Articles | Volume 77, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-77-421-2022
https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-77-421-2022
Standard article
 | 
05 Oct 2022
Standard article |  | 05 Oct 2022

Between climates of fear and blind optimism: the affective role of emotions for climate (in)action

Lena Maria Schlegel

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Cited articles

Ahmed, S.: The Cultural Politics of Emotion, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, ISBN 0748618465, ISBN 0748618473, 2004a. 
Ahmed, S.: Affective Economies, Social Text, 117–139, https://muse.jhu.edu/article/55780 (last access: 1 July 2022), 2004b. 
Albrecht, G.: Earth Emotions: New Words for a New World, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, USA, ISBN 978-1501715228, 2019. 
Anderson, B.: Becoming and Being Hopeful: Towards a New Theory of Affect, Environ. Plan. D, 24, 733–752, https://doi.org/10.1068/d393t, 2006. 
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Short summary
Emotions play an underestimated role for how humans make meaning about their place in the world and respond to problems. What is most puzzling about climate inaction is that it occurs in spite of the overwhelming knowledge about the problem at stake. By looking at how emotions connect knowledge and action in how humans respond to environmental problems, we can better understand how climate inaction can persist and how transformative change might be enabled.