Cox on climate dread

Robin Cox: Youth are the climate leaders we need now

Climate action expert Prof. Robin Cox was interviewed for the newsletter for CBC climate podcast What on Earth?, regarding how to avoid despair and dread when contemplating the climate crisis.

Here’s an excerpt:

"When we feel we can do nothing, it's very easy to slide into despair," said Dr. Robin Cox, director of the Adaptation Learning Network at Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C. 

She says those feelings are completely natural in the face of increasing extreme weather events, but there are things you can do to feel less helpless in a changing world.

First, there's a measure of self-care. Cox says it's important to acknowledge dark feelings and manage them, by taking walks in nature, getting good sleep and eating well. And it's important to also take in moments of delight to help combat feelings of despair.

"We experience a range of emotions, and so finding those other emotions and noticing when you're feeling a sense of happiness or sense of joy can also kind of disrupt that chain of anxiety," Cox said.

Read the full story at CBC’s What on Earth?