Climate Accountability & Responsibility Part One: Individuals

Post #3.1 in the Hope and Justice Series

To create hope by doing justice we must stop bad stuff, set wrong right, and make things better on all of our Olympian Fields of Action, working through the Catalytic-4.

To do this we need to discuss accountability, who is accountable for causing the climate crisis. We can’t stop bad stuff unless we know who is causing it or allowing it. Many on the planet contribute. But that’s not the same thing as causing it. We can’t set wrong right unless we can identify who is really accountable for causing the problem, the injustice. Not all who contribute are accountable, and justice includes holding those accountable to account.

But what does that look like? In keeping with our supreme Movement Value of love, one thing it must not be is punishment and retribution as an end in itself. Rather, accountability must contribute to making things better.

In this four-part Subseries I will focus on individuals. Big Producers of polluting products — the real culprits who are accountable! — will be covered in future posts.

Individual responsibility is not some dreary reckoning we must dread. It is an opportunity to join a cause worthy of our full selves and find our Olympian Fields of Action where we can make our future come faster and our world more beautiful.

As individuals we are not accountable. But we are responsible. What gives?

Accountability here refers to those persons and collective entities whose actions have caused, are causing, and will cause harm, or have allowed such harm.

Responsibility refers to everyone and every entity that can do something about the harm.

The issue of accountability for climate consequences is highly fraught. When conversations around accountability come up, individuals may feel guilt — precisely because they’ve been guilt-tripped!

First let us remember that guilt and hope are not opposites. That said, at best they are uneasy allies in the climate fight. At worst they work at cross purposes. Guilt may work temporarily for some, but it won’t last — and sustained commitment over time is what’s needed. Guilt can easily lead to dejection, despair, and inaction. This tilt of guilt means it’s not neutral; it is bent towards inaction.

Over the long term the tilt of guilt is bent towards inaction.

We must be very careful that feelings of guilt do not drive us to denial and even opposition.

At the same time, we must remember that hope does not deny reality. It does not deny hard truths. Hope is rooted in reality, because only then can we make progress on what we hope for.

And when it comes to accountability a hard truth from scientists is that the climate crisis is “anthropogenic” or “human-induced.” In other words, it ain’t nature. It’s us. Guilty as charged.

But who is the us?

Here’s another part, an essential part, of the truth. As I’ve said before, here’s our reality: The actions of an individual cannot create a systemic aggregate problem.

It’s us — but not you, not me.

There’s an even more important flip side to that: the actions of an individual cannot solve a systemic aggregate problem.

That’s why the Climate Movement is indispensable. That’s why the Climate Movement is our most important source of hope — not billionaires, not politicians — us.

That’s why Climate Action Artist-Athletes need Climate Action Supporters.

That’s why the Catalytic-4 must join forces. That’s why we are responsible together.

As individuals we are not accountable for causing it. But we are responsible for being a part of overcoming it by being a part of collective action over time.

Our ideology of individualism may chafe at both of these and resist, but such resistance is the real denial of reality.

Climate change won’t be overcome unless we join together. We must be together enough.

To be responsible together on all our Olympian Fields of Action is to become a part of the greatest and most long-lasting social change movement in the history of the world as we make the impossible possible and the possible actual and the actual beautiful and our future come faster. Join us!

If you are new here, check out our Intro Series, and earlier posts in this Olympian Fields of Action Series. If you like this post, please “like,” comment, and share. And thanks for all you’re doing.