Cli-fi as a potent political tool: How popular ''climate fiction'' can shape policy debates

 

I would like to propose that all political and climate debate leaders worldwide be required to read cli-fi novels to help them understand the past and future of climate science and technology as well as how new innovations might affect human society. For starters, they can look into this here at the Cli-Fi Report at cli-fi.net

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It may seem outlandish to talk about real science and popular fiction in the same sentence, and doing so frequently creates clickbait headlines, but there’s surprising depth to this connection.

What all these people have in common is that they recognise climate fiction’s power. Cli-Fi can inspire interest in climate science topics that would otherwise intimidate us.



Those who understand the power of fiction may also recognise that science-based climate fiction often has a grain of truth behind stories.

That grain can set agendas for how we think about climate science’s place in society and its ethical dilemmas. It can prompt us to find out more about current issues – as The Day After Tomorrow did for climate change.

Climate Fiction can even educate us directly if it’s relevant to our lives on public health issues.

Climate Fiction’s power can be a potent public policy tool.


Climate Fiction enhances, rather than undermines, democratic involvement in debates about climate science because it gives people diverse resources to draw upon in discussion. It helps us think, feel, imagine, and speak about climate science. It helps us figure out where climate science sits in relation to our human values.

That is climate futurism.