I am confused about global warming. Are you?
As the title of this piece says, I am confused about global warming. I am not confused that significant warming is happening, or that it is likely to be caused by human activity. I am unclear, however, how bad its effects are going to be and what the plans are to understand, avoid or mitigate the potentially terrible consequences that may follow. In a nutshell my confusion is, if global warming is a dreadful, existential crisis why is there not clearer leadership, information available and action being taken to get us out of this mess? And what should I do about it?
From what I have read global warming is causing, and is increasingly going to cause combinations of:
· Rising sea levels
· Flooding
· Drought
· Wildfires
· Storms
· Heatwaves
· Reduction in biodiversity and destruction of wildlife.
These will impact different people and countries in more or less significant ways depending on their geography and circumstances, but generally speaking the impact of these things is profoundly awful. However, there are plenty of people out there who do not seem to believe that these consequences will happen or that they will be that severe. And that, is where I become confused. Is there really a diversity of opinion on the facts? Are vested interests, on both sides, pumping out information to cool down, or heat up, climate fear simply to further their own agendas? Or is there simply an outbreak of misguided wilful blindness?
As well as looking for clearer information, I want to invite others to comment on their own understanding and feelings. I want help to gain clarity.
Do you think we are in an existential crisis? If so, are we doing enough to solve it? If not, why not? Are you confused like me? What do you think we should do?
I think that by having some meaningful conversations and by sharing well researched information we can benefit by becoming clearer on where we are, on what action needs taken and on what action is possible. We can then work out what we do to help solve the problem, or possibly relax that it is all going to be ok!
Based on my own experience, I notice that people’s views seem to divide into 4 groups:
1. The Activists: Those that are convinced that the effects of Global Warming are catastrophic and that we should be making every effort to change the ways that we live without delay to avoid the ensuing disasters that are coming.
2. The Sceptics: Those that are sceptical as to the impact, if not the causes of global warming, and do not see why any fundamental changes should be made to the way that we live, for the time being at least.
3. The Fatalists: Those that are prepared to recognise the reality and the expected effects of Global Warming but do not think that humankind has the behavioural inclination to take sufficient action or collective will to change it. I will include in this group those that believe that science will find technical solutions to the problem; so the outcome maybe bad but there is no point or need for society to make any drastic changes beyond those already underway.
4. The Uncertain: Those that are unsure. This group is made up a wide constituency from those that are confused like me to those that do not feel qualified to have an opinion, and will simply do what they are told.
I have no evidence for this beyond my own observation but I think that the majority of people fall into categories 3 & 4. I also notice that there are people in each of the groups that indulge in moral judgements about those in one or more of the others – behaviour that seems unhelpful and divisive. I do believe that whatever our knowledge and beliefs are that we should treat others with sufficient respect and hold our predictions for the future lightly. This is a complex area where there is some confusion and the consequences of proposed action and inaction are profound for those living now and in the future.
I hope that I don’t come over as naïve. I do feel it. I seem to be sure of less, the more that I engage with this subject. I am aware that this invitation to engage appears to be late for the party but I want to be honest about where my head is at. I really feel that some meaningful conversations with people at different stages of learning, but who are interested in engaging with the subject, could be mutually beneficial. Please comment or get in touch if you would like to join in.
PS For those that want to engage I recommend a listen to Kate Raworth’s interview with British podcasters of the moment: Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart on their ‘Leading’ podcast – it got my neurones working.