Oftentimes, our editorial board is hard at work corresponding with authors and editing pieces, so we have limited time to contribute even though we really want to! The following are direct responses and insights into Dan Schrag’s interview from some of our Editors.
Elson Bankoff, Editor-in-Chief
Dan acknowledges the fact that climate change is a global collective action problem, and how humans do not handle this well. We are very tribal and can see this through observing all sorts of geographical, religious, political, and ideological divisions. He claims that global collective action is really hard because it goes against our nature.
Elson responds with the following: We see so much evidence of this. I think collective action goes against our nature, but in some respects, defines our civilizations, lifestyles, and most importantly, our capacity to change the way things function. I find this promising. In the past decade, but especially the past two years, it has become indisputably apparent that change can only be fostered through a collective will. We are called to act together, to be a good neighbor, and to create communities. There’s a James Baldwin quote I love that goes, “fires can’t be made with dead embers, nor can enthusiasm be stirred by spiritless men. Enthusiasm in our daily work lightens effort and turns even labor into pleasant tasks.” There is a great deal of stress in protecting something as obscure as the future or as powerful as a natural disaster, but the burden is lifted when it is tacked by a community–– a persistent, powerful, and passionate community–– as opposed to a singular person.
I think there has always been a stigma of sorts against community action. Inherently, we love to communicate, we love to socialize, but we also love to compete and are deeply concerned with– if not addicted to short-term outcomes and rushes of success. So yeah, we are all incredibly tribal.
I attended a webinar last week where Dr. Naoko Ishii spoke on the topic of global collective action in the case of climate solutions. Dr. Ishii leads an incredibly impressive career and currently works at the University of Tokyo as a professor, executive vice president, and inaugurating Director for Center for Global Commons. There was a fascinating diagram she shared that I included below.
I could analyze this over several essays. Anyone could, there is so much to unpack! But I’ll spare readers of that for now. Something else Dr. Ishii mentioned was how despite their good intentions, COP conferences and international treaties rarely have the ability to change things. Regardless, creating forums to enable global collective action is an absolute must. I’m curious as to how we get them to actually work.
The last thing I will mention is the hope I see within the youth movement in regard to global collective action, a lot of which is enabled by social media, which is a whole separate topic that I could also write many essays on. As our publication and SEASN expand, I am working very hard to integrate international perspectives into our network and our pieces. There are some great networks and organizations that work in one global unit to amplify each other. Fridays for Future is an exceptional example of this. I am in group chats with hundreds of global leaders, and I truly learn so much from them.
At a certain point, just like how our individual actions yield minimal change without traction, our local actions yield minimal change if lacking that defining, contagious, and occasionally human spirit of restless passion that is not confined by borders.
*Everyone should attend the March 25 Global Climate Strike!
Audrey Wu, Literature Editor
Dan mentions how he loves Greta Thunberg because she’s 18 years old and she doesn’t claim to have the answers but emphasizes that those in charge do. “She’s saying just fix it goddamit, you caused this mess, now fix it. If I were 18 years old, I’d feel exactly the same way.”
Audrey responds with the following: This really stood out to me because as a young person, there is so much that we still don’t know about climate change, and there is so much that all of us are still learning. But what’s important and what does matter is that we care and are acknowledging the situation without pretending we know everything about it. This attention and buzz around the topic is what ignites a movement, so even if we are still learning, we need to keep pushing for change.
Eli Zemsky, Resolutions Editor
Dan claims that the path we’re on is ridiculous. He asserts that the targets and timetables environmentalists talk about, such as President Biden’s goal of decarbonization by 2050, are nearly impossible to accomplish at this point in time.
Eli responds with the following: I’d like to see more discussion around this. This discussion, I think, could come from anyone familiar with the reality, from students to professional analysts. Properly legislating and garnering support for environmental restoration and preservation requires a complex understanding of geopolitics and environmental policy, but totally involves the next generation. Is it worth going around telling people our politicians are lying to us? Maybe Biden knows this goal is unrealistic, and maybe he really believes in it. There is truth to the fact that directing time and resources into solutions we know won’t come to fruition inhibits real reform, but at the same time, if the youth movement categorizes ambitious action as accomplishable, that might further discourage already controversial acceptance of the science and urgency of the climate crisis. It might also preserve the “radical” label attached to climate activism.
Tara Prakash, News & Policy Editor
Dan mentions how his basic skill is curiosity and that it fits perfectly with teaching.
Tara replies with the following: I think it’s really neat that curiosity is brought up, because I think passion and curiosity for the work someone is doing is so important.
Tara also touches on Dan’s perspective regarding the issue with global collective action and the Green New Deal with the following:
I think it’s interesting that this is mentioned because we all think of the Green New Deal as a lifesaver and very essential, but it’s interesting that nonsense is being used to describe something unrealistic and unachievable, and this stood out to me.
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