What Happens To Fiction When Our Worst Climate Nightmares Start Coming True?

There have been many works that are considered within the genre of "cli-fi", or climate fiction. Anna North, author, asks us what the will become of climate fiction as it becomes climate reality? If we look at post-apocalyptic visions of refugees from drought-stricken lands, conflict embroiling over scarce resources, and flooded urban landscapes, we come to discover in many ways we are already there. 

Of course, there is quite a lot of climate literature that is not fiction, as well. But do these works convince us to change our behavior, our systems, our world? Do we drive less or go to rallies more because of these writings? North says, perhaps not. "The primary function of climate fiction is not to convince us to do something about climate change—that remains a job primarily for activists, scientists and politicians. Rather, fiction can help us learn how to live in a world increasingly altered by our actions—and to imagine new ways of living that might reduce the harm we do...What the best of climate fiction offers is not reassurance but examples, stories of people continuing to live once life as we know it is over."

This view seems hopeful yet defeatist, as I believe in the fight against climate change is where we can discover these new ways of living. Climate fiction exists so that we do not let it become realistic fiction.