Psychologists rally to fight climate change

sea-maid submitted, created time 2 months 3 weeks (www.newscientist.com)

FEELING blue about climate change? Don't despair. Psychologists say they can switch our mindset from fatalism to "can-do" optimism, making a unique and vital contribution to the fight against global warming.

On 15 August at the American Psychological Association meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, delegates vowed to expose and help overcome the psychological barriers individuals face. "It's so easy to feel overwhelmed and think: 'What can little me do?'" says David Uzzell of the University of Surrey, U.K.

Most people now accept that global warming is real and caused by human activity. Uzzell cites surveys carried out by the U.K. government this year showing that 80 percent of Brits are at least "fairly concerned" about climate change. A Stanford University, California, poll conducted this August shows that 75 percent of Americans believe warming can only be reduced if individuals change their lifestyles. So why aren't we doing ...

Keywords: public relations public opinion depression global climate change psychologists psychology Global warming climate change