▶ Interview
The climate crisis leads to a crisis in our lives
Tyler Rasch (Master`s degree from the Department of Political Sciences and International Relations in 2016)
Few people understood how Tyler Rasch, a popular TV personality nicknamed “a language genius” and “a brain-sexy man,” intersects with environmental issues when he published his book, No Second Earth in 2020. He is a passionate environmental activist whose book was printed on environmentally friendly paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC certification allows consumers to readily verify that responsibly managed forest resources have been used in finished products). Even before publishing this book, he had been active as a brand ambassador at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Korea. His interests in the environment are very broad and omnidirectional, ranging from the microscopic level of mundane life to the macroscopic systems pointing toward the future.
You have recently been active as an environmental activist as well as a TV personality. We’re wondering how it’s been going.
I have currently been conducting various experimental projects while actively appearing in TV shows, writing books, and delivering lectures on the climate crisis. At the beginning of this year, I founded an entertainment company whose values are focused on artists' right to know, operational transparency, and collaboration, serving as its director.
There may be significant differences in how people feel about, understand, and respond to the climate crisis.
What prompted you to be a devoted environmental activist?
Absolutely right. There is a difference between being interested and taking action. Despite my interest in nature and the environment since my childhood, it was not until 2016, when I began working as a brand ambassador for the WWF, that I began to put that interest into action. My activities as a brand ambassador enabled me to gain copious knowledge and information on climate and environmental issues, and further motivated me to share it with others. At that time, I had just graduated from SNU and was mulling over my next move. As a solution to my personal inquiry, I was inspecting the trends the world was following, which led me to the conclusion that the climate crisis was exerting an indelible impact on the economy. I realized that there were more losses than gains due to the climate crisis, and that the climate crisis was a crisis in my life, which propelled me to resolutely engage in related activities.
Was there a recent moment that reminded you of the depth of the environmental issues?
Yes, when I was thinking about personal investment or preparation for the future. People tend to examine where to buy a house, or what products to invest in, and these issues are inevitably affected by the climate crisis. For example, I experienced how stocks related to the new and renewable energy industry were the items achieving the highest returns while investing in United States stocks. While searching for real estate properties in the northeastern region of the US, I also learned that house prices and insurance premiums varied due to their locations and whether they were affected by typhoons. Suppose you arrange a 30-year loan. The year this loan matures will be 2053, and based on current predictions, there is a greater than 60% chance that the global temperature rise may exceed 2℃ on average. If this prediction becomes a reality, both Incheon International Airport and Gimhae International Airport may be underwater. Even though we are desperately striving to earn, save, and invest money at this point, would we be able to handle the economic havoc that will be wreaked by this change? Our daily reflections on the economy and the future enable us to repeatedly realize the depth of the climate crisis.
What is the most frustrating wall of reality you encounter while working as an environmental activist?
There is a tendency to focus on microscopic aspects alone without fully understanding institutional and issues of scale. As an analogy, suppose you turn on a navigation device and drive a car, finding occasional guidance on accident-prone areas. Accident-prone areas are designated based on the number of accidents occurring in a certain area during a predetermined period. However, there are cases where accidents continue to take place in an accident-prone area despite the warning of the navigation system and the precautions of the driver. There are other reasons that contribute beyond the individual driver. In this case, we need to consider that there may be blind spots along the roads that require us to redesign these roads. This is the case for the climate crisis. We already learned what the greenhouse effect was in 1958, and that the use of fossil fuels was the main culprit of the climate crisis in 1960, yet we have not been able to resolve these issues over more than 60 years. We can find solutions to these problems only when we become swiftly aware of the reality and correctly discern the issues. Institutional problems require institutional solutions. We need to focus on collaboration rather than individual efforts. This view implies that solutions to environmental problems require systematic thinking.
“The most common misconception among people is that the climate crisis is a type of crisis limited to environmental issues. Ultimately, issues such as the economy and national security can only be settled in a safe environment. If the safety barrier called the environment collapses, the ability to protect the economy or the country may be lost. The climate crisis is a crisis for me, my life, and for those around me, and saving the Earth leads to saving myself and other people.”
You emphasized the “system” for resolving environmental problems.
What efforts for improvements would be necessary for us to coexist with Earth?
There are three main types of individual actions that can induce systemic change. First is voting. If we intend to resolve the climate crisis, we need to think about the climate crisis, and vote in a direction that promotes a solution. The second action is environmentally friendly consumption. If people prefer to consume eco-certified products, companies will also realize the importance of the environment, and participate in resolving the climate crisis. When consumers continuously provide feedback and actively present demands on environmental issues, it encourages companies to change. Third, you should speak up and inform others about the climate crisis and environmental issues whenever the opportunity arises. Change is only possible when we all act together.
You meet various people along your journey.
I wonder what you think are the biggest misconceptions among the general public on the climate crisis.
The most common misconception among people is that the climate crisis is a type of crisis limited to environmental issues. Ultimately, issues such as the economy and national security can only be settled in a safe environment. If the safety barrier called the environment collapses, the ability to protect the economy or the country may be lost. Sea level rise may damage ports and flood airports, thereby resulting in the vulnerability of military facilities. As a result, the climate crisis affects how I make a living. The climate crisis is a crisis for me, my life, and for those around me, and saving the Earth leads to saving myself and other people.
Please share your future plans, if any, regarding the environment.
I have recently been attempting various projects. One of them is to start a new environmental campaign, and you can check out the website fiveminutesforthefuture.com for an overview. Despite it being in the planning stages, prior to launching this campaign, I would like to invite everyone to take a look and get involved.
