Research and advocacy

My research revolves around the apparently simple yet multifaceted question: ‘Why don’t we do what we know we should?’ In the face of increasingly devastating – and unevenly distributed - impacts from a broken climate, we see continued procrastination on tackling the underlying causes. Some preach climate doom, or use exaggerated claims of imminent catastrophe to justify proposals for climate geoengineering. Others promise future techno-fixes or market utopianism as reasons to avoid difficult choices. Some individuals make big personal changes, or turn into climate activists, but most make only gestures or small steps, short of the transformative changes that are needed.

My research and advocacy, and this site, is dedicated to supporting clear-eyed hope ('respair' as the opposite of 'despair') for political and personal action that not only repairs the climate, but also addresses the underlying breakages in society arising from colonialism and extractivism. Methodologically, I use deliberative engagement with people and stakeholders to enable reflexive participation in research and ethical impact on practice and policy.