HEART stands for Humans Enabling and Adapting with Resilience Together
We are a group of Hertfordshire residents who believe that we are facing existential threats brought about by climate change and other associated predicaments. We accept that societal collapse is possible, likely or inevitable in our lifetimes – and is indeed already happening in many parts of our world.
We are committed to contributing to local community resilience, both practically and emotionally.
We seek to inform and support local leaders in political, health and local community organisations, and encourage them to be curious and open minded about collapse and its implications.
We also seek to demonstrate and share the values of loving kindness, truth-telling and community in all that we do.
We’d love to welcome and connect with you!
A vital conversation about our collective future
Sadly, the world has left it too late to prevent the climate crisis. It’s here.
In the UK, we are already beginning to experience extreme weather events – but so far nothing compared to other countries in the Global North – let alone the Global South.
It’s too late to think we can prevent it – we have to adapt to the issues that are already here, and the much worse climate chaos that is coming. We also have to do everything we can to not make matters worse.
Mitigation is still vital of course – but so many people still talk about this issue as though it’s something that will only impact our children or grandchildren – and dates like 2050 or the ‘end of this century’ are often used to ‘kick the can down the road’.
“The future is already here – it’s just unevenly distributed” (William Gibson)
Despite messages from politicians and the mainstream media, things are getting worse, not better.
The last two years have seen a vast amount of new science and research findings being published.
For those of you who wish to take more of a deep dive, explore the Resources section of this website.
Even for those of us who are awake to the emergency, the conclusions from this latest science force us to go beyond our usual narratives about the planetary predicaments we face. If we’re able to face the situation honestly, we no longer have time for a gentle and gradual transition.
The challenge is by no means limited to reducing carbon emissions. There are many other, related issues – including mass species extinction, eco-system collapse (both on land and in oceans), climate-created refugees, and likely future Zoonotic virus pandemics.
That doesn’t mean we should panic, or give up! There are many things we can begin doing now that will help us to prepare and adapt.
“Fighting to turn things around” in the face of a rapidly deteriorating situation can be highly stressful. Many of you have done this for years, and some of you are exhausted. Yet we are closer to the edge of the cliff than ever.
9 of the 15 known global climate tipping points that regulate the state of the planet have already been activated, and we are racing towards the others.
HEART Community Group’s acceptance about what may be coming our way doesn’t mean we’ve given up. Far from it. We are totally engaged in meaningful projects that come under the heading of Deep Adaptation, and building local resilient communities.
Take a look at this table here, and reflect on which column you’re in. Your answer is important, because it will drive all your actions, strategies and priorities!