhudi za makampuni ya mafuta ya mafuta ya mafuta ya mafuta ya mafuta ya mafuta ya mafuta ya mafuta ya mafuta." Kufikiria - au, kwa usahihi zaidi, kuendelea na sayansi ya hivi karibuni, kujifunza, na kukabiliana - ni muhimu kama siku zijazo huendelea kuwasilisha changamoto mpya. Hata hatua ndogo za kwanza zinaweza kusaidia kupunguza uzalishaji wa kaboni na kuongoza njia za hatua kubwa, lakini hatua za mtu binafsi ni sehemu tu ya suluhisho. Mara nyingi wasambazaji wakubwa huwahimiza watumiaji kuchukua hatua ndogo za kibinafsi, ambazo zinaweza kupotosha umakini kutoka kwa hitaji la uingiliaji mkubwa wa sera. "Mtu binafsi anapaswa kuonekana kama mlango kwa ajili ya juhudi za kikundi ambazo zinaweza haraka na kwa ufanisi kubadilisha trajectory ya mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. """ <unk>Collective shirika<unk> ni aina nyingine ya shirika. """Watu wengi wanaweza kuunda [maeneo ya kugeuka] ya kijamii ambayo yanaweka shinikizo kwa tasnia na watunga sera kuhamia haraka zaidi, kwa usalama na kwa usawa kutekeleza sera ambazo hupunguza uzalishaji wa gesi za chafu." "Kusaidia kuchagua maafisa wa mitaa, serikali, na kitaifa ambao wanaunga mkono ulinzi wa hali ya hewa, na kushawishi wawekezaji na viongozi wa mashirika na mashirika, pia inaweza kuunda hisia ya shirika inayojulikana kama ""shirika la wakala"" Pamoja, juhudi hizi zinaweza kuboresha haraka uwezo wa wanadamu wa kutatua matatizo na kuzuia majanga." Kutatua fujo ya hali ya hewa ya ulimwengu inahitaji haraka na hisia ya shirika ili kuunda siku zijazo bora iwezekanavyo. Makala hii ilichapishwa awali na The Conversation. Imechapishwa hapa kwa ruhusa. Michael E. Mann ni Profesa wa Maalum wa Sayansi ya Anga katika Chuo Kikuu cha Penn State, na miadi ya pamoja katika Idara ya Sayansi ya Dunia na Taasisi ya Dunia na Mifumo ya Mazingira (EESI). Yeye pia ni mkurugenzi wa Penn State Earth System Science Center (ESSC). "Mwanamke huyo alikuwa mwandishi mkuu wa ""Observed Climate Variability and Change"" katika ripoti ya tatu ya tathmini ya kisayansi ya Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) na mwandishi mkuu wa kamati ya kuandaa ""National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science"" mwaka 2003." "Mwanamke huyo ni mwandishi wa vitabu zaidi ya 200 vilivyochunguzwa na kuhaririwa, makala nyingi na maoni, na vitabu vitano, ikiwa ni pamoja na ""Utabiri wa kutisha: Kuelewa Mabadiliko ya Hali ya Hewa,"" ""The Hockey Stick na Vita vya Hali ya Hewa: Ujumbe kutoka kwa Mistari ya Mbele,"" ""The Madhouse Effect: Jinsi Ukatili wa Mabadiliko ya Hali ya Hewa Unavyotishia Sayari Yetu, Kuharibu Siasa Yetu, na Kutupiga Pigo la Kizazi.""" Thomas S. Bateman ni mtaalamu wa tabia ya shirika. Yeye hufanya utafiti juu ya uongozi, kutatua matatizo, motisha, kufanya maamuzi, utu, mkazo, na malengo ya usimamizi. Miradi ya sasa ya utafiti inazingatia tabia na maamuzi katika uwanja wa mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa. Profesa Bateman kuchapisha makala katika jarida la kitaaluma na kitaaluma, anaandika vitabu, inatoa karatasi katika mikutano ya kitaaluma, na inashiriki katika mipango ya elimu ya mtendaji. Makala yake ya hivi karibuni inahusu mitindo ya kazi ya wanasayansi wanapofuatilia michango ya kina dhidi ya pana kwa maarifa. Sura ya kitabu cha hivi karibuni inazungumzia njia ambazo watu wanaweza kuendeleza kama viongozi, kutoka kwa mtazamo wa kujitegemea badala ya darasa au mpango. Sura nyingine ya kitabu cha hivi karibuni inazungumzia "mwenendo wa kuchochea", ambapo watu huunda mabadiliko ya ajabu kwa kushinda vizuizi vya kibinafsi na hali, kuzidi matarajio ya wengine, na kuunda na kutumia fursa. "Professor Bateman anafundisha katika Amerika ya Kaskazini, Ulaya na Asia na anafanya kazi kwenye toleo la 14 la kitabu chake cha masomo ""Usimamizi: Kuongoza na Kushirikiana katika Ulimwengu wa Ushindani"" (McGraw-Hill, Irwin)."