Cultural Overview of Climate Change - Lethal Heating Editor BDA

The cultural impact of climate change: a flooded traditional village, people evacuating, an elder passing down stories, and environmental devastation.

This Cultural Overview of Climate Change is part of a series examining the impact of Lethal Heating in key areas, including: Social Economic Ecological Global Politics Australian Politics

The cultural impact of climate change is profound and far-reaching, affecting traditions, identities, and ways of life across the world.

Here are some key areas where climate change is reshaping culture:

1. Loss of Traditional Knowledge & Practices

• Indigenous and rural communities that rely on seasonal patterns for agriculture, fishing, and ceremonies are struggling as climate change disrupts weather cycles.
• In the Arctic, the melting ice threatens Inuit hunting traditions, which are deeply tied to their cultural identity.

2. Climate Migration & Displacement

• Rising sea levels and extreme weather are forcing communities—especially in low-lying island nations like Tuvalu and Kiribati—to relocate, leading to loss of homeland and cultural heritage.
• Displaced communities face challenges in preserving language, traditions, and social structures in new environments.

3. Changes in Art, Literature & Storytelling

• Climate anxiety and ecological grief are emerging themes in contemporary art, literature, and music.
• Indigenous storytelling traditions are evolving to reflect environmental changes and the struggle to preserve cultural wisdom.
• Climate fiction ("cli-fi") is becoming a popular genre, addressing the human experience of climate change.

4. Festivals & Religious Practices

• Many religious and cultural festivals are tied to seasonal cycles, such as harvest festivals in Asia and Africa, which are being disrupted by shifting climates.
• Some religious leaders are incorporating climate activism into faith-based teachings, emphasizing stewardship of the Earth.

5. Impact on Food & Cuisine

• Traditional diets are changing as staple crops like coffee, rice, and maize are affected by changing climates.
• Communities reliant on fishing are struggling as fish stocks decline due to warming oceans and acidification.

6. Language & Climate Terminology

• New words and concepts are emerging to describe climate-related experiences, such as "solastalgia" (grief over environmental loss).
• Some Indigenous languages contain precise terms for environmental phenomena that are disappearing along with the ecosystems they describe.

7. Political & Social Movements

• Climate change is fuelling youth-led activism, with figures like Greta Thunberg and movements like Fridays for Future inspiring cultural shifts toward environmental responsibility.
• Social justice issues, such as climate colonialism and environmental racism, are gaining attention, highlighting the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized communities.

Links

• Culture and Climate Change
• Climate Change as a Driver of Cultural Destruction
• The impact of climate change on cultural heritage (pdf)
• UNESCO highlights climate impact on cultural heritage
• Cultural heritage: an overlooked yet critical aspect of climate change
• Climate Change and World Heritage
• Cultural Dimensions of Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation (pdf)