The Psychology of Climate Change

Speaker: Dr. Christie Manning Climate change is no longer a distant, hypothetical threat. Its impacts are increasingly obvious around the world. Yet, despite growing acknowledgement of the climate crisis, few Americans are taking significant personal action, and only a small minority are involved in civic/collective efforts to address the issue.  In this talk, I'll share a psychological perspective on the human behavioral causes of, and solutions to, climate damage. How does our changing climate affect people around the world, and how may it affect human society and human wellbeing in the long term? I'll draw upon the many sub-fields of psychology (evolutionary, biological, cognitive, social, industrial/organizational) to examine the question, "Why are we not doing enough to address the global climate crisis?”. I'll also share psychologically-informed ideas for how to encourage action - not only at the individual level (e.g., personal behaviors such as driving less, eating less meat, or moving to a super-insulated home) - but at the collective level (e.g., joining an organization such as climate reality, attending protests, and/or pushing policy makers and corporate leaders for climate action). About the Speaker: Dr. Christie Manning (she/her) received her PhD in cognitive and biological psychology from the University of Minnesota and her BSc in Engineering Psychology from Tufts University. She has taught in the Environmental Studies Department at Macalester College since 2008. Christie’s research focuses on how people respond to climate change and climate injustice, and she is particularly interested in the psychological circumstances that motivate community-level action. Her recent co-authored publications include a forthcoming report from the American Psychological Association and ecoAmerica, Organizations and Climate Action, a 2026 academic textbook, Psychology for Sustainability, 6th edition, and a 2026 edited volume, Psychology and Climate Change: Human Perceptions, Impacts, and Responses. Christie is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association. In her personal life, she loves to ride her bike and support local social and climate justice initiatives. The Central MN Chapter of The Climate Reality Project is a diverse group of passionate individuals who’ve come together to solve the greatest challenge of our time. We are activists, cultural leaders, organizers, scientists, and storytellers committed to building a sustainable future together. For more information about the Central MN Chapter, check out: https://www.climaterealitymsp.com Join us! https://www.climaterealitymsp.com/join