Climate Obstruction
How Denial, Delay and Inaction are Heating the Planet
1st Edition
Published on 30. December 2022
156 pages
978-1-000-80371-6 (ISBN)
Description
In Climate Obstruction: How Denial, Delay and Inaction are Heating the Planet, Kristoffer Ekberg, Bernhard Forchtner, Martin Hultman and Kirsti Jylhae bring together crucial insights from environmental history, sociology, media and communication studies and psychology to help us understand why we are failing to take necessary measures to avert the unfolding climate crisis.
They do so by examining the variety of ways in which meaningful climate action has been obstructed. This ranges from denial of the scientific evidence for human-induced climate change and its policy consequences, to (seemingly sincere) acknowledgement of scientific evidence while nevertheless delaying meaningful climate action. The authors also consider all those actions by which often well-meaning individuals and collectives (unintendedly) hamper climate action. In doing so, this book maps out arguments and strategies that have been used to counter environmental protection and regulation since the 1960s by, first and foremost, corporations supported by conservative actors, but also far-right ones as well as ordinary citizens.
This timely and accessible book provides tools and lessons to understand, identify and call out such arguments and strategies, and points to actions and systemic and cultural changes needed to avert or at least mitigate the climate crisis.
They do so by examining the variety of ways in which meaningful climate action has been obstructed. This ranges from denial of the scientific evidence for human-induced climate change and its policy consequences, to (seemingly sincere) acknowledgement of scientific evidence while nevertheless delaying meaningful climate action. The authors also consider all those actions by which often well-meaning individuals and collectives (unintendedly) hamper climate action. In doing so, this book maps out arguments and strategies that have been used to counter environmental protection and regulation since the 1960s by, first and foremost, corporations supported by conservative actors, but also far-right ones as well as ordinary citizens.
This timely and accessible book provides tools and lessons to understand, identify and call out such arguments and strategies, and points to actions and systemic and cultural changes needed to avert or at least mitigate the climate crisis.
Reviews / Votes
"Efforts to obstruct climate action are a major factor in delaying meaningful reductions in carbon emissions. This new book captures the latest peer reviewed literature and weaves an entertaining, easy to read and chilling narrative about how a number of concentrated efforts by vested economic and ideological interests have successfully worked to imperil the planet. Read this book carefully when you develop new measures to advance climate action."Robert J. Brulle, Brown University, USA
"Climate Obstruction: How Denial, Delay and Inaction are Heating the Planet is an authorative introduction laying out the key definitions and components of climate obstruction. To a lay reader and an audience familiar with the topic they encapsulate a clear summary of what obstruction is usefully using a three-part typology to identify and help understand the complexity of climate obstruction and why it manifests. A fantastic text and well-needed read to help understand the history of and continuing role that climate obstruction plays in delaying the required changes to mitigate the climate crisis."
Ruth E. McKie, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK
"This is the book we've been needing: Climate Obstruction gives us big concepts to understand why we haven't acted on climate change, and to figure out how we might. Obstruction comes in different types, and overcoming each requires understanding and strategies specific to each. From a history of understanding and responses to climate science to documentation of the complex denial apparatus and contemporary obstruction to a look at the psychological side of well-meaning people getting in the way, Climate Obstruction makes a genuine, pathbreaking contribution."
J. Timmons Roberts, Brown University, USA
"Grappling with this question, Climate Obstruction is a timely and sophisticated assessment of how diverse actors in the Global North intentionally and unintentionally impede appropriate climate measures of mitigation. Bringing together insights from environmental history, communication studies, psychology and sociology, the authors successfully meet their aim to provide an accessible overview that enables academics and interested readers from a wider public to explore this vibrant research field. (...) Climate Obstruction is an eye-opening, thought-provoking contribution and a must-read for everybody who despairs of understanding why late modern societies are sliding into climate catastrophe with their eyes wide open, or - to be precise - are already in the midst of it." https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09644016.2023.2215659
Hauke Dannemann (2023) Climate obstruction: how Denial, delay and inaction are heating the planet, Environmental Politics, DOI: 10.1080/09644016.2023.2215659
"Climate Obstruction compiles a vast quantity of literature from diverse fields to posit "climate obstruction" as a comprehensive conceptual framework encompassing various manifestations of global climate denial, scepticism, and delay. Crafted in a captivating and accessible prose, this publication resonates with a broad audience, extending beyond the realms of climate change research and academia. It serves to elucidate the foundational rationales contributing to environmental and climate inaction."
More details
Edition
1. Auflage
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
6 Line drawings, black and white; 5 Halftones, black and white; 11 Illustrations, black and white
ISBN-13
978-1-000-80371-6 (9781000803716)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Kristoffer Ekberg | Bernhard Forchtner | Martin Hultman
Climate Obstruction
How Denial, Delay and Inaction are Heating the Planet
Book
12/2022
1st Edition
Routledge
€31.00
Shipment within 10-20 days
Kristoffer Ekberg | Bernhard Forchtner | Martin Hultman
Climate Obstruction
How Denial, Delay and Inaction are Heating the Planet
Book
12/2022
1st Edition
Routledge
€131.60
Shipment within 10-20 days
Persons
Kristoffer Ekberg is a researcher at Chalmers University of Technology. His work focuses on the political history of climate change and the environment, corporate anti-environmentalism as well as social movements and utopian thought.
Bernhard Forchtner is Associate Professor at the School of Media, Communication and Sociology and member of the Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester, UK. He works on the far right and environmental communication.
Martin Hultman is Associate Professor in science, technology and environmental studies at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. He leads Center for Studies of Climate Change Denial (CEFORCED), as well as research groups analyzing Gender & energy and Ecopreneurship.
Kirsti M. Jylhae is a researcher at the Institute for Future Studies, Stockholm, Sweden. Her work focuses on psychological obstacles and drivers of climate engagement (e.g., climate change beliefs and emotions) as well as sociopolitical attitudes and ideologies.
Bernhard Forchtner is Associate Professor at the School of Media, Communication and Sociology and member of the Institute for Environmental Futures, University of Leicester, UK. He works on the far right and environmental communication.
Martin Hultman is Associate Professor in science, technology and environmental studies at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. He leads Center for Studies of Climate Change Denial (CEFORCED), as well as research groups analyzing Gender & energy and Ecopreneurship.
Kirsti M. Jylhae is a researcher at the Institute for Future Studies, Stockholm, Sweden. Her work focuses on psychological obstacles and drivers of climate engagement (e.g., climate change beliefs and emotions) as well as sociopolitical attitudes and ideologies.
Content
Table of contents Acknowledgements Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: The Foundations of Climate Obstruction Chapter 3: Organised Climate Obstruction Chapter 4: The Far Right and Climate Obstruction Chapter 5: The Public and Climate Obstruction Chapter 6: Conclusion Index
