Why is it so difficult for some to take in the warnings and conclusions of climate science? The answer can be both simple and uncomfortable: It is easier to ignore the future than to deal with the uncomfortable facts that science presents.
Climate deniers often choose to question the science, not because it lacks foundation, but because they simply don’t want to believe it. Accepting the researchers’ bleak scenarios means confronting a future that threatens our current way of life. By denying climate science, a mental safety net is created, a bubble that makes it easier to continue living as usual – happily, at least until reality finally hits.
But it is not only the climate deniers who avoid action. Many people believe in science, but still choose not to understand its full meaning. They know that climate change is real but stop at a superficial understanding, perhaps because they sense that a deeper understanding would require difficult changes. “If I don’t know everything, I can’t be expected to act either,” they think, which gives them a form of security in their ignorance.
Then there are those who both understand and accept the science but who still do not change their behavior significantly. They can sort waste, drive less, or avoid plastic – but at the same time continue with many of the habits that contribute to the problem. There is a cognitive dissonance here; you know what needs to be done but choose not to do enough, often with the thought that “why should I sacrifice myself when others don’t?” This becomes a quick solution for the conscience, without requiring the deeper changes that are really needed.
Finally, there are those who both trust the science and do everything they can to reduce their climate footprint. But these people are also often the ones who feel the worst, because they see that the changes they are making are not sufficient on a larger scale. They carry a deep frustration that society as a whole is not doing more and that the leadership required to drive change is conspicuous by its absence.
The more you care, the heavier the burden
We are facing a paradoxical phenomenon: the more you understand and care about the climate, the harder it becomes to feel happiness. At the same time, the less you absorb climate science, the easier it is to be carefree—at least until the day the climate crisis becomes impossible to ignore. This mechanism means that many, consciously or unconsciously, choose to distance themselves from the facts that require great sacrifices and changes. But if we don’t find ways to engage more people in actively changing their lifestyles and creating positive images of the future, we risk remaining passive until it’s too late.
The positive future vision: A new story about the climate
How could we change this? Part of the solution may be to paint positive and inspiring future scenarios. Instead of focusing solely on disaster and doom, we need to start talking about the opportunities and solutions that a climate-smart world can offer. We need the help of science fiction writers, artists, filmmakers and visionaries to create a world where climate-positive actions are not only possible but desirable.
Imagine a future scenario where we have slowed down our negative climate impacting effects so effectively that we have to be careful about overcompensating for nature. Or a world where animals have symbolically become our climate guardians, where we are surrounded by living “nature guards” who monitor our actions and alert us to our mistakes. We can also picture futures where technology has been integrated in a way that both benefits the climate and our quality of life, where we have found ways to live with the planet’s limits while thriving as communities.
The future is a shared challenge, not a matter of isolation
It is also important to create a feeling that the climate fight is a joint journey. To put the solutions in a “we” perspective where people, cities, companies and countries come together and take responsibility. Instead of thinking in terms of personal sacrifice, we can encourage a sense of belonging and collective strength—a sense that we are meeting the challenge together. By showing examples of communities that have made positive changes, of initiatives that inspire and of technological advances, we can make the climate issue something that engages and motivates, rather than just scares.
A future worth believing in
Creating and spreading positive future scenarios can change the way we look at the climate issue. By shifting from a story of doom to a story of opportunity, we can create a future worth believing in – and thus a future worth working for. Climate change is undoubtedly the greatest challenge of our time, but by changing the way we talk about it, we can make it easier for more people to both believe in science and want to act on it.
Here’s a small inspiration scenario to get you started and think about your own future scenarios:
A future where nature takes the lead
Imagine a future where nature has begun to flourish in ways no one previously thought possible. The oxygen levels in the air are now so high that every breath fills our lungs with energy. People and animals move more easily and with an intense drive, almost as if we are all constantly in a beautiful, inspired frame of mind. The energy from the oxygen increase is so powerful that long working days no longer feel tiring, and all over the planet we feel more alive, filled with a drive and enthusiasm that drives us forward – but also requires a certain dose of discipline and harmony to not become overwhelming.
In this society, advanced AI solutions act as a kind of guardian for our common home, the planet. These guardians are invisible but ever-present, catching every little climate-disturbing behavior in milliseconds and correcting it before any damage can be done. Should someone try to do something that endangers the climate balance – perhaps try to cut down a tree illegally, dump waste in a river or overuse resources – the AI systems are there and put a stop to it immediately. In a friendly but effective way, they guide us, almost like a helpful hand on the shoulder, reminding us of our responsibilities.
The buildings around us are alive. The plants are now genetically modified to be able to grow into structures that replace most of the building materials we previously had to manufacture and transport. These “living buildings” consist of plants that twist, shape and harden themselves into walls, bridges and other structures. Forests and greenways embrace our cities, and the sturdy wooden bridges are shaped by roots and branches that grow together underground, creating natural pathways between communities. We don’t need to build and burden nature; instead, we follow and guide it as it builds for us.
Communication has also taken a fascinating turn. Instead of fixed networks and cloud servers, swarms of tiny insects buzz around us, each pre-programmed to carry data. These insects, specifically genetically modified to communicate with each other, create a living, buzzing network – a natural, organic “cloud” that weaves communities together in a way that is both sustainable and magical. By day we see little swarms flying from house to house, from town to town, and we know that our messages travel through them. Our thoughts and ideas travel, are distributed and reach their destinations thanks to these little creatures that have become part of our digital, yet natural, life.
It is a world where the lines between nature and technology have been blurred; we live in symbiosis with the ecosystem in a way that feels intuitive and self-evident. Instead of fighting against nature, we have found a way to harmonize with it and at the same time benefit from technology – but on its terms, not ours. It’s as if the whole planet is breathing easier. When we wake up in the morning, we can feel the pulse of the earth in the ground beneath our feet, and each day begins with the feeling that we are actually doing the right thing for us.
And perhaps the most inspiring of all: we live with a new kind of respect for our world, a common understanding that we are part of a larger system where every action has meaning. It’s a future where we see the beauty and value in being guardians of something bigger than ourselves, leaving a place a little better than the one we were born into—not by fighting, but by dancing with the planet, following its rhythm, and live in harmony with nature for real.
