A manifesto for flourishing in climate change

Nine years ago, when I attended the Unesco NGO Forum in Riyadh, a riveting conversation began to unfold at lunchtime.

- CHINTAN GIRISH MODI

An activist I was speaking with was on the lookout for vegan options. Curious about the reasons for his choice, I ventured to ask why. “I love travelling,” he said, “I cannot give that up to reduce my carbon footprint; giving up meat was easier.”

It struck me as a self-aware, imaginative response to the climate crisis, tailored to his own situation rather than an oppressive, top-down approach that might seem perfect on paper but tough to implement. I remembered the conversation while reading Thomas Doherty's book Surviving Climate Anxiety: Coping, Healing and Thriving on a Changing Planet. It is geared towards helping readers reclaim their agency and creativity amidst environmental disasters.

The author is a clinical psychologist, who researches the psychological impacts of climate change and integrates them into his practice. He also trains mental health professionals addressing eco-anxiety. This professional grounding shines throughout the book, which delivers information with emotional intelligence and restraint, making it not only a source of reassurance but empowerment. There is no peddling of false hope or minimising the scale of the crisis.