Hoping in the Face of Crisis: The Role of Hope in Climate Action

In the face of climate catastrophe, why should we hope? Join us on campus for lunch as we explore the role of hope in climate action

In the face of the seemingly impossible, why should we hope?

As the climate crisis reaches a point of no return, the familiar rhetoric of hope for change is giving way to widespread expressions of despair. Taking these feelings of hopelessness seriously, we must ask: Does hope still have a role to play in our struggle against a planet-wide calamity? What does hope do, and how does it shape the ecological justice that we imagine and fight for?

Join us as we explore these questions in conversation with Dr. Hilda Koster (Director, Elliott Allen Institute for Theology and Ecology) and Sabrina Chiefari (Integral Ecology Specialist, Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto). We will discuss how climate action is shaped by hope, where the language of hope is needed or falls short, and how those without hope can still take—and sustain—action.

Guided by our speakers’ expertise in eco-theology and environmental education, this conversation will help us reflect on the value of hope in our individual and collective struggles for ecological justice. By wrestling with the seeming hopelessness of our present crisis, we will learn to navigate climate despair without falling into apathy, and will clarify our place in the movement for climate action on a planetary scale.