The phrase of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, “the era of global warming is over and the era of global boiling has arrived”, takes on a scope that was not his intentions. He may have been referring to the “frightening” climate change that is already here, but if you let the implications work, you realize that it’s not just about global temperatures. The “boiling” is dragging along the leaderships everywhere. Cracks, small or large, are visible. If we take a look at the map of governments, and not only in Europe, despite the undisputed majorities that some gather, the ground under their feet is extremely unstable.
Measures to protect ourselves from climate change are no longer enough. Millions of people are exposed and politicians seem increasingly powerless to contain the shock.
“The consequences are clear and tragic: children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from the flames, workers collapsing in the scorching heat,” Guterres said, referring to large parts of North America, Asia, Africa and of Europe. And he added that “the only surprise is the speed of change.” Actually. The signs have started for a while now. Not only in the climate and the environment but also in the centers of power. It is not enough for heads of government to be capable, with will, vision and fist. What better example than New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who resigned suddenly in January 2023. Hugely popular, with an enviably successful career despite the major crises in her country she was called upon to manage, the 42-year-old politician declared after five and a half years in power : “I don’t have the energy for another four years… I’m human. We give what we can for as long as we can, and then it’s time. And for me, it’s time.” With “privilege comes responsibility,” he noted.
Ardern’s burnout was the first official admission, immediately after the pandemic, that stocks are running out too fast. “Exhaustion” is not always accompanied by resignations. Nor from the same sense of responsibility. More often weakness or nakedness is revealed, but there are no alternatives. Fast consumption, “burning”, is not only due to deficiencies. In other times, the same people may have been in positions of power for years, steady. The Internet and social media undoubtedly contribute to the “overheating”. Everything ends up being visible and permeable. This or that politician is constantly exposed. At any moment, in democratic societies at least, where there is freedom of information flow, a video, a photo, a sentence can mark the beginning of free fall.
That is why, in addition to ingenuity, quick reflexes and adaptability, a constant connection with society, the reality of every era, is needed. It has nothing to do with 2015 or 2019 with 2023. The chain of fatigue includes everyone and everything; society, work, politics, art to a large extent. Any “breaths”, wherever they come from, last a while and then evaporate. The planet is burning (literally) but at the same time “burning” is everything that constitutes it and surrounds it. Not only the places but also the people, the habits, the ways of communication, the tools we had to describe and interpret our world. This last one has been mentioned many times. However, we should also admit that the interpretive tools are different in order to be able to identify them. It is not enough to simply describe the condition.
The pressure is great from and in all directions. Perhaps that is why the role of leadership, at the moment when it is more critical than ever, at the same time appears insufficient. The times call for superhuman leaders, no messiahs, leaders with empathy in addition to skill. Not manipulators who promise and lie, sleazy spinners, skilled scammers. This new anthropomorphic leader takes responsibility for his weaknesses, infuses strength and courage without rising above problems. He knows that the best world is only the possible world.
