Comments on: Who Cares About Climate Change?

By: Andy Hobsbawm

Andy Hobsbawm — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 07:13:00 +0000

One of the biggest problems for me is that, at heart, people want to believe this isn’t happening, or that it’s part of a natural cycle so there’s no point doing anything about it or worrying about it.

Add to this the vastly superior ‘framing’ of the climate change debate by the ‘climate deniers’ (http://climatedenial.org) and it’s no surprise that a relative storm in a tea-cup about hacked e-mails (which don’t for one second seriously question the weight of scientific evidence about climate change) resonate so deeply. “Aha” people like Anton say to themselves, “I knew it was all a big con.”

You make some great points Oli, although there’s a lot of literature about the reasons behind people’s apparent lack of concern or belief in or action to prevent climate change which I won’t go into that here but which speak to many of the issues you touch on.

I particularly liked your last point. “Information on the Internet may be louder and more authoritative than it appears to be” So very true.

By: Emma Mulqueeny

Emma Mulqueeny — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:38:30 +0000

I think that #6 is probably the closest. I think we don’t care because it is almost irrelevant – too *big* a thing to cope with, and something that can go to the bottom of the ‘to do’ list – after feeding, clothing and providing a home for our families. Ensuring some stability in our work; abiding by the laws of a country in the grip of change – happening at a rate not known in our lifetimes, in the grip of a worldwide recession that is actually affecting our pockets and security.

I don’t think we don’t care, it is just at the bottom of the list; and unfortunately it may take a few years before we get there (if we continue as we are).

This is also a reflection of society, where the change of focus is from global/large scale issues; to protecting our own and our country’s identity. Taking more interest in hyperlocal issues. This is helped by technology, where we can focus all the information we read and receive through postcode identification/IP address. Google is personalising search, government is personalising services and information (slowly but surely).

With such an onslaught of relevant, local, personal information – who has time for the planet?

PS I am not saying that it is not important, I am ruminating as you are, before I get attacked for being selfish!

By: Anton

Anton — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:05:04 +0000

I should be clear that in my view things that reduce pollution and conserve energy are in and of themselves desirable and do not require a “climate change” tag to promote them. I believe this to be blatantly obvious but universally ignored.

I could go into the obvious reasons for western political support for climate change science. But people might call me cynical for believing that politicians don’t really give a monkeys about future generations or saving the planet.
Do you think that they do?

By: Anton

Anton — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:57:46 +0000

The opinions in this post are surprising considering the level of collusion and obfuscation of data by proponents of Anthropogenic Global Warming community that have recently come to light.
To make decisions about global policy now when so much of the scientific data is in doubt would be massively irresponsible and would never be considered in any other field.
The notion that “it must be true, whatever the evidence” is highly dangerous.
The general public are not suspicious of scientists. They are only suspicious of climate scientists and there is plenty of good reason.
The notion that there is concensus in the scientific community is bunk. There is a clear setting to one side of scientific method and the war for the acceptance of AGW has not been fought with data and scientific debate but with politics PR and Rhetoric. It appears to me that your post is part of this..
The predictions are wrong, the models are wrong, the data is secret.

Perhaps though they are right… I don’t know… If they are the data and methodologies should be sufficient.
One thing I do know, underestimating the intellect and judgement of ordinary men is a common mistake of the educated classes.