Instead of ‘doomsday’ approach, India’s climate activists should centre people and their emotions

If you have been working in the climate space in India for long enough, you would know this: the impacts of the climate crisis are becoming increasingly evident, yet public support for meaningful action is waning.

In the last few years, Indians have experienced a multitude of crises, from a two-year-long pandemic to rising unemployment and underemployment, as well as increasing instances of violence against women and marginalised communities. And amid this polycrisis – where multiple crises interconnect, overlap, and reinforce each other – the climate crisis may have taken a backseat for most people or failed to be recognised as a problem at all.

In India, as in other fast-growing economies, many argue that environmental degradation is simply the price we have to pay for infrastructure growth. And as this narrative gains currency, it is likely that climate advocates will not only be mistrusted but also marginalised. This growing polarisation between pro-”growth-at-all-costs” voices and climate advocates will make it even harder to build consensus around the urgent action needed to address the climate crisis.

Framing climate messaging

If we want to rebuild public support for climate action, it’s essential to get the messaging right. In a time of multiple and overlapping crises, people are easily overwhelmed and may disengage from issues that feel distant or complex. The...

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