We pick up a new text today from Aussie Tim Flannery. A decade ago his Weather Makers: How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth gave early warning of the climate science denialism that's since become so depressingly common among the loudest and least informed.
“As long as scepticism is based on a sound understanding of science it is invaluable, for that is how science progresses. But poor criticism can lead those who are unfamiliar with the science involved into doubting everything about climate change predictions.” Ironic, such selective skepticism from people who are generally so credulous about all manner of incredible conspiracy confabulation.
In Atmosphere of Hope, Flannery is back searching for solutions and finding real (though rapidly narrowing) promise for a renewed optimism based on the deployment of "exciting new tools in the making that could help us avoid a climate disaster." Last December's Paris climate agreement, recently engaged as more ratifying nations exceeded its "threshold for entry into force," furnishes (let's hope) some of the needed geopolitical tools. Next month's election will determine whether those tools do actually get deployed.
"Digital connectedness," also noted by Naomi Klein as an invaluable tool to multiply the climate movement's growth and influence, "has brought new opportunities: for divestment, effective dissent, encouraging uptake of new technologies, and for legal action." We begin at last to see the polluters' profits in relative decline, as "clean power" more visibly rises. Flannery's "third way" is to begin "creating our future out of thin air" by sucking the CO2 out of it. He insists this is realistic, not utopian. But we have to make it happen quickly, "we're seeing the climate change before our eyes."
Some of us are. Some of us are still just seeing what we want to see, not seeing climate change as a dire threat to our health and well-being, not seeing the melting glaciers and shrinking ice caps, not daring to imagine the impact of an inundated planet. Blindness is not hope.
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Dr. Oliver,
ReplyDelete"As long as scepticism is based on a sound understanding of science it is invaluable, for that is how science progresses," is a valid point. But today it does seem like everyone is an authority just because they stayed at Holiday Express. I believe that part of this is an historic attitude encouraged by religious leaders who doubted that their congregations would support the church if they began to question the credibility of the assertions of their ministers. Over time this may slowly change, but with more students being home schooled or attending private religious based schools, students will not be taught to think critically and it is simply easier to accept what you are told to believe and never question authority. TV and radio personalities have little or know scientific knowledge yet they spout mind numbing statements about climate change and their followers accept whatever is spoon fed to them with questioning whether it is right.