The Foreign Service Journal, October 2021

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2021 51 of both drought and flood. This is a place where people brace through storms and listen to deep thunderous grumbles from nearby mountains in what are either resilient or adaptive behaviors. Those, however, who lose homes, land, crops and livelihoods are environmentally displaced, seeking refuge and a future for themselves and their loved ones. b More and more people around the globe are experiencing “solastalgia,” defined as the distress caused by environmental change. I would include myself. The distress can come in many ways: depression and anxiety over personally experiencing or lamenting certain changes, strong emotions over observing and working with and for populations directly affected by cli- mate change, or disappointment over policy or programs that seem to take too long to make a real difference. As climate change boosts the frequency and severity of natural disasters, more diplomats and development workers Checklist: When Things Get Hot at Work Self How’s my nervous system? • Jumpy, irritable, sad vs. calm, grounded, content How do I spend my day? • Mostly at work or working vs. carving out time to do healthy and satisfying activities How am I sleeping? • Can’t fall asleep, can’t get out of bed, nightmares, tossing and turning vs. sleeping like a log Others Who can be an accountability buddy? • Someone who can check in with me about quitting time, working after hours • Someone who can encourage me to take a break, have fun, seek support Agency How can I take advantage and promote the use of agency policies and programs? • Call Staff Care Center hotline 24/7 • Utilize available sick or annual leave • Negotiate work schedule and plan with supervisors to promote work-life balance 30.7 million people were newly displaced as a result of natural disasters in 2020. will find themselves unexpectedly part of a nation and living among communities grappling with recovery and, later, how to “fix” the issue. Helping people survive and helping govern- ments and communities respond and build can lead to trau- matic consequences not only for the people directly affected but also for those who support diplomacy and humanitarian and development assistance work. I have experienced night- mares, apathy, helplessness and hopelessness, depression and anxiety, even panic. Well known among trauma and disaster professionals are three factors that increase the risk of experiencing traumatic consequences: duration, severity and meaning. 1. Duration: working long hours for extended periods of time without stopping to eat, exercise, play, pray, socialize or otherwise recharge; 2. Severity: being exposed constantly to death/dying, pov- erty, suffering, abuse and any horrific scene; and 3. Meaning: connecting personally with the situation, being consumed by thoughts (“If I stop, someone will die or get hurt”). I have found this to be true each time I dealt with a disaster on the job. Now I know that, I must consider my work habits and work environment (see sidebar). The reality is that climate change—which includes assisting with disaster recovery, rebuilding communities and resolving policy issues to help the millions of environmentally displaced persons in this world—is a long-term, complex issue that requires solutions beyond the work of one person. My Oregon wildfire trauma was short-lived. The situation couldn’t get more personal and meaningful. But my childhood home is still standing, and my parents are safe. For millions, this is not the case; and for diplomats and development work- ers, more and more will be faced personally or professionally with climate change and environmentally displaced persons. It will take not only a special kind of climate change diplomacy and post-disaster development expertise, but exceptional self- awareness and management skills to keep our staff healthy and safe, especially when things get hot. n