A multipolar and more-than-human conceptual framework could offer a new way for climate scientists, artists, and activists to approach the issue of climate change. Specifically, these frameworks emphasize approaching climate change from a more comprehensive standpoint - for instance, viewing climate change in the context of “clime,” which is described by Dan Smyer Yü as “the interwoven politic of the Earth, humans, and nonhumans inclusive of animals, plants, and local deities, all of whom holistically help us shape our multipolar perspectives on clime/climate change” (2). This approach emphasizes the importance of not reducing climate change to a scientific/technological issue, which is something that can inform scientists like Vandana Singh on how to analyze the climate change issue from different perspectives. In her article, she tells the story about the Iñupiaq Edler and the scientists. She writes, “But the Elder knew the sea ice in a completely different way. The ice had spoken to him, but not to the Scientist” (185). Stories like this demonstrate how knowing climate does not just stem from being able to analyze it scientifically, but also from living within the environment and interacting with it socially, economically, and politically for generations. The idea of a multipolar conceptual framework also encompasses the inclusion of Indigenous and local ecological knowledge, which is another way to incorporate diverse perspectives into the climate change discussion. This idea of knowing climate by being immersed in it is something that can also inform the work of climate artists. This is something that Zain Mustafa briefly touched on in the symposium when he invited all the artists on the panel to come to Pakistan and then create art based on their experience of being immersed in that environment. Similar to how there exists some level of separation between the environment and scientists who study it from a purely analytical standpoint, I would think that there also exists the same kind of separation between artists and the environment when they try to create art based on a place without experiencing that place firsthand. The same could be said for climate activists as well. Another big aspect of the multipolar framework is transboundary cooperation. The idea of rivers and other geological systems crossing national boundaries is something we saw in the further exploration presentations from this week. Because these geological features do not conform to our politically-imposed boundaries, it seems unreasonable to approach climate governance from an independent and national perspective. Rather, the multipolar framework encourages international cooperation and data sharing. Furthermore, in looking at the works of the activists in the symposium, we can get a better picture of how the history of the “Three Poles” literally melts into that of the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. The water in these three rivers all originate from the same source - the Himalayan glaciers - which reflects not only the ecological connection between these rivers but also the historical entanglement of these regions. These activists help make visible how climate change in the Third Pole isn't just a scientific event, but a complex historical process that has reshaped lives, cultures, and ecosystems in the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra regions. While these rivers cross national boundaries, they are all impacted by the same geological source and thus their social and cultural impacts stem from the same source, reflecting the way in which these regions are deeply intertwined. Some of their shared impacts which are discussed by the activists include displacement of communities, water pollution, damage to infrastructure, and loss of culture and history, among other things. With this in mind, it becomes clear to me that the idea of Third Pole governance should be something that transcends national boundaries, because the things that impact the Third Pole and the things that are impacted by the Pole do not adhere to any kind of boundary. I actually think climate models demonstrate the need for this form of governance very well, because they generally do not take into account national boundaries, as was seen in the models from Arika’s presentation on climate change in the Third Pole region. The diagrams representing glacial retreat, for example, did not show any distinct nations. While climate models have many faults, as we have discussed in class, I think this is one aspect that is actually beneficial in helping us adopt a multipolar framework for thinking about climate change.