Eco-dystopias and Climate Fiction
Defining Nature
Nature and environment have many meanings depending on what lens we choose to look at it through. The traditional dictionary meaning of nature is "all the animals, plants, rocks etc. in the world and all the features, forces and processes that happen or exist independently of people" (1). This definition highlights humans as apart from nature, rather than a part of nature. Further, the environment is most commonly thought of in a natural setting. However, this dualistic approach ignores how both humans and nature interact with and impact each other. Another way to look at nature and the environment is to acknowledge it as not something humans are apart from, but something we are a part of. This connection changes and affects the way we interpret our world, as well influencing our pop-culture.The Rising Tide of Climate Fiction
One way we see these human and nature coming together is in the increased popularity of climate fiction, or dystopias where the cause isn't nuclear fallout or corrupt governments like many early works were. This can be seen in comparing the inspirations and environments of classic dystopian novels such "Fahrenheit 451" to more modern dystopian novels, such as "The Water Knife" and "New York: 2140" (pictured below). Even stories that keep their dystopian roots, such as "The Hunger Games" still use climate as a basis for society's undoing. The human relationship to nature is a key part of many dystopian novels, and in this sub-genre the failure of this relationship and the failure of the climate is what creates many of the typical dystopian tropes and tensions.
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"Fahrenheit 451" explores a world with the threat of nuclear warfare, and a totalitarian government; inspired by Nazi book burnings and the threat of the Cold War.
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"The Water Knife" focuses on water shortages and a Cold War-like affair between states over water rights in the distant future. "New York: 2140" is set in a future where New York has become the new Venice due to rising sea levels.
Climate Fiction & Our Current World
The effect of this influx of climate fiction into dystopias has provided us with a way to interact with and understand our environment. It allows us to have an understanding of future environmental issues we will face without using scientific evidence that may not be as compelling. It also allows us to acknowledge and appreciate the environment of today by providing us with a warning of what could be taken away. Other forms of eco-dystopias see movement away from the wilderness of nature and towards nature as a garden, or in a controlled and engineered setting. This idea is also a reflection of concerns during a time where increasing urbanization and urban sprawl are creating a higher need for manufacturing nature. The most important effect of how nature and the environment is presented in these novels is that it creates room for conversation and concerns without academic or scientific barriers that are common in environmental discussions today.
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