Beyond Climate Grief: A journey of love, snow, fire and an enchanted beer can
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley April 27, 2021
Author Jonica Newby
Distributor: New South Books
ISBN: 9781742236834
Publisher: NewSouth
Release Date: March 2021
Website: https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au
Climate Grief is a very real condition and one that we as citizens on this earth are simply not aware of, other than to accept that the state of the world’s climate and the surrounding controversy, create a sense of impending doom, depression and in many instances, an overwhelming fear leading to a sense of disconnect.
It was the simply love of snow that saw award winning science reporter Jonica Newby plunge into a deep sense of despair; despair so deep it was emotionally crippling. Having been a science reporter for the ABC’s Catalyst program for more than twenty years, she had become almost inured to reporting on Climate Change, but it was not until she witnessed the lack of snow falling on her beloved Snowy Mountains several years in succession, and the damage this was doing to her friends and the environment, she really began to fear for her beloved snow country.
Eventually she saw the way forward was to use her skills and knowledge to discover how other people were coping with the same or similar issues and what she found was not just illuminating, but cathartic, then healing, creating once again a sense of hope for the future.
Seeking input from the everyday heroes, the people who had been badly affected by bushfires earlier in the year, Climate Change Kids, Missy Higgins, Craig Reucassel , Charlie Pickering, leading scientists, psychologists, businessman Mike Cannon- Brookes and many more, Jonia Newby began to see a way forward to a future being led by many very determined young people still at school.
Just when things were beginning to return to something like the new normal, Newby’s family and friends were swept up in the devastating fires of the summer of 2019-2020. The results of this devastation although tragic, bought about a deeper understanding of resilience, thankfulness and sense of community, underlining much Newby had already researched.
Written with a dry wit, a deep love of country and a genuine desire to seek out and discover what it is that helps people cope with the unthinkable, the unimaginable and gives them strength to begin again, Beyond Climate Grief reminds us all, that by our own actions we have the strength and ability to create change.
Her words, research and the collective wisdom of everyone who has taken part in creating Beyond Climate Grief has offered hope and understanding about the emotional effects of Climate Grief; information that is invaluable as Australia moves towards a better , more comprehensive understanding and acceptance of the very real damage caused by Climate Change.