Prevailing wisdom suggests that citizens in wealthier countries care more about climate change than citizens in poorer nations. This assumption is rooted in modernization theory, which argues that as societies become more affluent, their citizens adopt liberal values, such as environmentalism. Moreover, wealthier citizens tend to be better educated, possess more knowledge about climate change, and therefore show greater concern for the environment. This perspective shapes policy solutions aimed at changing individual beliefs and behaviors in the developing world. In her lecture, Iza Ding challenges these ideas, revealing that they reflect the positionality of researchers and policymakers as much as they do lived realities in the developing world. Bringing the audience to Mongolia, Ding unveils how knowledge on the front lines of the climate crisis is tangible rather than abstract, how responses to climate change are channeled through local vernaculars and practices, and why this must be taken into account by researchers and policymakers alike.