Grappling with the climate crisis – with help from AA’s 12 Steps?

GROWING up, I witnessed the impact of Alcoholics Anonymous’ (AA) 12 Steps programme on my uncle, and how it freed him from the trap of alcohol dependence and addiction. The 12 Steps guided my uncle in his recovery from the destructive forces of alcoholism.

This summer, the world experienced extreme weather that broke historical weather records, inflicted immense human suffering and widespread property destruction. In reflecting on how excessive carbon emissions have caused this crisis, one wonders if insights can be drawn from AA’s 12 Steps. Perhaps applying lessons from that programme can help the global community embark on a climate recovery journey.

Step 1: Admitting powerlessness