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Joined by our Founder, Jo Taranto, it was our pleasure to unpack the big issues with Dr. Jonica Newby, scientist, presenter, and author of, Beyond Climate Grief. Best known for her two decades on ABC TV’s popular weekly science program, Catalyst.
It started with a thwack.
For Newby, writing about navigating climate grief was sparked by the "emotional gut punch" she felt after realising how climate change would affect her 'heart-place', the snow country. She describes how after a year of researching global warming and her love for snow, that the reality of climate change "had gone from being abstract and intellectual to being emotional."
Disaster led growth began
The apocalyptic 2019-2020 Australian fires, which happened just as she started writing her book didn't help things. But while Newby, felt it did add to her grief and the emotional experience of writing, the fires also shaped how she approached disasters and begin to understand 'post-trauma growth'.
There’s still lots to learn
For Newby, the fires highlighted what we can gain from such intense experiences as they can connect us with our 'hood - our loved ones, friends, and allies. The value of finding the good in people and situations to balance out climate anxiety, Newby recalls, "as a motivator fear doesn't work for us long term". Instead, understanding and labelling climate grief as a real emotion and then using a process of active hope or a sense of 'magical optimism' is a far more powerful way to build positive relationships and communities as a climate action response .
Community helps
Good For a Chat saw this in action as our own amazing community with our attendees asking questions about navigating their own climate grief. One explored how we can decouple climate action from political rhetoric through language, education, and activism. Newby emphasised the importance of reaching 'across the divide' and appealing to what they find important in order to achieve these unexpected connections and a bipartisan approach.
Beyond Climate Grief by Dr Jonica Newby is available through all good book stores and growing numbers of local libraries. Good For a Chat continues each month with a new thought leader. Stay tuned for more inspiring and enlightening talks.
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The GOOD News
Good For the Hood operates on the traditional lands of the Wallumadegal across the Eora and Darug Nations, where connection to community has been carefully nurtured for thousands of years.
We acknowledge and pay our respects to Elders past and present.
Our mission is to empower Australian individuals and organisations to create positive environmental and social change in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We do this by providing resources, networks and tools for advocates which support their efforts toward a more sustainable and regenerative future.