Advent begins this coming Sunday, and we mark the day by lighting the Hope candle. But perhaps we also ask ourselves, what does hope look like in the context of climate change? Is there still time, or any reason, to hope? Experts tell us that it’s not a matter of if or even when: climate change is happening now. Those with eyes to see know this, even though others still refuse to acknowledge reality. So how do we find a way to hope for the care and healing of our physical world? Here are three thoughts for consideration.

At the macro level, a broad range of factors offer hope, including:

Transition to new national leadership that acknowledges climate change and includes people committed to addressing it—not just the President-elect, but John Kerry and others (with organizations like the Sunset Movement holding the gov’t accountable).
The imminent return of our nation to the Paris Climate Accord.
The announcement this week that General Motors will withdraw from the Trump administration’s lawsuit seeking to stop California from setting its own (aggressive) clean-air standards.
The UN climate chief's comments about major industrial nations’ renewed commitments to curb pollution.
A USA Today article from earlier this year noting five reasons for hope: (1) global economic growth is outpacing emissions growth, meaning that a healthy economy AND a healthier environment can coexist; (2) energy-efficient solutions like LED lights have reached a tipping point and are becoming commonplace; (3) wind and solar energy prices are dropping, making them smart choices; (4) clean energy availability is growing too, even as prices decline; and (5) state/local governments control zoning, land-use, building and energy use regulations, and are often more agile than the federal government in taking climate-friendly steps.
The World Wildlife Fund notes that when the US withdrew from the Paris Accord, literally thousands of leaders representing corporations, universities, states, counties, cities, tribes, faith communities, and others joined the We Are Still In movement. Concern for our environment is indeed broad-based.
WWF also notes that “More than 3.3 million Americans are employed in the clean energy economy. There are more American jobs in renewable energy than in traditional fossil fuels.” When environmental concerns and economic interests coincide, there is reason for hope.

At the individual level, we can find hope in the knowledge that we have agency to ACT. Perhaps our private actions feel small, even futile, in the face of the environmental challenges confronting us. But collectively, our actions have the potential to deliver a mighty contribution. Throughout our Eco-Faith posts, we’ve identified intentional steps each of us can take to make a difference—reducing food waste and e-waste, properly recycling, mindfully disposing of things we no longer need, thoughtfully shopping, growing a garden, planting trees, and so on. Writer Christiana Figueres, referenced in The Hill, adds three more “tangible things we can do in 2020 and before we hit 2030: find out what our carbon footprint is using one of many online calculators, determine what are the low hanging fruit and commit to reducing our personal carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2030.” Here’s a link to a calculator provided by the EPA.

At a deeper level, we might also find hope by pausing, taking a deep breath, and then reflecting on our roles in the climate change battle. We’re not asked to win it by ourselves. We’re asked to support and collaborate with each other … to do what we can, consistently and faithfully … and then to wait, in the space and time between what’s now broken and the better environmental future we long for. We don’t know the outcome—but we know Who does, so we can wait in hope. And hope does not disappoint.