Our brains struggle to prioritize long-term threats

Our brains are wired to prioritize immediate threats, such as a saber-toothed tiger, over long-term threats, like climate change. When faced with dangers that are not immediate or agentive (caused by humans), our brains struggle to respond effectively. Climate change lacks the features that trigger a threat response in the human brain, leading many individuals to downplay or ignore the problem. Our brains prioritize threats caused by people, with an emphasis on intentionality, harm from agents, and moral violations. Without these elements, climate change doesn't generate outrage or a sense of urgency. Our bias towards immediate threats and our tendency to adapt to slow changes hinder our ability to take action against climate change. However, if we can frame climate change as an agentive, moral harm with immediate consequences, we may be more likely to respond.