The Climate + Care Crises

Inextricably linked

In the foreground a boy climbs a tree with his hand resting on another tree trunk, in the right background a blurred teen girl sits on a tree trunk and looks up.

Happy Earth Week 🌎

What do to the climate and care crises have in common? A lot, it turns out. If you’ve got kids, both probably keep you up at night in one way or another.

As systemic challenges, both are deeply embedded in our societies, institutions, cultures and economies. Caregiving and natural resources are both regrettably treated as “free” and “unlimited,” we depend upon them for survival, and in turn we undeniably take them both for granted.

Tackling climate change and the care crisis both require action on many different levels. Carbon pricing, renewable energy markets and other solutions that fit into our existing capitalist structures are band-aids, but they aren’t enough to reverse or halt climate change. Similarly, employer benefits that include childcare and bereavement leave are vitally important, and also absolutely not enough.

As intersectional issues, care and climate interact with each other and with existing social vulnerabilities and inequities, such as gender, economic participation and access to basic resources like food and water. Those individuals who are already systemically disadvantaged and those in need of caregiving, as well as those doing the caregiving, are the greatest impacted. Diseases and extreme weather impact health, and create an increased burden on health systems, hospitals, etc but also on unpaid care work.

Common problems, common solutions?

I wonder if the social movements working to solve these major crises should work together to make the case for a culture shift to valuing communities and outcomes apart from - or at least on par with - economic indicators. Personally I think broader social transformation is desperately needed to positively impact both climate change and caregiving. Focusing on specific solutions, like this year’s earth day theme “planet vs. plastics,” or the absolute necessity of paid paternal leave in caregiving, is hugely important. But until our collective way of thinking about and valuing care and climate drastically changes, and until living differently is actually made accessible to everyone, I just don’t think we will see the magnitude of positive envirnonmental or social change that is desperately needed. And maybe these seismic, systemic changes need to happen first within smaller communities to demonstrate success, and set examples that gain traction for others to follow. Some of the most promising examples I’ve seen on both issues have been ones that involved and transformed entire communities.

A green cityscape

• In Bolzano, Italy, the local government has created an extensive network of care support for its residents, including childcare subsidies, supply discounts, subsidized micro-nurseries, and seen a steady birthrate despite the plunge throughout the rest of Italy. (Higher birthrate may not be the most important outcome, but it demonstrates the importance of care support for parents).

• Singapore’s Kampung Admirality is an intergenerational retirement village, bringing retirement housing and public services under one roof, elevated green spaces, and even incorporates childcare on it’s premises. It has activities and businesses to meet all the needs of its residents on site and is a green mark platinum certified sustainable build.

• The Transition Movement began more focused on climate resilience, but addresses both climate and care, by reimagining entire communities. Started in in UK, the movement and toolkit has expanded to communities throughout Europe and worldwide. An evaluation done in 2020 showed positive impacts, though largely self-reported.

• The decentralized urban planning concept of ‘15 Minute Cities’ has gained some momentum, the idea being that people could access everything they need within a 15 minute walking or biking radius, reducing emissions and improving quality of life. Interestingly, they’ve also been the subject of conspiracy theories and conservative backlash.

One thing that’s vital for these movements to be successful - and ultimately to spread to other communities - is to measure outcomes. People need to see the short, medium and long term value in these investments in order for them to maintain support, gain momentum and to be replicated.

What do you think, have you seen examples like those above that have created transformative and replicable change? Do you agree that systemic but localized responses hold the most promise - or not? Please share in comments!