Facing up to Climate Reality
This is our most recent project, launched in 2017. We plan to address the widening chasm between climate science and climate policy, the reasons for it, and how to bridge it. Its starting point is that the time for false hope is past, and only courageous realism will enable us to respond adequately to now inevitable and impending serious climate damage. This message – as we have found already when expressing it in public – can be cathartic, leading to a realistic assessment of future needs and prospects and avoiding the despair and paralysis that result from the collapse of a fragile or shallow optimism. The premise and shape of the project are set out in an introductory essay available here.
For events launching Facing up to Climate Reality see the events page.
Publications
Facing up to Climate Reality : Honesty, Disaster and Hope
This edited collection, published by Green House in association with the London Publishing Partnership in Spring 2019, takes forward our project in the most concerted and extensive way to date. READ MORE.
This edited collection, published by Green House in association with the London Publishing Partnership in Spring 2019, takes forward our project in the most concerted and extensive way to date. READ MORE.
‘This Moment: the emergency, the opportunity, 2017
Robert Hutchison argues powerfully that the climate situation must be declared and treated as a global emergency if we are to have any chance of responding appropriately. We were very sad indeed to hear the news of Robert's sudden death at the end of September 2017 shortly after the publication of this pamphlet. Robert Hutchison was a distinguished campaigner, author and activist for the arts and the environment, and this essay is a testament to and legacy of his commitment, courage and clear thinking.
Robert Hutchison argues powerfully that the climate situation must be declared and treated as a global emergency if we are to have any chance of responding appropriately. We were very sad indeed to hear the news of Robert's sudden death at the end of September 2017 shortly after the publication of this pamphlet. Robert Hutchison was a distinguished campaigner, author and activist for the arts and the environment, and this essay is a testament to and legacy of his commitment, courage and clear thinking.
Towards Deep Hope, 2017
In this report, John Foster considers what climate change tells us about the place of human beings in the world and what being realistic about our climate future entails. On one interpretation, it could mean recognising the compelling evidence that we have left it too late to save ourselves from climate disaster. But on another interpretation, it might be realistic to insist that we can never, even in extremis, rule out the transformative possibilities of human action. We could call hope inspired by such possibilities counter-empirical, since it refuses to be daunted by likelihoods, albeit dismaying, derived from past experience. Active recognition that our climate plight is already tragic is the only way to keep honest the kind of hope on which we must now rely. That means not only escaping from the recently-popular and still solutions-oriented ‘wicked-problem’ framing of the issues, but also building tragic awareness into all practical policy thinking henceforth. If we can manage this, hope can still reach out for transformative possibility while remaining deeply and realistically grounded. You can download the report here, or order a printed copy here.
In this report, John Foster considers what climate change tells us about the place of human beings in the world and what being realistic about our climate future entails. On one interpretation, it could mean recognising the compelling evidence that we have left it too late to save ourselves from climate disaster. But on another interpretation, it might be realistic to insist that we can never, even in extremis, rule out the transformative possibilities of human action. We could call hope inspired by such possibilities counter-empirical, since it refuses to be daunted by likelihoods, albeit dismaying, derived from past experience. Active recognition that our climate plight is already tragic is the only way to keep honest the kind of hope on which we must now rely. That means not only escaping from the recently-popular and still solutions-oriented ‘wicked-problem’ framing of the issues, but also building tragic awareness into all practical policy thinking henceforth. If we can manage this, hope can still reach out for transformative possibility while remaining deeply and realistically grounded. You can download the report here, or order a printed copy here.
‘Official! – climate change is real’. Now: what is to be done? 2018
John Foster argues that the acceptance that climate change is happening, illustrated by the revised guidance to editors issued by the BBC in September 2018, which put denying climate change on a par with "denying that Manchester United won 2-0 last Saturday", marks a significant moment for Green politics. That we face looming climate danger is no longer just one possible interpretation of the evidence, but what the evidence now decisively demonstrates to be how things really are, and therefore cannot be treated as just one possible basis for organising our socio-economic and political life. The problem is that democratic politics has come to be seen as an arbiter of the facts from which action should start, rather than a way of negotiating consent for ways of tackling whatever is generally agreed to confront us. Foster argues that the UK Green Party (or some organization evolving from it) should actively pursue the political changes necessary to prevent climate disaster running away from us into climate catastrophe, without waiting for majorities to be convinced by its campaigning. He suggests that this should be done by a co-ordinated, strategic infiltration of community-level organizations, such as transition town groups, school governing bodies, village hall committees, town and parish councils, etc, to set up shadow Green local administrations. His model is the Bolsheviks in their mode of interaction with the local soviets of workers’ deputies which emerged after the abortive 1905 revolution. That was inspired by Lenin’s conviction that Marxism was a genuine science, and proletarian power inevitable. Marxism was in fact a pseudo-science but the Green claim to reshape society and create a successor ecological state is based on the near-unanimity of genuine science. Oncoming climate chaos is as good as inevitable and Greens currently offer the only plan for organising our societies and economies which even begins to face up to that reality, but they need more Bolshevik-style confidence to get on and do this.
John Foster argues that the acceptance that climate change is happening, illustrated by the revised guidance to editors issued by the BBC in September 2018, which put denying climate change on a par with "denying that Manchester United won 2-0 last Saturday", marks a significant moment for Green politics. That we face looming climate danger is no longer just one possible interpretation of the evidence, but what the evidence now decisively demonstrates to be how things really are, and therefore cannot be treated as just one possible basis for organising our socio-economic and political life. The problem is that democratic politics has come to be seen as an arbiter of the facts from which action should start, rather than a way of negotiating consent for ways of tackling whatever is generally agreed to confront us. Foster argues that the UK Green Party (or some organization evolving from it) should actively pursue the political changes necessary to prevent climate disaster running away from us into climate catastrophe, without waiting for majorities to be convinced by its campaigning. He suggests that this should be done by a co-ordinated, strategic infiltration of community-level organizations, such as transition town groups, school governing bodies, village hall committees, town and parish councils, etc, to set up shadow Green local administrations. His model is the Bolsheviks in their mode of interaction with the local soviets of workers’ deputies which emerged after the abortive 1905 revolution. That was inspired by Lenin’s conviction that Marxism was a genuine science, and proletarian power inevitable. Marxism was in fact a pseudo-science but the Green claim to reshape society and create a successor ecological state is based on the near-unanimity of genuine science. Oncoming climate chaos is as good as inevitable and Greens currently offer the only plan for organising our societies and economies which even begins to face up to that reality, but they need more Bolshevik-style confidence to get on and do this.
Conflicted about emotions: ecological grief, love and truth, 2018
Our emotions are inextricably linked with our motivations: they direct our attention and guide our behaviour, but in the rational, scientific culture which dominates official discourse on climate change, they have largely been left out. Nadine Andrews, a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance and new Green House core group member, describes her experience of working with the IPCC to bring a psychosocial perspective to their work. “Facing the facts of climate change and ecological crisis involves encountering powerful feelings that can be difficult to bear. How we deal with these feelings shapes how we respond to the crisis, and will be critical in determining whether our responses are ultimately adaptive or maladaptive”. Mental health impacts of climate change need to be acknowledged: not just the trauma from extreme weather events but the grief felt at experienced or anticipated loss of species, ecosystems or landscapes. Nadine explains that she has “come to the view that one of the most important projects of this moment is to work on creating new social norms for expressing our feelings about climate and ecological crisis”. We need a public and collective mourning of what we are losing, so we can let go of what is lost and what no longer serves us, thereby creating a space for the new, for better ways of living - with each other and the Earth.
Our emotions are inextricably linked with our motivations: they direct our attention and guide our behaviour, but in the rational, scientific culture which dominates official discourse on climate change, they have largely been left out. Nadine Andrews, a member of the Climate Psychology Alliance and new Green House core group member, describes her experience of working with the IPCC to bring a psychosocial perspective to their work. “Facing the facts of climate change and ecological crisis involves encountering powerful feelings that can be difficult to bear. How we deal with these feelings shapes how we respond to the crisis, and will be critical in determining whether our responses are ultimately adaptive or maladaptive”. Mental health impacts of climate change need to be acknowledged: not just the trauma from extreme weather events but the grief felt at experienced or anticipated loss of species, ecosystems or landscapes. Nadine explains that she has “come to the view that one of the most important projects of this moment is to work on creating new social norms for expressing our feelings about climate and ecological crisis”. We need a public and collective mourning of what we are losing, so we can let go of what is lost and what no longer serves us, thereby creating a space for the new, for better ways of living - with each other and the Earth.
By Green House people
I won't go on the BBC if it supplies climate change deniers as 'balance'
In this Guardian article, Green House chair Rupert Read explains why he said no to a BBC interview during the 2018 heat wave and why the BBC should no longer give air time to those who deny the reality of human-caused climate change.
In this Guardian article, Green House chair Rupert Read explains why he said no to a BBC interview during the 2018 heat wave and why the BBC should no longer give air time to those who deny the reality of human-caused climate change.
After the IPCC report, #climatereality, A friendly critique of Bendell’s ‘Deep adaptation’ paper
Rupert Read takes issues with Jim Bendell's claim that near-term societal collapse is now inevitable.
Rupert Read takes issues with Jim Bendell's claim that near-term societal collapse is now inevitable.
This Civilisation is Finished: So What is to be Done?
Talk by Rupert Read at Churchill College, Cambridge on 7th November 2018, as part of the 'Shed A Light' series.
Talk by Rupert Read at Churchill College, Cambridge on 7th November 2018, as part of the 'Shed A Light' series.
EVENTS
DEALING WITH EXTREME WEATHER - conference in Lancaster on 28th October 2017.
FACING UP TO CLIMATE REALITY - Norwich, 29th September 2018.
DEALING WITH EXTREME WEATHER - conference in Lancaster on 28th October 2017.
FACING UP TO CLIMATE REALITY - Norwich, 29th September 2018.
Facing up to Climate Reality book launches and events
Wednesday 16th May 2019, 4-6pm, Lancaster University
John Foster and Anne Chapman from Green House with Mike Berners-Lee from the Institute for Social Futures.
Part of the Global Futures series of events run by the Institute for Social Futures.
Monday 3rd June 2019, 7 - 9 pm, London
Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Paul Webley Wing (Senate House) SOAS, London
John Foster, Ann Pfeiffer, Rupert Read and Jonathan Essex.
A recording of this event can be listened to here.
Saturday 22 June 2019, 2-5pm, Bristol
Horfield Quaker Meeting House, 300 Gloucester Road, BS7 8PD
Without Growth or Progress: Adapting our culture to the New Climate Reality
A World Café workshop looking at how we can adapt as a culture to the coming climate changes in a way which preserves our humanity. With Rupert Read from Green House and Paul Hoggett from the Climate Psychology Alliance. This event is organised by the Climate Psychology Alliance.
Friday 26 July, 7.30- 9pm, The Dorford Centre, Dorchester
Brian Heatley, Anne Chapman, John Foster, and Jonathan Essex.
For more information and to register see here.
Saturday 7th September, 1-4pm Edinburgh
Without Growth or Progress: Adapting our culture to the New Climate Reality
University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy Centre
A World Café workshop looking at how we can adapt as a culture to the coming climate changes in a way which preserves our humanity. Organised with the Climate Psychology Alliance Scotland. For more information and to register click here.
Wednesday 16th May 2019, 4-6pm, Lancaster University
John Foster and Anne Chapman from Green House with Mike Berners-Lee from the Institute for Social Futures.
Part of the Global Futures series of events run by the Institute for Social Futures.
Monday 3rd June 2019, 7 - 9 pm, London
Wolfson Lecture Theatre, Paul Webley Wing (Senate House) SOAS, London
John Foster, Ann Pfeiffer, Rupert Read and Jonathan Essex.
A recording of this event can be listened to here.
Saturday 22 June 2019, 2-5pm, Bristol
Horfield Quaker Meeting House, 300 Gloucester Road, BS7 8PD
Without Growth or Progress: Adapting our culture to the New Climate Reality
A World Café workshop looking at how we can adapt as a culture to the coming climate changes in a way which preserves our humanity. With Rupert Read from Green House and Paul Hoggett from the Climate Psychology Alliance. This event is organised by the Climate Psychology Alliance.
Friday 26 July, 7.30- 9pm, The Dorford Centre, Dorchester
Brian Heatley, Anne Chapman, John Foster, and Jonathan Essex.
For more information and to register see here.
Saturday 7th September, 1-4pm Edinburgh
Without Growth or Progress: Adapting our culture to the New Climate Reality
University of Edinburgh Chaplaincy Centre
A World Café workshop looking at how we can adapt as a culture to the coming climate changes in a way which preserves our humanity. Organised with the Climate Psychology Alliance Scotland. For more information and to register click here.