The Climate Crisis is a Social Crisis | Richard Heinberg

We’re living in the anthropocene — a geological period defined by the impact of human activity on the planet’s climate and ecosystems. Essentially, it’s our behaviour that’s at the root of the problem. But so often this isn’t addressed as the root. Our economic system claims tech will save us from ourselves—but imagine we do find a silver bullet, do we have the social cohesion in place to implement that solution, or any?

That’s what Richard Heinberg, senior fellow at Post Carbon Institute, joins me to discuss. Richard’s devoted his life to understanding the crisis and its solutions, authoring 14 books and hundreds of articles on the topic. Richard’s a big picture thinker, and he believes it is our behaviour and our current political division which is the real threat to climate progress.

We discuss energy rationing, political division, the effect of increasing economic inequality, and the knowledge gap between the public and leaders.

• Listen on Apple or Spotify

• Watch on Youtube

• Read the interview transcript

• Bonus video out on Friday

© Rachel Donald