There are so many different views, each with a strong and
valid message, that it becomes hard to understand what it is we need to do and
how to do it.
Let’s have a look at the different camps, and the reason for
the current state of paralysis will become clear.
- Climate change denialists – don’t want to change everything. Often highly sceptical of science and statistics. More likely to rely on rhetoric than numbers, and often ignorant of the scientific method. Their cause has received a lot more support since the revelation that there really hasn’t been much warming over the last 16 years; it was a really, really, really stupid tactic by the climate change science block to use smoke and mirrors to disguise this as the main outcome has been to give ammunition to the other side. Many of the supporters of this denialism and scepticism are conservative, which means don’t change it if it ain’t broke. They are denying that anything is broken. Some inroads at explaining the science to the masses are happening as we speak.
- The average person – tell me what it is we have to do, but don’t expect me to change my lifestyle or pay much more. The average person is indifferent to climate change (don’t berate me – go look at all those surveys on what people are most concerned about). The average person also doesn’t understand how the power industry works and will vote for a popular party with a position that will hurt their own wallets – then vote them out again later to save the pain on their wallets.
- Teenagers – understand that long term damage is being caused, and it will affect their future. However, teenagers don’t yet pay bills or have to work for a living (mostly anyway). Those from poorer families will have a stronger feeling for the cost of any measures that increase living costs. Many don’t and will happily push for costly measures because it feels right to them. The growing push by political parties to lower the voting age is an attempt to push their solutions on the average person by getting a majority vote through the use of teenagers who don’t yet understand the issues faced by the rest of society.
- The elderly – we don’t like the problems our generation caused, but please don’t increase the cost of living or ask me to buy new energy efficient appliances, we can’t afford them.
- Climate Change Scientists – there’s a problem, here’s the evidence, here’s the forecast, now change everything right now. Having convincingly shown there is a problem, they are now pushing for their own solutions, often in ignorance of how countries and economies work. They also need to get in the trenches and talk about the fundamentals of what is happening – however, unfortunately, a culture is in place whereby they are the font of all wisdom and we should do what they say. Climate change scientists should be talking to all sides.
- The solar industry – we have the answer, and anyone involved in fossil fuels is a satan worshipper who eats babies. The solar industry has a lot of sway as it has a solution that is implementable now. Yes, the prices are coming down, and yes, storage solutions are on the verge of being cost effective, however, there has almost never been a group of lobbyists as good at taking care of their own interests over that of society in the history of humanity.
- The fossil fuel industry – ummmm…. We didn’t invent this stuff, and we aren’t forcing you to use our product. Find an alternative already and stop demonising us. Coal is used to make steel, electricity, plastic, fertiliser, food colouring and many other products. Oil and gas are used to run trucks, cars, planes, ships, etc. It is portable energy. It is also a major source of electricity. From one point of view, they are just providing what we all want and use. From the other end of the spectrum they are dirty drug dealer types forcing us all to be addicted to their product.
- The developing world – we have pollution, poverty, health problems, lack of education, lack of industry and a small economy. Taking care of all those issues are our priority. There is a subset of the developing world who also vocally put it that the developed world created all these problems so they should be compensated.
- The developed world – whoops, we created this mess, but we don’t know how to get out of it. The pragmatic view is that we are here now, so where do we go in the future without having to give up our standard of living. The guilt ridden are willing to sacrifice the living standards of their own in order to repair the Earth and help the developing world. Since the global economy is slowing down, even the most ardent supporter of climate change action moderates their view when they actually get into government and realise they don't have enough money to support the changes they promised in the election campaign.
- Farmers – either we get too much rain or too little, help us out here. They are facing dramatic changes to their way of life. Some places will have a net benefit for a few decades, other places will lose out. People need to be more mobile, but that isn’t easy as they are tied (emotionally) to the land they already work.
- National politics – It is about doing something for the environment, but without penalising our country and slowing down economic growth. There is also a strong dose of nationalism when it comes to issues like water (as in, who takes what water from a river when it flows across borders). Remember, most wars are fought over access to resources (farmland, water and minerals), so we expect more of the same. The military in most countries are across this and influencing political agendas.
- Wildlife advocates – there are so many varieties here, ranging from those who wish to work with government and industry to those who would condemn humanity in the name of the environment, with a wonderful spectrum of views and coalitions in between. Many of these organisations ally themselves with the left side of politics and push agendas that involve everyone else putting up money for their solutions – this approach, while great for slogans, has mostly failed to change the indifference of the majority.
- Business – just give us a set of rules and regulations to follow so we have some certainty on where to go. BUT, don’t go putting up our costs and making it harder to do business when our competitors in other countries or states don’t have those same costs.
- Slacktivists – those who repost facebook pictures/slogans and emails to promote the cause. Studies have shown that those who do this feel they have done enough and in total do less for a cause than someone who actively tries to help. This is similar to the concept of conspicuous compassion – where people who wear badges for different causes have been shown to, on average, donate less than those who don’t. Unfortunately, these people can help provide the appearance of support for populist causes that are ineffective or costly.
I could go on, but let’s stop here and take stock.
If really pressed, most people would admit there is a
problem, what we don’t know is how to fix it. There are so many genuine issues
to be dealt with that we need genuine dialogue to come up with answers.
Within nations and internationally there is political
disagreement on how to proceed, and I can’t help but feel that everyone is
secretly hoping that there will be a technical answer to all their problems, but they don’t want to
pay for it, or really even talk about it.
Note: I work as a project and energy economist with companies and governments on geosequestration,wind, geothermal, hydro, wave, transmission networks, coal seam gas, coal,and more. The views expressed in this blog are solely my own and do not represent the views of any organisation that I do work for.
