Why take action?

Throughout this course, you’ve explored the immense challenges the climate crisis poses, and the transformative changes needed to address it.

Now, as you shift towards creating your personal action plan, it’s important to remind yourself why taking action matters. 

The choices we make today will determine whether we face widespread catastrophe or create a future that is safer, fairer and filled with possibility. Taking action isn’t just about preventing disaster – it’s also about shaping a better world, one where communities thrive, ecosystems flourish and lives improve. 

For those from the Global North or living lifestyles with very high emissions, the need for action is especially important. Their everyday choices contribute to the problem, but they also hold the potential to be part of the solution. If you are from the North, it may not be your fault that things are the way they are, but it’s within your power to listen to those most affected and collectively work towards changing things. If we don’t all act, the problem only grows. 

If you live in in the Global South, the climate crisis often hits you hardest, despite contributing the least to the problem. Communities face rising sea levels, extreme weather and disruptions to livelihoods. Addressing these challenges requires effective leadership and resilience in tackling the crisis, whether through grassroots movements, innovative solutions or calls for climate justice. Taking action is a way to demand fair solutions that address both climate impacts and historical injustices. 

The truth is we all have a role to play. Our actions matter, whether they are through the decisions we make in our daily lives or by influencing the communities we are part of and the broader organisations and systems with which we interact. Choosing to act is a powerful way to align your values with the changes you want to see, to be part of the solution rather than the problem. 

Share your thoughts

Now that you’ve gained so much insight over the past weeks, what motivates you most to take action? Has your perspective or sense of urgency shifted? 

After thinking about your current motivations, look back at your answer from the poll you took in step 1.3 on what motivates you to engage with the climate crisis. Has your answer changed? Share your thoughts and discuss with other learners in the Comments section.