How Can I Keep Going? with Dr. Susanne Moser

In this episode of Climate Changed, listeners will hear from Dr. Susi Moser, an accomplished scientist and geographer. For Moser, any effort that builds community is actually significant climate work.

Moser has worked at the highest levels of climate science, including on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or the IPCC. This is the UN body responsible for assessing climate change, and their reports carry incredible weight around the world. Now Moser has been on an amazing journey from that work, helping equip people on the frontlines of climate change to engage in that work for the long term. 

“Humans and how they affect the environment, the earth and how they are affected by it — that is a central theme within geography,” Moser said. “That got me very quickly into this area of interest of, if we understand what we're doing to the environment, why are we not stopping it? Why are we not trying to prevent this, changing the earth in in profound fundamental ways. So very quickly, I got interested in climate change as sort of a topic of investigation and trying particularly to understand the human impact on the environment on the climate and then the other way around.”

But such a pivotal job takes a toll on mental health. Moser discusses how to handle burnout in a work culture that doesn’t encourage taking breaks. She offers advice on how Christians and climate activists can find the strength to keep going. 

Listeners will also get to participate in a meditative grounding practice, led by Katie Patrick, author of the book and podcast How to Make Changing the World the Greatest Game We’ve Ever Played. Patrick recognizes the critical role of creativity, optimism, and imagination in the craft of social and environmental change. Through this guided meditation, she reveals the big mistake so many of us make in our climate work, one that she made herself.

Climate Changed is a podcast about pursuing faith, life, and love in a climate-changed world, produced by the BTS Center. A special thanks to Citizens’ Climate Radio for providing a recording of Katie Patrick’s conversation. 

Check out Season 1 here.

Next Steps for Engaged Hope

Ask yourself: What do I love? How can I engage those loves in a way that cultivates caring community in a climate changed world?

Have a conversation this week where you listen and respond from the heart. If you need help getting started, check out these resources from StoryCorps.

About our guests

Dr. Susanne Moser

Dr. Suzi Moser is the Director and Principal Researcher of Susanne Moser Research & Consulting, based in Hadley, MA. In her research and work with various organizations and entities, Moser focuses on adaptation to climate change, especially in coastal areas, resilience, transformation, decision support, and effective climate change communication in support of social change.

Moser is co-editor of a groundbreaking anthology on climate change communication, called Creating a Climate for Change: Communicating Climate Change and Facilitating Social Change, published in 2006. In addition to being a prolific writer, she has done extensive work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Katie Patrick

Katie Patrick is the author of the book and podcast How to Make Changing the World the Greatest Game We’ve Ever Played, as well as the book Zerowastify: Your Complete Tutorial to the Art of Zero Waste Living. Patrick is an environmental engineer and climate action designer. 

In addition to writing several books and hosting a podcast, Patrick is the co-founder of Energy Lollipop and Urban Canopy in San Francisco — two startups that are devoted to bringing down the peak CO2 released by the electricity grid.

Climate Changed is a podcast about pursuing faith, life, and love in a climate-changed world. Hosted by Nicole Diroff and Ben Yosua-Davis. Climate Changed features guests who deepen the conversation while also stirring the waters. The Climate Changed podcast is a project of The BTS Center. The show is produced by Peterson Toscano.