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All sections of society are failing

All sections of society should be working together to overcome the biggest threat that mankind has ever faced.
Instead, the evidence is that they are all failing.
There are widespread failures by
  • climate scientists and other experts
  • government scientists and other parts of government
  • national governments and local administrations
  • the media
  • businesses and other organisations
  • campaigning and protest groups
  • the legal system
  • citizens
The evidence is that all groups are failing. It is hard to say who is most culpable because the failures are so interlinked, but those who are in paid roles should attract the most criticism.



The obligations

There is an obligation to cut greenhouse gas emissions radically and urgently, both according to international agreements, and according to the moral obligation to avoid causing harm to others - see document 100.
The key elements in any climate change strategy are
  • it is emergency (not routine) action that is needed
  • a limit to global warming of 1.5°C or similar
  • an explanation of the science of achieving this objective: staying within the appropriate carbon budget
  • including the commitment in the Paris Agreement to equity between nations
  • using a fair accounting system, i.e. including all CO2 emissions
  • stating clearly the required speed of change, i.e. double digit percentage annual emission cuts
  • detailing credibly compliant policies
  • including the need for quality control measures, e.g. avoiding false solutions.
But the evidence is that all sections of society are failing.

Climate scientists and other experts

Climate scientists and other experts should be explaining the key points of the scientific consensus, and the implications for policy making, but there are failures in
  • trusting governments to act appropriately on the evidence
  • not speaking up about government errors
  • self-censoring [1]
  • rogue individuals promoting alternative views without attempting to work towards a scientific consensus.

Government scientists and other parts of government

There are failures in not faithfully reporting the science - e.g.
  • the reports of the UK Climate Change Committee are not in line with the science and the Paris Agreement - see document 86
  • the UK House of Commons Library reports are incomplete in focusing on the UK Government's policies, without explaining the criticisms so that MPs can decide for themselves whether protests are justified.

National governments and local administrations

There are failures in
  • a paternalistic style of decision making
  • not taking actions that should be obvious
  • taking wrong actions
  • pretence and deceit
  • lack of tranparency
  • not engaging with criticism
  • acting as if the priority is to preserve the privileged lifestyle of the richest people in the world
It seems that there are many instances of the offence of Misconduct in Public Office [2].

The media

There are failures in
  • failing to seek out and report on the scientific consensus
  • failing to scrutinise governments
  • repeating fallacies
  • not dealing well with competing points of view.

Businesses and other organisations

There are failures in
  • not reducing emissions
  • lobbying governments not to take effective action
  • repeating fallacies
  • deliberate deceit.

Campaigning and protest groups

There are failures in
  • fragmented efforts
  • self censoring [1]
  • inconsistent and contradictory messaging
  • repeating fallacies
  • not avoiding the superiority illusion.
- see document 127.

The legal system

Protesters have been sentenced to long prison terms without any proper assessment of whether their protests are justified, i.e. whether they should have been treated as whistle blowers.

Citizens

Individuals should have implemented change and ensured good decision making, but there are failures in
  • being subservient and too trusting of governments
  • not listening to campaigners and protesters
  • repeating fallacies
  • not reducing emissions.

Who is most responsible

It is hard to say who is most culpable because the failures are so interlinked, but those who are in paid roles should attract the most criticism.


References

[1]Turning delusion into climate action - Prof Kevin Anderson, an interview (2020) Responsible Science https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/turning-delusion-climate-action-prof-kevin-anderson-interview
[2]Cown Prosecution Service Misconduct in Public Office https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/misconduct-public-office


First published: 16 Jan 2022
Last updated: 6 Mar 2025     Page No: 37