I want to leap up at the three-nation parley
In Whitehorse, Yukon, to warn them the radionuclides
absorbed from the lichen they live on may kill them
if they don’t drown in droves in crossings flooded
out by hydroelectric stations, or slowly
starve to death behind oil pipelines that posit
behavioural barriers they dare not soar over
or burst their aortas trying. I want to advise the species
to set up new herds, to mingle and multiply.From With The Caribou by Maxine Kumin
The worsening climate crisis is a daunting global problem that requires diverse and innovative solutions. To develop these solutions, scientists need to engage with more diverse audiences. They also need to realise that there is no such thing as a “general public” but rather many different publics, all with their own needs, experiences and beliefs.
Engaging effectively with these different groups of people means thinking about how the climate crisis affects each of them at a local level. A seemingly gargantuan task, but one for which, some may be surprised to hear, poetry can help.
