There are a couple of climate realities making the rounds these days. There’s the reality of anthropomorphic greenhouse gases, creating global warming that causes climate change. Then there’s the reality of climate denialism which believes that the Earth’s climate systems are not changing. Or at least that the current changes are natural and not man made.
One reality is endorsed by 98% of scientists world wide. The other reality is endorsed by the fossil fuel industry and the current U.S. government. Despite the evidence for climate change, it appears that a majority of voters continue to support the reality of climate denialism. Hence the current U.S. government.
Sociologists not only point out the role of greed in determining whether someone believes in climate change or climate denialism. They also point out the role of culture in determining one’s climate reality. On the greed side, there are billionaire fossil fuel executives who’d rather make another billion dollars than save peoples’ lives. But on the cultural side, you find fossil fuel and support industry workers who are more worried about their next paycheck, than a future collapse of the Earth’s climate systems. Both choose climate denialism. The greed side is pretty clear-cut. Large corporations don’t get big by being nice. But the cultural side of climate denialism is much more ambiguous and nuanced.
And then there’s a third reality. The reality of those who believe in climate science, but either think it’s too late to do anything about it, or are simply too attached to their consumer comforts to make meaningful changes. Ultimately, the world’s prevailing climate reality will be created by the voters. People selecting leaders who follow in the climate reality of scientists, or leaders who follow the reality of climate denialism.
Join host, Bob Grove, and guests to discuss Climate Realities: The Latest Science versus Climate Disinformation.
Guests
Dr Paul Bierman is a climate scientist, author, and Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science with the Rubenstein School of the Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont. His research explores the environmental impacts of people and societies on Earth’s systems. Paul has published in Science and Nature, and his findings have been covered by CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Weather Channel, and many others. He’s received both a Career award for integration of research and teaching, and a Distinguished Teaching Scholar Director’s Award from the National Science Foundation. Paul’s latest book, “When the Ice is Gone”, is an environmental history of Greenland focusing on climate change.
Dr Helen Amanda Fricker is a glaciologist and Professor of Geophysics with the Cecil H and Ida M Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC, San Diego. Helen has received the NASA Group Achievement Award for her role in the “Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite Mission Development Team,” the Martha T. Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica, and the Seligman Crystal award from the International Glaciological Society.
To learn more, visit …
- https://www.paulbierman.net
- https://hafricker.scrippsprofiles.ucsd.edu
- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C6JPDD24
