Commentary: Asia floods, Australia bushfires and how an Oscar-winning filmmaker reignited my faith in climate action

“ALARM AND ACTION BEATS VAGUE HOPE”

The filmmaker spoke about resisting the urge to soften climate messages simply because some audiences may not want to hear them. “It’s really important to be aware that alarm and action beats vague hope every time,” he said.

Drawing on years of lobbying and absorbing criticism, he acknowledged how emotionally draining the work to counter climate disinformation and increase acceptance for climate action can be. Yet he remains defiant. “In this moment, I’m not going to go down quiet or not helping,” McKay said.

I was reminded that as global citizens, we have a collective responsibility to remind the people around us that the heavy downpour that hit Asia last November and December, weren’t just another round of year-end monsoon weather. They’re connected to the same forces that intensified the recent fires in Victoria, California and other parts of the world. 

Recognising that extreme weather is intensifying as a result of human activity, is a necessary starting point. Equally important is ensuring that actions go beyond disaster response to include sustained efforts to curb carbon emissions and address the key drivers of climate change.

If this really is the age of the “Great Pretend”, then we need to keep telling the climate story honestly and passionately, to help shift mindsets and behaviours, even when the climb feels steep. 

Charles Phang is a Senior Producer in CNA’s documentary team, specialising in geopolitics and sustainability. He’s also a member of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network, founded by Oxford University’s Reuters Institute.