Are we doomed, yet?! Climate tipping points twenty years later

In this article, I discuss the limitations of tipping points as a framework for communicating risks and vulnerabilities created by climate change. In doing so, I expand on the genealogical account of Anders Hansson, Jonas Anshelm, and Simon Haikola and their claims about the salience of apocalypse and doom in climate communication. I suggest that the communication of vulnerabilities to climate change, including catastrophic risks, should not seek to manage public emotion or invite billionaires to prescribe policy and governance frameworks for climate change.

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Publication Details

Journal
Dialogues on climate change.
Published
2026-01-19
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/29768659251413865
Primary Topic
Climate Change Communication and Perception
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Are we doomed, yet?! Climate tipping points twenty years later

Chris Russill
Dialogues on climate change.
Climate Change Communication and Perception
article

Are we doomed, yet?! Climate tipping points twenty years later

Chris Russill
article en

Abstract

In this article, I discuss the limitations of tipping points as a framework for communicating risks and vulnerabilities created by climate change. In doing so, I expand on the genealogical account of Anders Hansson, Jonas Anshelm, and Simon Haikola and their claims about the salience of apocalypse and doom in climate communication. I suggest that the communication of vulnerabilities to climate change, including catastrophic risks, should not seek to manage public emotion or invite billionaires to prescribe policy and governance frameworks for climate change.

Dialogues on climate change.
Carleton University (CA)
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 87%
Climate Change Communication and Perception
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