Antinuclear

Turnbull’s optimism – a new for of climate denialism

Turnbull advises “great optimism and faith in humanity’s genius” to control global warming in the future, rather than prevent it now.

Optimism Is The New Denialism In A Warming Malcolm Turnbull World, New Matilda By Dr Lissa Johnson on December 15, 2015 The COP21 talks in Paris delivered a compact to lead the world to global catastrophe. Malcolm Turnbull responded with optimism. Dr Lissa Johnson responds with facts.

What do you do as the leader of a nation left behind by a global pro-environmental shift?

At one of the most pivotal climate summits in history, how do you explain the fact that your country has been ranked worst performer among OECD nations in addressing climate change, and third worst overall, with only Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia beneath you?

This during the second half of the critical decade in which to act, “a decisive point in time,” according to French President Francois Hollande.

As your global peers endorse phasing out fossil fuels in favour of renewables, in order to prevent destruction of the earth’s biosphere, your government persists with the mantra, in slightly different words, that coal is good for humanity. Meanwhile you preside over a renewable energy industry that has been decimated by your government’s policies.

While your geographical neighbours, through no emissions of their own, find themselves steadily submerged by rising seas, you reserve your right to continue to emit, and to subsidise fossil fuels.

You refuse to stop your “Pacific brothers and sisters from drowning”, despite having said yourself that climate change poses a “profound moral challenge”.

How do you spin it?

With optimism.

Australian optimism was among Malcolm Turnbull’s key offerings in his speech at the opening of the COP21 climate talks in Paris, served up again, stale and tasteless, by Julie Bishop at conference end……..

, when dangers are real and grave, accurate appraisals of risk and consequence help to keep people safe. Wishful optimism can get in the way.

As Australia continues to burn its way towards global food shortages, extreme weather, death, loss ofcoastline and property, mass displacement and migration, economic loss, and the demise of civilisation as we know it, Malcolm Turnbull would have us trust in “innovation and technology” to deliver us from catastrophe.

This is the societal equivalent of a smoker with lung disease praying for a genetic engineering breakthrough before their lungs give out, while continuing to smoke. Such unrealistic optimism is recognised in the psychological literature as a positive illusion, among other positive illusions, including illusions of control, to which Turnbull’s rosy rhetoric also appeals.

Turnbull advises “great optimism and faith in humanity’s genius” to control global warming in the future, rather than prevent it now.

This particular brand of faith is a form of “unrealistic technology optimism” according to Norwegian experts in climate, energy and process engineering. In a paper on the subject, researchers at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology argue that unrealistic technology optimism is a significant obstacle to genuine climate change mitigation, and that it pervades existing climate models and policies……

Malcolm Turnbull has shown irritation on occasion, if not contempt, towards those seeking to place facts in the way of his wishful thinking……

The spectre of corporate-funded neoliberal biases in education is relevant not only to education but also to climate. In a recent interview, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, Kevin Anderson, said thatclimate scientists are self-censoring and understating the severity of the climate crisis for political and economic reasons……

While Abbott opted to slap down evidence in his impulsive and combative way, Turnbull seeks instead to turn our heads with soaring, optimistic language (aided by the occasional slap-down for the brave soul who dares challenge him with a fact)…….https://newmatilda.com/2015/12/15/optimism-is-the-new-denialism-in-a-warming-malcolm-turnbull-world/

December 16, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News