Let’s Talk Climate: Why Silence Feels Easier

By Kelda Logan, Transition Salt Spring Local News - February 26, 2026

photo by Andrea Piacquadio (Pexels)

Part 1: Psychology

I’d like to discuss the sound of silence. Climate silence. It’s been creeping into newspapers, social media, government spaces, and our own homes. Do you hear it too?

Despite the growing urgency of the climate crisis, conversations about climate change seem more infrequent than they used to be. Perhaps it’s because we have lost the art of conversation, preferring instead to join a camp and deride the “other side.” But more than this, I think discussions about climate change are often avoided or minimized because they make us very, very uncomfortable. Even among people who accept the science and acknowledge the threat (99.9% of the scientists in the world agree), there’s a strange silence that surrounds the topic. But why? Why is it so uncomfortable to talk about something that affects everyone, everywhere (apart from the fact that the conversation is a complete and total bummer)?
The answer in part lies not just in politics or misinformation, but deep within human psychology, particularly in how we evolved to perceive and respond to threats.

The Threat We’re Wired For

Humans evolved in environments where survival depended on detecting and responding to immediate, physical threats. Think predators in the bushes, rival tribes, or sudden changes in weather. Our brains are finely tuned to react quickly to dangers that are:
- Visible
- Immediate
- Personal
- Simple to understand
- Directly controllable

These are the kinds of dangers our ancestors needed to act on in seconds or minutes. The fight-or-flight response, for example, is a deeply ingrained biological system designed to mobilize us instantly when a threat appears.

Climate change, by contrast, is the exact opposite of what our brains are wired to respond to. It is:

- Invisible (we don’t see CO₂, and its effects are often indirect)


- Slow-moving (unfolding over decades)


- Global and abstract (hard to relate to personally unless you're in an affected area)


- Complex and systemic (involving energy, economics, policy, and ecosystems)


- Often feels out of individual control

This mismatch between the nature of the threat and the way our brains are built to respond makes it psychologically difficult to grasp the urgency of climate change. It's not that people don't care; it's that our cognitive wiring struggles to treat it with the same seriousness we’d give to, say, a house fire or a car speeding toward us.

Emotional Discomfort and Avoidance

Talking about climate change also brings up uncomfortable emotions: fear, guilt, helplessness, anger, and even shame. These feelings can be paralyzing. It’s easier, emotionally, to change the subject than to sit with the realization that we are both victims of and contributors to a global crisis with no simple answers.

In social settings, climate change can also be polarizing, at least in North America (in Europe, climate change is not considered a polarizing issue at all, and this makes it easier for people to talk about it). Here, people worry about starting arguments, being labelled alarmist or pessimistic, or simply bringing down the mood. Even using the phrase “climate change” can open a person up to personal attacks by trolls on the internet who have a vested interest in climate denial. The discomfort about conflict leads to "climate silence," where even people who care deeply often avoid the topic out of fear of social friction or emotional overload. Without simple answers, even well-meaning politicians can be reluctant to address climate change, preferring instead to focus on simpler, short-term measures that are inadequate to address the severity of the threat that we face.

Denial Isn’t Always Dishonest, It’s Defensive

It’s hard for me to feel patient when I hear someone say, “But is climate change real?” Especially when they also grew up here and are experiencing the same differences in the climate that I am, and the science is undisputed and readily available. I have to take a deep breath and remember that some forms of climate change denial aren’t rooted in ignorance, but in defence mechanisms. Psychologists refer to “motivated reasoning,” where people downplay or dismiss facts that threaten their identity, worldview, or sense of control. In this case, denial becomes a coping strategy… a way to avoid the psychic discomfort of confronting an overwhelming and deeply unsettling reality. I get this.


While this isn’t the place to delve into all the many reasons for climate denial, I will mention that oil companies published many studies as far back as the late 1970’s that aligned with data from the wider scientific community. However, since then, oil and gas companies have launched campaigns (modelled after those of tobacco companies) intended to spread misinformation and seed doubt and distrust. Conspiracy theories help people meet a variety of psychological needs, including a sense of control, feelings of superiority (being “in the know” while others aren’t), and the desire for simple solutions in the face of complexity.

Anxiety Replaces Action

The other important part of our psychology we need to acknowledge is that worry and anxiety play a part in our silence. We are wired for fight or flight, and if we cannot do either of those things (and how do you “fight or flight” the appearance of invisible carbon in our atmosphere?), then we become frozen. This natural response results in anxiety and worry, which, to the brain, feels like a “response” that keeps the brain active and requires a great deal of energy and effort. However, worry is not a response that is going to get the planet to cool and weather systems to return to some sort of normalcy.

Instead, we can take some real actions to address climate silence. We can:
- Recognize when we are avoiding or worrying about the issue of climate change
- Replace that avoidance or worry with an action, even a small one, such as bringing a reusable mug, writing to our MP, or volunteering for an NGO in our community
- Talk to others about our feelings and the realities that we are facing

Conclusion: The Need for a New Kind of Urgency

The climate crisis is a slow-burning emergency, but it’s no less dangerous than a fast-moving one. Our challenge is to cultivate a sense of urgency that isn’t based on panic, but on informed, sustained action. That means having an uncomfortable conversation, even if we really don’t want to. Because while our ancient brains may not be built for long-term threats, our modern minds are capable of learning, adapting, and rising to the challenge if we give ourselves the chance.

Kelda Logan is Vice Chair of Transition Salt Spring on Salt Spring Island.

In this 5-part series, we explore the reasons we don’t like talking about climate change and offer some practical solutions. The second article is about… unfairness…