Kate Grenville: I used to be passive on climate change. A Helen Garner fan pushed me to act
Writers arent science experts, Grenville writes. But they might be able to influence their readers to cast their ballots for the climate I ve been what you might call a passive climate change activist for many years. Ive had the bumper stickers, Ive made the donations, Ive gone on the marches (my latest handmade sign said Renewables=Jobs true, but not exactly catchy). And of course Ive wondered if I could write a novel about climate change that would electrify people into action. Ive wrestled with a few ideas, but how could you possibly dramatise the thing? Darling, he whispered into her ear. Did you know that coal is the best carbon capture technology thats ever been invented? Oh, she murmured, does that mean we shouldnt be burning it? I can see thats not going to do the trick, but what does? How do people make up their minds about climate change, and how might you shift their thinking? Psychologists know that were powerfully influenced by the people around us. If the people we know think a certain way, were likely to be drawn in that direction too. As all those influencers on social media know, coming to an opinion about an issue is often a matter of thinking like the people you respect or admire. I had a conversation recently with an acquaintance lets name her Anne whos what you might call climate-action-hesitant. Shes intelligent, thoughtful and a generous worker for her community. Shes not a climate change denier. She can see that something weird and unfriendly is happening out there. But like all of us, her thinking is influenced by the people around her, and in her safe Coalition seat, action on climate change isnt seen as a priority. Twice a day she passes a yellow billboard telling her that no emissions means no jobs. Something repeated often enough seeps into your mind like a stain. But Annes a voracious reader, and when our conversation turned to books her eyes lit up and her voice became fervent in admiration of Helen Garner. Her understanding of what makes people tick. Her humour. The way she can put her finger on something youve always thought and never been able to express. Her compassion and lack of judgment. When she learned that I count Helen as a friend, I could see that her respect for me shot up. I basked in the reflected glory, and it made me think. Anne doesnt know Helen Garner the same way she knows her friends and neighbours, but she knows her through her books. She respects and admires the person shes met on the page. If she knew that Helen was behind action on climate change, that might just tip her from being climate-action-hesitant to climate-action-positive. It would be a counter-influence to all those yellow billboards. Thats when I decided to start a group called Writers for Climate Action. Basically its a list of writers including Helen Garner, of course who agree that climate change is a threat to the future of our world. The hope is that readers will see that their favourite writer thinks action on climate change is a priority for this election, and be influenced to agree. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning The list has an amazing range and variety of writers and genres. Among many others it has John Coetzee and John Birmingham, Mem Fox and Matthew Reilly, Anita Heiss and Anna Funder, Sofie Laguna and Sunil Badami, Bryan Brown and Benjamin Law, David Marr and Di Morrissey. If youre a reader, youll find a familiar Australian name on this list. There are more than 60, and every day more ask to be added. The group isnt pushing any particular party or candidate. What were hoping the list will do is to influence the Annes of this world to decide which of their local candidates is most likely to bring about real action on climate change, and vote accordingly. Different voters in different electorates will make different decisions. What matters is that theyre putting climate action first. As we stand in the little cardboard booth on election day, our heads are a shouting-match of issues competing for our attention: the cost of living, defence, indigenous justice, national security, education, jobs. Theyre all important and theyll all shape our future. But without a reliable climate, all those other issues will keep getting worse. Writers arent experts on climate science. But you dont have to be to accept that humans are having an unwelcome effect on the planet. In this election campaign, other issues are elbowing climate change off the stage. A vote for climate will put it where it should be, and where polls say many people put it: at the centre of every life.