Description
The discussion between the developing and developed world in Egypt during COP27 brought the history of colonialism and its impact on climate change to the table, as did the earlier floods in Pakistan. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of unacknowledged grief and guilt, accruing over centuries, on our ability to move forward to a more sustainable future. At stake is not only a question of ‘loss and damage’ for those who have suffered disproportionately in the past and present, but also the need to acknowledge how past practice has set the stage for not only global inequality but climate change. Against the backdrop of this discussion, following a year of climate disasters across the world, we develop concepts of ungrieved grief and unacknowledged guilt, and the mechanisms by which populations collectively turn away from uncomfortable or shameful truths. The failure to look at the past has transgenerational consequences, as present distractions contribute to an inability to ‘see’ the consequences of present action for future generations. The paper concludes with an exploration of the contradictory pressures in the current context, highlighting both the impossibility and the importance of grieving as a planet.
