Humanism and Climate Change

I find myself stewing about climate change frequently. Despite my best efforts at buffering myself to the onslaught of grim news articles regarding climate change and their sequlae, it seems near impossible to push the intrusive nature of the change in the weather out of my mind. Living in Queensland, it feels hot, but maybe that’s normal for this time of the year? Like a boiling frog I’m unable to discern the incremental change in the environment that gradually contributes to increasingly hostile living conditions for humans and other species alikes.

Humans, the nexus at the center of most of what is happening. We have now impacted the climate so forcefully we are living in what scientists called the anthropocene, that is, a geologic unit of time DEFINED by our impact on the environment. This potential we’ve realised, humanism, defined, globally by our current impact on boiling an environment critical to our survival.

When I think of this as a concept I’m unable to reconcile the consequences of societal and global actions with the idea that we should live in a manner that is beneficial to our fellow man. How do we reconcile a humanist approach to living, that is, a beneficence to our global neighbours, with a societal and political apathy towards actually taking meaningful action?

Of course the answer is obvious. Captured political interests across both sides of the aisle or political spectrum. Evidence here in Australia shows special interest groups no long just donate to one side but instead are donating to both sides, because it’s convenient to play the field and be able to lobby whoever is in power.

So where does that leave the rest of us? The reality is, we’re left holding a rather uncomfortable bag. On one hand, we’re told to make individual changes - use less plastic, ride our bikes more, eat less meat. Noble pursuits, certainly, but when you consider that just 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions , it feels a bit like bringing a reusable straw to a wildfire.

The humanist approach would suggest we need to consider the collective good, to act in ways that benefit not just ourselves but all of humanity. But how do we square that circle when the very systems we operate within are designed to prioritise profit over planetary survival?

Perhaps the answer lies not in individual action alone, but in collective pressure. While we might not be able to single-handedly stop climate change by sorting our recycling, we can:

• Vote with both our ballots and our wallets
• Support organisations pushing for systemic change
• Engage in community-level initiatives that build resilience
• Demand transparency from corporations and governments
• Build networks of mutual aid that will be crucial as climate impacts worsen

The humanist perspective on climate change isn’t about perfection - it’s about progress. It’s about acknowledging that while we may be part of the problem, we’re also essential to any solution. It means recognising that our responsibility to each other extends beyond national borders and current generations to encompass all of humanity, present and future.

The path forward isn’t clear, and that’s okay. What is clear is that we need to stop pretending that market forces alone will save us, or that technology will provide a last-minute miracle. We need to embrace our collective humanity and act accordingly, even as our political systems seem determined to do otherwise.

Because in the end, humanism isn’t just about believing in human potential - it’s about actually living up to it.

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Banner image by Black Forest Labs

Model: Flux Ultra v1.1

Prompt: Modernist, abstract painting depicting a bare and stark wasteland with a silhoutte of a human and a bare tree. Simple colors, yellow, orange.