Respect! This is the one word I feel summarizes the climate agenda. On the one hand, the respect for the systems that sustain life on earth: ecosystems, water, land and, of course, the atmosphere and climate system. And on the other hand, the respect for the complexity of societal transformation: the fact that a low-carbon and resource-efficient society requires fundamental changes in all socio-economic systems that sustain our modern societies and the welfare state. The question at hand is not, as it is often framed, how we can “protect the climate”; it is instead how we can secure human society and wellbeing, for current and future generations. It is not the climate system that faces a crisis; it is we humans.
My passion and curiosity for the climate system really took off when I did my research back in the early 1990s in places where changes today are most profound—in the Polar Regions. When you experience the vastness of Antarctica and the diversity of the Arctic, it has an impact on you. You feel small as an individual, the power of nature is immense but, at the same time, you realize that even in these remote places, human impacts are profound. We can already observe staggering changes due to human-induced climate change in the Arctic, with dwindling summer sea ice, melting glaciers and rapid changes in ecosystems.
I have been blessed with a career that, since then, has taken many turns and offered different dimensions and perspectives. From working in different UN agencies, heading an international research foundation, to now, serving as the chair of the Swedish Climate Policy Council, as a senior advisor to the President of Stockholm University, and as a member of numerous boards. An increasing share of my time is dedicated to communication and dialogue, as a way to stimulate interest and action related to climate change. Through this, I meet company boards and executive teams, organizations, politicians and journalists. This is a reflection on just how far we have moved with the climate change agenda. It is evident that the entire society is engaged; this is a huge difference compared with just 10-15 years ago. One of my tasks today is also to have a regular piece on climate on the Swedish National Channel 4 Saturday morning news program. Explaining the complexities of climate change and societal transformation in ways that people can grasp is an interesting challenge. And to do so in a way that communicates the severity of the challenge while not instilling a feeling of doom and despair. Instead, doing so in a way that spurs curiosity to learn more, and stimulates that drive “to do more”, rather than shutting yourself off from a problem that can feel overwhelming.
A sense of optimism drives my work. It builds on the fact that we, all of us in our different roles and capacities that together form human society, clearly have a shared responsibility—and ability—to solve the environmental challenges we face. If we just put our minds and resources together. It is a conscious choice I have made, but my optimism is also based on actual positive developments that are increasingly evident all around us, not least in recent years. Sometimes, I face criticism for my optimism.
Some accuse me of being naïve and closing my eyes to problems. But believe me, I know we are still facing enormous challenges. And far from everything is going in the right direction. I often lie sleepless in the early hours before dawn and think about what kind of world we will leave behind for our children. I see all these images of environmental degradation, disasters, conflicts, people getting hurt.
I could devote my work to communicating about climate-related threats, about water scarcity causing conflicts, about how we exploit natural resources as if there were no tomorrow, or about how animals and plants are being displaced and are disappearing at an ever accelerating rate. About plastics in the oceans and environmental toxins. Too many leaders who think more about their own power than about our common good. Questions that in many ways still characterize my working day. But I am personally driven by trying to contribute to, and inspire, changes that I hope will lead us to solve problems. For me, it is about starting from a mindset of opportunities instead of constantly being stuck in the description of the problems. To highlight solutions and good examples rather than forever repeating that we are on the way to doom. To believe in our amazing abilities to find solutions rather than focusing on our shortcomings.
I do not argue we can now sit back and let the changes take their course. It is more important than ever that countries and regions take the lead and demonstrate, in practice, that there need not be a conflict between welfare and a strong economy and mitigating climate change. We need cities and regions that build sustainable and attractive urban and rural environments as part of their climate strategies. We need a vibrant business community that can demonstrate it is profitable to set science-based targets, be at the forefront, and that it builds value, creates new business opportunities, and contributes to societal development.
So, my optimism for the future stems from the fact that I genuinely believe in us humans and our abilities. That when we do things together, with united forces, the result can be outstanding. That the many small steps together can become a major step forward. And now I have the opportunity to see this optimistic drive in one of my most stimulating current tasks: as Chair of the Jury of the Children’s Climate Prize . Just imagine the competition this year, with more than 200 candidates from all six continents. The level of innovation and entrepreneurship these kids demonstrate is simply mind-blowing. They do not wait for someone else to take action. They want to shape their own future.
Alone is not strong. My journey through 30 years of working with environmental issues has taught me that this is not an issue only about science and facts. It is equally a question of attitude. Not least our attitude towards how we value what is fundamentally invaluable. After all, the climate is a system that we cannot exist without. Sure, addressing climate change is about policy and technology. But it is also about our relationship to each other as human beings, not only those who are close but also those who are far away. It is about our relationship to future generations and what conditions we leave behind to them. We are united by visible and invisible bonds through both space and time. We breathe the same air, drink the same water, are united in our need for all the services that nature provides us. It is about our relationship with nature and this amazing planet that we are all just temporarily visiting.
Johan is a ChangeMakers’ Ambassador and you can find him here.