Why play 'devil's advocate' to people trying to fix the world when you could help instead?
Also, here's how you build an energy community.
***
A youth activist sighs at the meeting. Why do people seem to understand the climate crisis but still not do anything?
We can be a judgemental bunch, it’s the stress of the job. Or a fault in our characters.
Why are People so passive? Are People paralysed?
The psychology of climate inaction is wild to me.
Let’s take this guy as an example. I’m having some drinks at my friend’s place. Never met this guy before. Nice guy. Drinks Corona. Works in marketing or coding or studies business. Intelligent. Listens to podcasts.
Let’s call him James.
He thinks it’s so cool that you’re involved in climate action. He’s been meaning to do more to help the planet. Do you have any advice on where to start? What do you think about electric cars? What do you think about Elon Musk going to space?
You say, it’s not about replacing every car with an electric car. It’s about having fewer cars and being more resource-eff-.
Totally, he says. But realistically how are you going to convince people to give up their cars?
You say, nobody’s giving up their cars, just scaling down production of new fossil fuelled cars and investing in better public transport and cycling infrastruc-
Yeah but what about car companies? Realistically they’re never going to agree to stop producing cars.
You stare at your drink and wonder if this conversation is Where The Change Happens.
It’s not about getting corporations to make that decision, you say. You’re not even sure multinationals should exist in a sustainable economy. It’s about incentivising a transition-
Sustainable economy? Wait, let me guess, you’re a socialist? Ha sorry. I just like playing devil’s advocate, you know. Because I totally agree but like. Don’t you think it’s a bit unrealistic?
And because I’m someone who has dwindling patience by the day, normally in this point in the conversation I shrug and say something that cuts the peace in half like yeah true, guess I’ll just quit my job then.
I sound bitter, I do. But it’s just tiredness. It’s not always James or a well-intentioned guy having this conversation. Sometimes it’s a family member, coworker, friend. Sometimes it’s me, sometimes it’s you. It’s what we do when we’re faced with a new idea we like the sound of but are not really willing to commit to. Like me with yoga.
The passive middle grounders. It’s easy to agree with things ‘in principle’ and want a sustainable and just transition ‘in theory’ but then we pick holes in the means and every available path to achieve this.
It’s unrealistic. Maybe we can find change within the current system instead. Wasn’t there some scandal about that NGO anyway? Don’t you just find [insert activist here] a bit aggressive? You can’t expect Other People to ‘suddenly’ change. It’s not in our individual control anyway. It’s always up to Other People.
You invite them to attend a climate movement meeting, or a march, or read an article. They’ll have to see. It’s on the list.
We’ve all done this. It’s human nature to be afraid to make the leap unless there’s a guarantee of a safety net. We want the change can happen with minimal work and minimal loss. For example, I would surely rather encourage my friends to take more time off and agree that I should too, rather than actually do it.
The devil does not need an advocate. You cannot be passive. Everything we do is political.
I won’t convince James to join the revolution that evening - but we were all in the passive middle group once and we left it. Someday, the spark of impetus for him to leave his comfort zone and demand change will come, just as it comes for all of us.
***
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What’s Going On?
Governments sinking trillions into fossil fuel and farming subsidies that wreak ‘environmental havoc’ and must be redirected to climate action.
Related: Nearly half of country climate pledges plan to keep extracting fossil fuels.Energy efficiency must double by 2030 to reach net zero targets, says International Energy Agency.
Related: Peak oil is on the horizon.Global delegates met in Bonn this month to kick off climate negotiations ahead of major UN conference. Here’s what happened.
Related: 96 people die in heatwave in India.150 economists call on wealthy countries to redirect trillions from fossil fuels and the 1% into climate action.
Related: Macron, Biden and 11 other world leaders pledge a ‘just and inclusive transition’.Over 3000 scientists condemn use of misinformation that has fuelled attacks over the EU reforms to restore nature.
Related: Isn’t it messed up to have to convince politicians to protect nature?
Focus On… Energy Communities
Alexandra Vaquez-Mera talks to Ionna Theodosiou about how people can take control of their own energy.
My name is Ioanna Theodosiou, I'm a policy officer at The Green Tank, an environmental think tank based in Athens. I am working on the just transition and energy democracy.
We focus our work on energy, climate and environmental policy and sustainable development. We recently created a Community Energy Watch to monitor the developments of community energy in Greece.
What are energy communities?
Energy communities are a way for citizens to produce their own clean energy collectively and promote energy democracy.
While not a new concept in Europe, energy communities have gained recognition as a vital method for citizen participation in the energy transition since the introduction of the EU’s Clean Energy package in 2019.
Why does it matter who owns the energy?
Until recently, our energy system was very centralised. It was an energy system based on fossil fuels and fossil fuel extraction. The whole system, the production and distribution of energy, is in the hands of a few companies. So we had only two actors, public and private energy companies.
But recently, we’re seeing the emergence of a third actor: citizens. Citizens today own energy projects and also benefit from its use. They have decided to become “prosumers”, producers and consumers at the same time.
Cooperatives are the most common legal form that citizens choose for their collective energy schemes. Cooperatives are a type of entrepreneurship that creates environmental, economic, and social benefit rather than financial gain.
Through energy communities, citizens cover their own energy needs and the money stays in the local economy. Energy communities have the power to tackle energy poverty, to weather the energy crisis, and to enable citizens to participate equally in the energy transition.
During the recent energy crisis, we saw that the price of energy skyrocketed, meanwhile, energy communities were able to provide more affordable power to the members of their cooperative. So it matters who owns the energy.
What are the challenges of running an energy community?
Energy communities face several challenges. The lack of a legal framework that would help their development, limited grid availability leading to difficulties in developing their projects, and limited funding sources for the operation and development of projects.
Relevant:
Here are exactly the policies that could support a community energy transition. Here is an in-depth report on financing opportunities for energy communities.
Adding to this, the energy sector demands technical knowledge and when you talk with people about energy, they say “okay, that's for the big players, the companies know better, they have the infrastructure”. And that's true to a point. But when people participate, they also gain this knowledge.
What at first seems like information and topics only for the experts becomes understood on the ground. We become familiar with what electricity production is, what panels are, what efficiency is, how power is measured, how much was consumed, how the grid operates.
I think the solution is policy measures that will enable the development of energy communities in all EU countries and enhance citizens’ participation in the energy market, and more people getting educated and participating in energy communities.
What's the situation specifically in Greece?
In Greece, energy communities were already established in 2018, before the introduction of the Clean Energy package framework. Currently in Greece there are around 1,400 energy communities.
Energy communities are growing across the country, but they play a crucial role specifically in the Greek coal regions undergoing transition. The emergence of energy communities in these areas shows how the tradition of these regions as energy hubs has led citizens to collectively participate in the energy transition by developing renewable energy projects.
There is a will in local communities to participate and have direct access to the economic benefits of the transition.
What support is there for energy cooperatives in the EU?
There are two main pieces of EU legislation: the Renewable Energy Directive II and the Internal Electricity Market Directive, which provide definitions for two distinct types of energy communities, Renewable Energy Communities and Citizen Energy Communities.
It is now the responsibility of Member States to integrate these directives into national laws and take measures to support energy communities in accordance with European regulations.
However, there are still significant challenges, particularly regarding funding and grid availability. While dedicated funding exists for energy communities in coal regions through the European just transition fund and national resources from the auctioning of CO2 allowances in Greece, there is a lack of a comprehensive funding scheme throughout the country.
The establishment of a development fund specifically for energy communities would be beneficial.
Another major obstacle is the insufficient availability of the grid, resulting in the rejection of nearly 50% of the energy community requests.
I want to start an energy community! But err.. how?
Here is a coalition guide to setting up an energy community in your town.
The first step is to find people to work together, to create a team. You need people who share your same goals and mindset and needs, i.e. we all want to heat our homes in a sustainable way.
Then you have to decide which legal form best suits the needs of the group. Once you have the legal form, you become a legal entity, and you try to find funds. You can also open your entity to your community, collaborating with your municipality or small or medium businesses.
The European Commission's repository provides more information on this topic. Additionally, each member state has a focal point for energy communities. It's important to note that not all European countries have implemented national support systems for Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), as tracked by REScoop.
People need tools, not only ambition. You have to convince policymakers and municipalities to help make it possible. Local communities need to be included in the bigger discussion about a sustainable future. They’re key stakeholders in the transition, and energy communities can open up that dialogue.
You can follow The Green Tank on Twitter @The_GreenTank and LinkedIn.
So Now What Do I Do?
LEARN MORE
Read: The energy transition should include women and minorities for real change.
Listen: Beyonce, inflation and the case for climate optimism.
TRY SOMETHING NEW
Living in a major European city? Generation Climate Europe wants to know your thoughts on mobility!
Learn how to decolonise your leadership style (and what that even means) on the 11 July at this online workshop.
The Council of Europe has an open call for submissions to their handbook on youth and democracy in the climate crisis. Pitch by 15 July.
CHANGE THE SYSTEM
Deadline today! Register to take part in the consultation on meaningful youth engagement in Agenda 2030.
Apply for this six-month training and grant program for Climate Democracy in action.
#EU4Ocean is calling for projects that improve ocean literacy to receive funding! Apply by 14 July.
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So glad I found my way here. Your piece on “devil’s advocate” is spot-on. People dislike and avoid the unknown. While much is predictable about the climate crisis, what to do about it feels to many like a great unknown. The all-or-nothing paralysis stems from our modern mindset of “command and control or go home”. I just read British-born, (now living in Sweden) Dougald Hine’s new book, “At Work in the Ruins.” Highly recommend. Last thing - I love your good-news feature. Do you know about Grist? It’s an e-newsletter here in the US with a similar mission. Keep up the great work!