On the side of the road, just where you turn into my suburb, there's a large sign that reads, 'Climate Election'. Although the election has been and gone, the sign is still there and it's looking kind of forlorn.
It's been a sad few weeks for anyone who was looking for a clear change of direction from the federal government in relation to action on climate change. The reality of the looming climate crisis can feel particularly overwhelming when we fixate on the political process as the only practical solution — a mindset that makes a lot of sense when you consider the complexity and scope of the challenge ahead.
However, this is a mindset that Nobel laureate, Elinor Ostrom cautioned against in 2010 when she argued that, given the ongoing failure of governments to reach agreement at the international level, it is essential that we 'adopt a polycentric approach to the problem of climate change in order to gain the benefits at multiple scales as well as to encourage experimentation and learning from diverse policies adopted by multiple scales'.
Drawing on her extensive research into the successful governance of the commons, Ostrom emphasised the enormous potential of multi-level action on climate change, particularly because of the relative ease at the local level of building a 'central core of trust and reciprocity among those involved' in order to achieve 'successful levels of collective action'. While acknowledging that global action was necessary, she argued that success was more likely if it could build on a foundation of trust and reciprocity.
So, how can we adopt a polycentric approach to climate action?
Of course, there is plenty we can do as individuals to reduce our environmental footprint. We can avoid single use plastic, reduce consumption and waste, plant veggies, eat less meat (or even go vegan), switch to renewable energy, ride our bikes, and shop second-hand and local. But it can feel a little isolating and almost pointless to attempt to tackle such a massive issue alone.
Another option is to engage with our state and territory governments. The ACT Parliament, for example, recently declared a 'climate emergency' and acknowledged that it needs to prioritise climate action in every decision it makes going forward. There is also a growing campaign to encourage local councils to declare a climate emergency — one that has already been taken up by Darebin Council in Victoria.
"All of these examples work to promote