Science of climate change, scientization, and activism: an outlook

• In Event: Activism and Social Change

Proposal

The definition of the climate change concept could be derived from the perspective of science, business, politics, and society. Depending on the definition, climate change and catastrophes could be seen as isolated disasters (the normal sequence of natural events) or necessary events triggered by human actions. The science of the climate is in charge of the explanation. Science is the most influential institution of the modern era, and there are many good reasons for this: it explains various phenomena well, successfully predicts future events and its discoveries are useful and usable for the good of the people. However, scientific knowledge is not unquestionably true and objective and only offers complete answers to some questions. Today the majority consider the dilemma on the nature of climate change solved (AGW) in a scientific sense; only political implementation remains. Climate activism accepts the scientific consensus on climate change, mostly advocating immediate and direct action through protest and non-institutional action, demanding the immediate termination of the current way of life and business (AGW). This way of acting has two possible errors: 1) although the science is proven successful, the scientific view on climate change is not necessarily true, and 2) it excludes other aspects; philosophical, political, and socio-economic. The first is proved by numerous examples from the history of science (e.g., Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, phlogiston, etc.) where the wrong theories (those that are not in accordance with nature) work very well, explain, and successfully predict future events. The second is a request for the immediate cut of activities that (probably) cause global warming and climate change, regardless of the consequences for the current population of the Earth (closure of nuclear power plants, cancellation of air traffic, exclusion of fossil fuel vehicles, drastic reduction of eating meat, probable loss of jobs and its consequences, etc.). Climate activism is a useful tool for the pressure of thinking about the climate future and sustainable development. However, the scientization of decisions about procedures that would regulate action is not a convenient idea; decisions must be based on more than just scientific results. Science is a good procedure for thinking about climate change, but not a good procedure for actions about it, which have to contain decisions of a political nature.

Author

• Tonci Kokic, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split