Credit: Hartman, Steven, Peter Norrman, Anders Birgersson and Thomas McGovern. What challenges do we face from climate change and how can we meet them? Originally published in bifrostonline.org, 12 February 2017 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
What challenges do we face from climate change and how can we meet them?
Thomas McGovern, archaeologist
Archaeologist Thomas McGovern reminds us that “We didn’t get into this mess in one year, or one decade, or one century, and it’s going to take a long time for us to dig our way out.” These observations underscore the need to organize ourselves and make priorities known, and felt, in ways that can help to produce change. “We have to put pressure on policymakers to make climate change an important agenda item. We have to make it an election item for them. Otherwise it won’t be on their radar.” This effort, he clarifies, must direct itself at multiple levels and engage stakeholders from many spheres. “We need to build connections between people, among nations, with policymakers, with stakeholders, that give us some framework for sustained response to what will be a sustained problem.”
https://citizensclimatelobby.org/organizing-people-hahrie-han/
Bifrost gratefully acknowledges the leadership of the sustainability education project Svartarkot Culture Nature and the research networks NIES and NABO for all their valuable support and work behind the scenes that helped make the interview excerpted in this video possible. Grateful acknowledgment is also made to the Kiðagil Guesthouse, where the interview was filmed.
