THE POWER OF THE RIPPLE EFFECT: WHERE TO NEXT IN THE WAKE OF THE IPCC REPORT
News just in: The world is doomed.
A little alarmist, perhaps, but we wouldn’t blame you if that was your takeaway from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report released earlier this month.
The report was a sobering one, detailing just how urgent it is that the world takes drastic action to avoid the planet warming beyond the agreed threshold of 1.5°C.
It explained clearly that the world’s emissions commitments are not enough to stay under 2°C of warming, stating: “Unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to close to 1.5°C or even 2°C will be beyond reach.”
This will have a wide-ranging, catastrophic impact on the planet and people, from frequent heatwaves and flooding events to food shortages and ocean acidification – and that’s just for starters.
These are hard facts, they are no longer ‘alternate truths’. And, while it’s also true vast changes lie in the hands of our policymakers, ‘we the people’ have the most power.
So, how can one drop of personal action really make a difference in this big (and horrifying) picture?
Moving forward
It can feel easy to tap out in overwhelm and despair, thinking, ‘What’s the point?’
But, as primatologist and environmentalist Dr Jane Goodall says:
“What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Our take? There are no extra humans to do this job. We all have to activate in our own way.
The key to moving forward in the face of catastrophe is to acknowledge how far we’ve already come while focusing on the ultimate goal.
While we can always do more, we need to value the small, incremental shifts too, because they build momentum that sets bigger changes in motion. It’s the power of the ripple effect.
Climate change is no longer someone else’s problem, and it’s no longer a ‘this or that’ conversation. It’s a ‘yes, and’:
Yes, I am choosing to walk instead of drive most days AND I plan to vote with the planet in mind at the next election.
Yes, I always bring my own coffee cup to the café AND I’ve committed to moving my super into an ethical fund.
Yes, I shop at my local farmer’s market AND I’m part of my local Landcare organisation and get there at least twice a year.
Yes, I do see where some businesses are trying and falling short… AND I’m going to acknowledge their efforts and encourage them to do more.
We’re shifting the conversation: Mindset is as important as action
At foundher, our ripple effect begins with mindset. We believe deeply that we all need to evolve our attitude, behaviours and skills to navigate the complexity of the journey ahead of us.
While much of the conversation right now is focused on the actions individuals and businesses need to take to reduce emissions, actions are only half the framework for success.
Mindset is vital because it acts as a compass for the way forward. If we’re paralysed with uncertainty or overwhelmed with ambiguity, we’re going to fall short of our targets every time.
That’s why we’re proudly contributing to surveys and participating in the Inner Development Goals Initiative, which is a framework of capabilities, qualities and skills that are needed to make the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals a reality by 2030.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were devised in 2015 to offer a comprehensive plan for a sustainable world by 2030. But, six years on, we’ve made little progress.
The Inner Development Goals recognise that we need to be more effective in our work to achieve greater sustainability and wellbeing for the planet and people. We can’t go it alone – we must learn to collaborate.
The inner skills required to meet this challenge range from self-awareness to critical thinking to communication and courage, and they are woven into everything we teach and talk about at foundher.
This is what it means to truly ‘be’ sustainable. And when you’re being sustainable, you can have a far greater impact on the world.
Your move
Let’s shift the conversation. The biggest question we all need to answer in the wake of the IPCC Report is what our individual part could look like. What are you already doing to reduce emissions, and what further steps can you take? How is your mindset supporting you in taking those steps?
The answer will be different for everyone, but to get the ball rolling, we’ve compiled some ideas you can implement today to shift you out of overwhelm and amplify your ripple effect.
Facts to follow: Look for information from trusted sources to grow your understanding of climate change. Check out the UN Sustainable Development Goals website and follow along on Instagram @sdgaction to get an understanding of what ‘great’ looks like.
While you’re there, add the UN Environment Programme @unep to your feed for planet-saving initiatives and environmental education.
You’ll begin to recognise what businesses are already doing to align with the SDGs and where we can all step up our efforts.
Habits to embrace: We can all do more to clean up our act and reduce our own carbon emissions in everyday life, from starting a compost heap in the backyard to switching to a renewable energy provider.
Follow @banish.au on Instagram for daily tips and tools to reduce your waste and sign up to Trace, which allows you to measure your carbon footprint for free and offset emissions through a portfolio of climate projects.
And, if you’re not already active in your local community planting trees, picking up plastic and having proactive conversations with neighbours and your local MP, now’s the time to reach out and get involved. Community gardens or Landcare organisations are a fantastic starting point. You could also find (or start!) a Facebook group that supports sustainability initiatives in your area.
Skills to learn: Explore the Inner Development Goals Initiative here and get familiar with the skills needed for the future.
Then, stay tuned on foundher’s social media channels and our journal. We’ll continue to participate and share our learnings in this area with ambitious leaders of change who are committed to supporting not only doing sustainable things, but being sustainable – a commitment at all levels.
The future is in our hands. Let’s not sit and wait for doomsday. There is no planet B.