Climate Obstruction: How Denial, Delay and Inaction are Heating the Planet

Description

In Climate Obstruction: How Denial, Delay and Inaction are Heating the Planet, Kristoffer Ekberg, Bernhard Forchtner, Martin Hultman and Kirsti Jylhä bring together crucial insights from environmental history, sociology, media and communication studies and psychology to help us understand why we are failing to take necessary measures to avert the unfolding climate crisis. They do so by examining the variety of ways in which meaningful climate action has been obstructed. This ranges from denial of the scientific evidence for human-induced climate change and its policy consequences, to (seemingly sincere) acknowledgement of scientific evidence while nevertheless delaying meaningful climate action. The authors also consider all those actions by which often well-meaning individuals and collectives (unintendedly) hamper climate action. In doing so, this book maps out arguments and strategies that have been used to counter environmental protection and regulation since the 1960s by, first and foremost, corporations supported by conservative actors, but also far-right ones as well as ordinary citizens. This timely and accessible book provides tools and lessons to understand, identify and call out such arguments and strategies, and points to actions and systemic and cultural changes needed to avert or at least mitigate the climate crisis. Cover Endorsement Page Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction Welcome to a heating planet? Understanding climate obstruction What we do – and what we do not do in this book Notes Chapter 2: The foundations of climate obstruction Introduction Fossil capital and the geopolitical weight of oil Scientific knowledge and the idea of “beneficial climate change” A new conflict emerges The gospel of adaptation and proactive strategies from the fossil fuel industry Neoliberal countermovement and economics Shifting responsibility, the politics of global warming Economy against decarbonisation The PR campaign begins Summary Notes Chapter 3: Organised climate obstruction Introduction Assembling the climate denial machine The funding and creation of primary obstruction Conservative Think Tanks Front groups and coalitions Astro-turf organisations and the mobilisation of public opinion What effects by the propaganda? Conspiracy theories and attacks on science A countermovement turned into a governing body Summary Notes Chapter 4: The far right and climate obstruction Introduction “A convenient scam”: why some in the far right deny the scientific evidence for anthropogenic climate change “It’s the economy, stupid” (and all this alarmism and hysteria) The far right and climate change: voting behaviour and government activity Summary Notes Chapter 5: The public and climate obstruction Introduction Attitude-behaviour gap and structural obstacles Epistemic and interpretative disagreement on climate change Identities and ideological resistance to climate change mitigation Summary Notes Chapter 6: Conclusion Introduction Commonalities in the landscape of obstruction Overcoming obstruction Acting here and now Changing cultures, engaging in society The need for speed Notes Index