“No one wants to hear about climate change now—not even climate change activists,” she said. “It’s like shouting in a gale storm: Nobody’s listening to you.”
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19032020/climate-change-activism-coronavirus
BY JUDY FAHYS
Until the coronavirus crisis exploded in the United States, Cherise Udell was helping to organize a national climate-action training aimed at mobilizing as many as 11 million people to fight for serious climate solutions.
As founder of the group, Utah Moms for Clean Air, she’s learned firsthand how building trust face-to-face is crucial for taking on big issues associated with a healthy environment.
But three weeks ago, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, she persuaded fellow organizers in the upcoming Arm in Arm 4 Climate campaign to rethink an upcoming activist training retreat. Instead of gathering in Washington, D.C., they are going to plan their direct actions virtually.
“No one wants to hear about climate change now—not even climate change activists,” she said. “It’s like shouting in a gale storm: Nobody’s listening to you.”
The coronavirus pandemic has created a quandary for the climate activists just as the movement has achieved unprecedented momentum. It’s a pivotal moment for the cause because polls show that a majority of Americans see climate change as a problem. Just last month, a poll found that seven of every 10 voters said government should be doing more to address climate change. And leading up to the November elections, the issue is in play in everything from races for state legislatures and congressional seats to the campaign for the presidency.
For many activists, the world response to COVID-19 could prove to be an object lesson for climate change. How the pandemic is managed—or mismanaged—illustrates points that they have been trying to make for the climate with mixed success.
On Thursday, Laurence Tubiana, a former French diplomat involved with the 2015 Paris climate accord, described coronavirus as a wake-up call for governments to deal with climate change swiftly, according to Reuters. She said viruses, like climate change, do not respect borders. “If we do not manage the climate crisis it will be the same,” she said.
