ABSTRACT
In the face of the increasing certainty about the powerful impact of climate change, a premature sense of defeat, with a consequent tendency to not do anything much regarding this global phenomenon, can easily set in. As I will point out, the view that we really need not do much about climate change may even appear to be ethically justifiable. It is, however, of the greatest importance to avoid that defeatism and avoid becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. In this chapter, I seek to address this quandary. First, I argue that, even if it may appear that we cannot effectively act on our responsibilities regarding climate change directly, because of certain conditions prevalent in our societies, we may still have a responsibility to act on another level. Second, I propose that, even if direct action upon this phenomenon may seem ineffectual, we may still be able to address climate change by taking note of the cultural frameworks that enable and constrain our actions. I illustrate this point with regard to the role of diverse conceptions of natural forces. I conclude that the consideration of the cultural dimensions of responses to natural forces likely is of key importance in the development of the sort of coping and resilience that are needed to satisfactorily confront climate change.
