Climate Changes and Sustainability – but why are we not changing?

The evidence is there: for at least the past two decades scientists have provided an enormous wealth of facts that all point to the urgent need of changing the way our world functions so that we won’t wreck our environment and society. However, for the majority of the population, it does not seem to register the importance of this issue. Why this dissonance? UNEP (United Nations Environmental Program) has released a report - Task Force on Sustainable Lifestyles - that provide some answers on why this noticeable disconnection appears between scientists and society. The report finds that today’s communication about sustainability revolves around normative regulations and self denial – don’t drive, don’t use non-recyclable goods etc. 

This form of communication is not working and certainly is not attractive to any citizen. The report finds that so far, environmental communication has not concentrated on the positive effects of changing to a more sustainable lifestyle and what it can add to the quality of life for a person. In fact, most of the communication carries a dystopian undertone. Therefore, UNEP suggests that environmental groups, other sustainability organizations and politicians shift the dialogue from “you are not allowed to do this because it is unsustainable” to “look what you can do when you are sustainable.” 

Generally people are more likely to do something when they are introduced to the positive possibilities rather than the negative consequences of doing (or not doing) something. As the report underlines – it is better to show the positive outcome that can emerge if a more sustainable lifestyle is adopted rather than preaching negative consequences of the status without emphasizing any possibilities for the future. Hopefully we are moving toward a major trend in the environmental activism community - a change in communication to make the research more applicable for society to adapt and comply – which might be all we need to really set off the sustainability revolution.