Environment | The end of the world ? No thanks

While for some it is too late to avoid climate catastrophe, scientists, environmental activists and other communicators continue to believe it. “OK doomer”, respond these young environmentalists to climate cynics. For them, the focus should be on solutions.

An IPCC report that argues that our greenhouse gas emissions must be halved by 2030 to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. An oil exploration project approved by Ottawa off the coast of Newfoundland. The Minister of the Environment of Quebec who judges that it is “impossible” to do more.

The month of April began in a gloomy way for Léa Ilardo. But this political analyst at the David Suzuki Foundation, who is also a member of the board of ENvironnement JEUnesse, refuses to panic. “Quebec has also become the first international state to pass a law to prohibit all oil and gas development on its territory,” she said, referring to the adoption of Bill 21 on April 12. “And we don’t celebrate it at all. We have seen very little of it in the media, even though it is an historic announcement! »

Demonstrating that it is still possible is the mission she has given herself with the series of tickets she signs in the 24 hours. “The famous “it is too late”, for me, it is very relative. It’s too late for what? she asks.

On social networks, particularly TikTok, more and more of them are raising their voices against climate catastrophism, which is also present on this platform. Members of generation Z for the most part, they are part of a movement dubbed “OK doomer” by climate defenders and some media, a nod to the expression “OK boomer” which is used in particular by the younger generations to denounce the indifference of their elders in the face of global warming.

“A lot of people produce videos with scary titles and images of climate disasters that go viral,” laments Sabrina Pare, a Detroit tiktoker who, in her videos, offers her advice for adopting a more eco-responsible lifestyle. Along with 16 other environmentalists present on TikTok, several of whom are scientists, she participates in Eco Tok, a collective which has given itself the mission of “empowering the younger generations”. And that includes fighting misinformation.

« Le catastrophisme climatique insinue qu’il est soit trop tard pour s’attaquer aux changements climatiques, soit que des évènements apocalyptiques, tels qu’une pénurie de nourriture ou d’eau, se produiront dans les prochaines années. Bien que certains éléments de ce discours puissent être étayés par la science, le message général “il est trop tard” ou “cette situation apocalyptique va absolument se produire bientôt” ne l’est pas », affirme l’une des cofondatrices d’Eco Tok, Alaina Wood, une scientifique du Tennessee spécialisée en environnement qui compte plus de 300 000 abonnés sur TikTok.

Si elle dénonce régulièrement ce type de publications sur son compte, c’est qu’elle estime qu’elles sont nuisibles.

This fatalistic narrative also serves big business, according to Sabrina Pare: “The fossil fuel industry probably wants us to fall into this narrative because then we won’t continue to fight and switch to renewable resources. »

A food for eco-anxiety

That’s why, although she feels the effects of climate change on her mental health, she continues to cultivate hope in her community. Because, inevitably, catastrophic discourse can create or exacerbate eco-anxiety, and when fear sets in, it can also paralyze. According to a study by the University of Sherbrooke conducted last October among more than 10,000 Quebecers, 19% of adults often or almost always feel worried about the future of humanity. Nearly half of 18-24 year olds surveyed (49%) said they had experienced at least one manifestation of eco-anxiety in the two weeks preceding the survey.

“Getting anchored in solutions, having this clear and realistic impression that there are things that can be done to facilitate our adaptation and protect the planet and the health of the humans who inhabit it, is important,” remarks Karine St-Jean, psychologist and author of the book Taming eco-anxiety.

“This feeling of discouragement or anxiety is counterbalanced by the fact of feeling in the action and on the good side of history, notes Léa Ilardo. This is the behavior I try to encourage. »

This is also the path taken by Quebecer Christine Lan, also a member of Eco Tok. The Brossard actress (Survival, 30 lives), which manufactures its own natural cosmetics, transmits on TikTok tips for an eco-responsible daily life.

When people change their behavior, they often become more critical and demanding with decision-makers and companies, believes Isaias Hernandez, also present on TikTok and Instagram and a graduate in environmental sciences from the University of Berkeley, California.

“I don’t believe we can achieve systemic change without creating individual chains and it starts by examining our hearts, and our relationships with the Earth, culture, people and animals,” says the one who is particularly interested in climate justice. This is where it starts. »

Solution journalism

In Quebec, the digital media Unpointcinq, created in 2017, is one of the first to bet on the dissemination of concrete and inspiring solutions in the fight against climate change. “From the start, the objective of the Unpointcinq project was to show real people who are doing real business to help the climate, explains its co-founder, Philippe Poitras. I found that the media did not show many solutions at the time. […] They talk about the impacts of climate and inaction, the famous negative side that has kept the media alive for 150 years. So we wanted to show these human faces that are in climate action, but that nobody covers. Or rather didn’t cover, because, he agrees, the mainstream media are more interested in them today.

For Unpointfive, the goal is to “make climate action desirable and possible”. A mission that is also supported by a research component on communication, developed in partnership with Laval University.

By focusing the spotlight on positive action rather than the consequences of inaction, isn’t there a risk of minimizing the sense of urgency? “Not in a world that needs solutions and needs to see that they exist,” replies Philippe Poitras. He nevertheless believes that the impact of inaction must continue to be covered by the media. But the solutions should not be outdone.

And it is a speech that seems to seduce. Since last summer, Alaina Wood has published a video once a week on her TikTok account bringing together good news related to the climate. Since then, his number of subscribers has tripled. “Many are tired of only hearing about the problems and want to know how they can help. They also like to have a break from “doomscrolling” [tendance à faire défiler les mauvaises nouvelles sur son téléphone], especially in the chaos of the current pandemic and other global conflicts. »

“It’s not crazy optimism here, it’s simply the way to solutions, adds Philippe Poitras. There’s a good old saying that comes from baseball that goes, “It’s never over until it’s over. [citation de Yogi Berra]”. At Unpointfive, that’s where we are. We are never safe from a home run.