Climate Change and Psychological Barriers to Change

Dr. Judith Deutsch ( Science for Peace) and Prof. Danny Harvey will talk about Climate Change and Psychological Barriers to Change as a part of the Earthcycle Environment Week at the University of Toronto.

When: Thursday, September 24, 7:00-9:00 pm Where: Cumberland Room, International Student Centre, University of Toronto, 33 St. George Street

This is, in part, a summary of a major conference by the Report by the American Psychological Association’s Task Force on the Interface Between Psychology and Global Climate Change titled “Psychology and Global Climate Change: Addressing a Multi-faceted Phenomenon and Set of Challenges.”

The study includes sections on concern for climate change, not feeling at risk, discounting the future, ethical concerns, population issues, consumption drivers, counter-consumerism movements, psychosocial and mental health impacts of climate change, mental health issues associated with natural and technological disasters, lessons from Hurricane Katrina, uncertainty and despair, numbness or apathy, guilt regarding environmental issues, heat and violence, displacement and relocation, social justice implications, media representations, anxiety, psychological benefits associated with responding to climate change, types of coping responses, denial, judgmental discounting, tokenism and the rebound effect, and belief in solutions outside of human control.

A copy of the report is available at www.apa.org/science

Dr. Judith Deutsch is a psychoanalyst and a social worker and the President of Science for Peace.

Prof. Danny Harvey is with the Geography Department at UofT, a member of the IPCC, and an internationally renowned climate change expert.

The event is organized by Science for Peace as part of the Earthcycle Environment Week at the University of Toronto. See the full program of on the Earthcycle Environment Week at www. earthcycle.ca