Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Transformative change requires resisting a new normal

Catastrophic fires have generated intensified public responses in favour of transformative climate change action. Realizing the potential of this moment requires us to understand and puncture the cultural and emotional politics of our collective denial.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Woinarski, J. et al. The Conversation (8 January 2020); https://go.nature.com/2O6CPDW

  2. Garnaut, R. The Garnaut Climate Change Review: Final Report ch. 5.3.3 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2008); https://go.nature.com/36DrGkB

  3. Lucas, C., Hennessy, K., Mills, G. & Bathols, J. Bushfire Weather in Southeast Australia: Recent Trends and Projected Climate Change Impacts (Bushfire CRC and CSIRO, 2007).

  4. Polling — bushfire crisis and concern about climate change (Australia Institute, 2020); https://go.nature.com/3aPTLsc

  5. Quiggin, J. CNN Business (10 January 2020); https://go.nature.com/318r3hY

  6. Norgaard, K. Living in Denial: Climate Change, Emotions and Everyday Life (MIT Press, 2011).

  7. Head, L. Hope and Grief in the Anthropocene (Routledge, 2016).

  8. Williamson, B., Weir, J. & Cavanagh, V. The Conversation (10 January 2020); https://go.nature.com/2uJLd5u

  9. Rickards, L., Wiseman, J. & Kashima, Y. WIREs Clim. Change 5, 753–773 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Neale, T., Carter, R., Nelson, T. & Bourke, M. Cult. Geogr. 26, 341–359 (2019).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Davoudi, S. Plann. Theor. Pract. 13, 299–307 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Walker, J. & Cooper, M. Secur. Dialogue 42, 143–160 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. https://www.pm.gov.au/media/interview-david-speers-abc-insiders (12 January 2020).

  14. Steinberg, T. Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America 2nd edn (Oxford Univ. Press, 2006).

  15. Jackson, S. & Head, L. Geoforum 109, 44–56 (2020).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. ABC News (8 January 2020); https://go.nature.com/2S2VmSQ

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lesley Head.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Head, L. Transformative change requires resisting a new normal. Nat. Clim. Chang. 10, 173–174 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0712-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0712-5

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing