Reclaiming “Climate Emergency”

The term “climate emergency” originated over 15 years ago as a call to recognise climate disruption as an urgent crisis requiring mobilisation on an unprecedented scale. Through misuse, the term has been degraded. So what should it mean today?

The term “climate emergency” originated over 15 years ago as a call to recognise climate change as an urgent crisis requiring mobilisation on an unprecedented scale, similar to wartime responses. Initially popularised in the 2007–2008 report Climate Code Red, the concept aimed to inspire governments and societies to commit significant resources to immediate climate action. Over time, the phrase gained global recognition, becoming Oxford Dictionaries’ Word of the Year in 2019, but its overuse—sometimes by governments supporting fossil fuels—has diluted its meaning. Reclaiming the term is essential to restore its power as a call for urgent, large-scale action.

Grassroots and international movements have consistently built on this foundation. From Lester Brown’s Plan B to Al Gore’s advocacy, Paul Gilding’s The Great Disruption, and The Climate Mobilization in the USA, activists have framed climate change as a global emergency demanding mobilisation comparable to WWII efforts. These efforts emphasise that declaring a climate emergency is not symbolic—it signals genuine commitment to swift and transformative solutions.