15 October 2019

Its not happening to me............

MuckandBrass

AOL carries a 'live poll' on its website that seeks to measure the level support for Climate Protest and its result offered an interesting snapshot of public opinion. (This could be seen as a measure of support for the actions of Extinction Rebellion.)

Whilst those with strong views are evenly balanced, the majority of those with more moderate views clearly do not support the Climate Protests and it is in that area of public opinion that XR, and other climate activists, face their greatest challenge. How do you convince someone that there is a 'climate emergency' when that individual has no personal experience of that 'climate emergency'? The challenge is even greater when that individual lives a comfortable life with all the benefits of a 'developed' society? I would suggest that it's a very hard case to make.

As part of this consideration, I came across an interesting piece about 'belief vs fact' and it proposes tools which help "....... form well-developed ideas in order to meet the challenges of our modern world.......". The problem with these tools is that the individual must engage with them and use them with consideration. Leaning on personal prejudice is rather easier.

I happen to believe that climate change is real and that we are, at the very least, on the way to a 'climate emergency' but it is important to recognise that I haven't actually seen or experienced the impact of climate change for myself. What I have done is read around the subject and sought out informed opinion. In doing that I have seen the scientific measurements of global warming and the images of melting icecaps and retreating glaciers. At the same time, I do believe that actions have consequences and that the Industrial Revolution must therefore have a significant impact upon our global environment. But for many people, that would simply not be enough, especially when addressing the issue will challenge their personal comforts.

The relative inaction of governments on the issue of climate change stands in stark contrast to the action taken by the UK government in the mid-1980s when AIDS was seen as a national threat. And this begs the question, 'Why was it easy to act on AIDS when it is so difficult to act on Climate Change?'