Avoiding judgment in climate change conversations

Unexpected Reality Check at the UN: Climate Accountability, Unfiltered 🥵 So, there I was, queueing up at the United Nations two weeks ago and I strike up a conversation with an older British gentleman. We chat about climate action… until his “passion” veers into a full-on critique of India’s climate record. All while he fondly recalls political dinners in India and UK from “the good old days.” 🍽️ Here’s the kicker: not once did he mention the UK’s own environmental legacy or the colonial footprint that paved the way👀 As a climate scientist, urban planner and policy strategist, I’ve seen this “it’s not me, it’s you” mindset too often—more across my work in Europe and North America. Where it is easier to perpetuate the colonial legacy of blaming “Global South” for all things wrong with the world—while rejoicing in the region’s abundance. (Don’t even get me started on “global south” term; those who are close to me know how much I despise this colonial division). And frankly, it’s blocking the very progress we desperately need—for our own future🌍 The planet will survive. Humanity—may not!! 🥵 It would have been easy to short-circuit at this moment. But, past experience of policy dialogue and climate negotiations have taught me how to move beyond finger-pointing to real climate solutions. Here’s how I do it: 1️⃣ Recognise the History 📜 Colonial legacies didn’t vanish overnight; they shape our realities. To truly build sustainable futures, we must confront the past. 2️⃣ Encourage Open Dialogue 🗣️ Real progress demands that all voices, especially those often overlooked, get heard. Collaboration > confrontation. 3️⃣ Focus on Solutions, Not Blame 🔧 Blame or guilt trip won’t reduce emissions. Collective, forward-thinking action will. The climate conversation needs a reset—one that’s honest, inclusive, and actionable. 💭 What are your thoughts? What would you have done in my position? ♻️ Drop your insights below and let’s make content that matters go viral! 💌 For full video of unfiltered thoughts, head over to Instagram - https://lnkd.in/g42drJ6K #ClimateAction #Sustainability #India #PublicPolicy #UrbanPlanning

If we keep framing sustainability as “the right thing to do,” we’ll keep losing the conversation. When I met William McDonough, the renowned architect and pioneer of the circular economy, a few years ago in Saudi, he told me something that has stayed with me ever since: “When we talk about saving the planet, we turn it into an ethical issue. But we won’t solve problems if they’re seen only as ethical. Don’t make it an ethical problem — make it a quality of life problem.” That shifted everything for me. Because when we frame sustainability only as morality — net zero, saving the planet, doing the “right” thing — it polarizes people. It becomes about guilt, sacrifice, or blame. But when we frame it as quality of life, people lean in. In our region, water scarcity isn’t abstract, it’s about health, food, and dignity. Climate change isn’t distant, it’s hotter summers and more extreme weather, already here. This is why jargon may work between professionals, but it doesn’t empower society at large. Real empowerment comes when people see that sustainability is not a burden but an invitation into a better way of living. 👉 How do you think we can reframe the conversation so people feel invited, not judged? #Sustainability #CircularEconomy #ClimateAction #MENAImpact

Why facts aren’t fixing the climate crisis and how the first AI showed us why. In the 1960s, a computer program named ELIZA accidentally became the world’s first successful AI. It mimicked a therapist by simply reflecting people’s own words back to them. It wasn’t clever. It wasn’t scientific. But people loved it – because it didn’t challenge their beliefs. It confirmed them. Fast-forward to now, and we’re still seeing this pattern – not in therapy, but in how we respond to climate change. People don’t want more climate facts. They want their feelings and values reflected. That’s why we can’t fight climate misinformation with data alone. It backfires. Just like ELIZA, people prefer conversations that resonate, not ones that confront. So what can we do? 🌍 We need to adopt an AI informed approach, not using artificial intelligence but emotionally intelligent tactics: Here’s how: ✅ Mirror values, not facts – Instead of debating the data, reflect someone’s values. Talk health, family, community, pride in nature, fairness. Let them feel seen first. ✅ Ask, don’t tell – ELIZA worked by asking questions. So can we. "What kind of world do you want your kids to grow up in?" opens more hearts than “The IPCC says…” ✅ Customise the message – Just as AI tailors content, we need to meet people where they are. Talking savings to small business owners, clean air to parents, and local nature to hikers. ✅ Use social proof – Show what others like them are doing. People follow their peers, not reports. ✅ Create safe conversation spaces – Online echo chambers worsen division. We need real life, empathetic, in person dialogue in homes, clubs, places of worship, gyms, allotments. 📣 That’s exactly what my coaching and Carbon Literacy work is all about – helping people and organisations move from overwhelm or resistance to action and connection, through tools, conversations, and mindset shifts that really work. If you’re working on sustainability, running community initiatives, or feeling stuck on how to have better conversations about the climate crisis I’d love to help. Drop me a message or check out my upcoming courses and coaching options on my website (link in profile) #ClimateCommunication #ELIZA #Sustainability #Coaching #CarbonLiteracy #EmotionalIntelligence #ValuesBasedLeadership #CommunityEngagement #BehaviourChange

Euronews Green re-published my article on climate denial and delay - unfortunately, it's as relevant as it was a year ago, with research showing that a third of UK teenagers think the climate crisis is exaggerated, and 15% of the US population not believing in the climate crisis. What many people don't realise is that climate denial is often a response to fear - namely, a fear of change and the looming threat that soon, much of what we hold dear will be at risk. Climate change inherently threatens our sense of identity which is so closely tied to lifestyles and our immediate environment. I have spoken to many "climate sceptics" who, after being given a safe space to express their feelings, acknowledged that their resistance stems from intense worry about the future, or their children's future. Interestingly, some of these people practice sustainable behaviours such as growing their own food or buying second hand, whilst refusing to engage with the bigger picture. My approach is to practice radical compassion and not automatically assume malicious intent. Yes, a lot of climate denial is pushed by the fossil fuel industry, their PR firms and folks with certain political motivations - but you'll find that many people are stuck in passive denial, feeling like there is nothing they can do to tackle this crisis. Validating difficult feelings, speaking to people's values and reminding them of their own power can go a long way towards dismantling the most stubborn defence mechanisms. Let's continue the conversation in the comments! #ClimateCommunication #ClimatePsychology #ClimateDenial https://lnkd.in/ent_w65b