(Getting Your Head Around) the End of the World, with Laurie Laybourn

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Feb 10, 2025

Laurie Laybourn, Head of the Strategic Climate Risks Initiative, dives into the mental hurdles we face in grappling with climate change and existential risks. He discusses how our understanding of major threats often falls short, exploring the psychological barriers that hinder action against looming disasters. Laurie draws parallels between pandemic preparedness and climate crisis, stressing the urgent need for governments to address these issues seriously. Humor and inspiration punctuate this enlightening conversation about navigating a complex future.

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ANECDOTE

Threads Impact

Laurie Laybourn discusses the impact of the film Threads, which depicted the societal collapse after a nuclear war.
This film, alongside cultural memory and protests, shaped public perception of nuclear war beyond just bigger bombs.

INSIGHT

Risk Perception

Humans struggle to grasp complex, large-scale risks like climate change due to their evolutionary focus on immediate threats.
The interconnectedness and cascading effects make it hard to comprehend the potential for widespread societal collapse.

INSIGHT

Existential Climate Risk Definition

Existential climate risk refers to the potential for widespread societal collapse, not just immediate environmental damage.
Climate change exacerbates existing risks like war and conflict, increasing their potential to become existential threats.

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We're reasonably good at imagining what nuclear war would be like (although it'd probably be even worse than that).

But it's not the same for most other complicated, really really scary risks. Eg: the UK government is still not taking seriously the risk of another pandemic - and that's despite the fact we LITERALLY JUST HAD ONE, GUYS.

And it's the same for climate change - with knobs on. For sure, our politicians, banks and cultures just aren't ready for the climate-clusterfudge. But if you're anything like me, there's a limit to how much of it you can take into your overloaded little brain as well.

Why? Are we just not evolved for it? Are we doomed to sail merrily into a storm we don't want to see coming? No, says this episode's guest, the fab Laurie Laybourn from the Strategic Climate Risk Initiative. Yes, it's hard to wrap your head around. But Laurie thinks we're very far from doomed - as long as we first understand where we're actually starting from. Listen for a chat that's sometimes vertiginous, sometimes funny, and always inspiring.

And you can't say you weren't warned, but here's Threads (1984) on iPlayer.

These new-format episodes take a long time to record, script, and edit. If you like it - that'll make me happy.

Let me know your thoughts on the show - hello@yourbrainonclimate.com.
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Owl noises = references:

20:48 - Derailment risk: a paper by Laurie and others.
25:50 - 58% of Americans say climate change contributed to the LA wildfires.
26:12 - George Marshall's important book, Don't Even Think About It.
36:17 - Normalcy Bias over at the Decision Lab: why we believe nothing bad will happen.
37:05 - Scope insensitivity, courtesy of Wiki.
38:28 - Laurie's report, the Security Blind Spot.
41:13 - The Daily Telegraph's investigation into the pandemic prep exercise too scary to publicise.
41:42 - The UK's under preparedness for Covid, via the BBC.
50:31 - Going Infinite, Michael Lewis's superb book about Sam Bankman-Fried.
51:54 - In 2019 I quit my job live(ish) on Sustainababble #169.

The show is hosted and produced by me, Dave Powell, who you can find @powellds on Bluesky and X/Twitter, although I don't use the latter any more.

YBOC theme music and iterations thereof, by me. Show logo by Arthur Stovell at www.designbymondial.com. Other music in this episode by Robertothenice.