To avert climate disaster, we need resilient societies built on love, not just technology

When things look especially bleak for humankind, it’s worth reminding ourselves who we are – what makes us such a special species.

- Gaia Vince

Beyond our machines and buildings, beyond our fiery conquests, we’re exceptional because we are capable of love. And not just one to one and within families, but on a massive scale.

This is especially pertinent as we face the climate crisis. Our technologies will be vital in solving this crisis : windmills to decarbonise our energy systems , flood defences against rising seas , and air conditioners to survive heatwaves. We will need many more technological fixes, and much faster.

Just as essential to our survival, however, are social fixes. Love is often seen as a charming but irrelevant characteristic in our species’ story , the remit of poets. But love is what draws us together to forge the strong, caring societies that make us so successful as a species . And it is what will, ultimately, save us from this crisis.

The biggest issue will be poverty , and the solution is not technological but social. Take food. Climate change will hit crops around the world – extreme weather will cause harvests to be lost regularly, potentially slashing crop production by a third by 2050.