The Climate Change Challenge and Barriers to the Exercise of Foresight Intelligence

The recently published article from MAHB members in BioScience takes a critical look at why it has been so difficult to elicit substantive actions to alleviate climate disruption.

ABSTRACT: Despite solid evidence from the scientific community about climate disruption, much of the US public remains unconvinced about the reality of anthropogenic change, and national governments have been slow to undertake major steps to deal with the climate crisis. In order to understand this lack of foresight intelligence regarding climate disruption, we identify some features of climate disruption and human psychology that combine to create barriers to effective action. We also review encouraging, albeit modest, successes in persuading Americans to conserve energy through “psych-wise” initiatives. Although the reductions in energy consumption accomplished by these initiatives and strategies fall far short of what is required to address impending global climate change, we believe that the principles underlying these initiatives suggest ways to achieve more substantial reductions. We conclude by offering some specific steps that could be taken to achieve such reductions and more generally meet the building global challenge.

The full article is available here as a PDF.

Doug Carmichael lent some additional thoughts in response to the above article, which can be found here. Do you have something to add? Please use the comment section below to add your voice to the conversation.