Green British Academics Blast Politicians For Allowing Consumer Choice – Are You Satisfied With That?
Essay by Eric Worrall
British Academics have blamed the Government’s failure to curb meat, cheap flights, fashionable clothing and consumer electronics for our failure to tackle the climate crisis.
To tackle climate change, lifestyles must change – but the government’s reluctance to help is holding us back
Published: October 14, 2022 3.43 am AEDT
Christina Demski Reader in Environmental Psychology, University of Bath
Stuart Capstick Senior Research Fellow in Psychology, Cardiff UniversityWithout changes to people’s behavior and lifestyles, the UK will not be able to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. But the government is not setting the conditions that would allow this. this happens – or even recognize its suitability in cutting emissions and meeting climate goals. Follow a recent reportno chance to bring about the urgently needed changes.
A House of Lords investigation assessed the role of public behavior in meeting climate and environmental goals. The report has gathered evidence from leading experts in the behavioral sciences and social change, as well as submissions from numerous organisations, including Tesco, Natural England and Cycling UK.
Among the criticisms of the government are allegations that it places too much faith in unproven technologies to fix the climate and is reluctant to inform the public about the scale of social change. necessary to create a low-carbon society. The various missions of different government agencies tasked with helping the public to change their polluting behavior are characterized as a “mess” and “insufficient” to carry out the task. In some cases, government actions have pushed people away from low-carbon options, such as providing tax cuts for domestic flights right before the 2021 UN climate summit in Glasgow.
Perhaps most frustrating for a government that makes economic growth its top priority, the report highlights the need to absolutely cut back on many of the pervasive practices that are fueling the climate crisis. This includes people buying less of things with a big environmental impact, like long-haul flights, beef, and resource-intensive products, such as fast fashion and electronics.
…
It is for this reason that the House of Lords report calls on the government to use taxes, regulation and infrastructure to level the playing field in favor of Greener lifestyle…
…
Simply waiting for people to make low-carbon choices in a world that doesn’t support those choices and where people feel there is no benefit in the changes taking place, is unfair and irresponsible.
British academics could take the lead by boycotting the long-haul flight to COP27, in Egypt’s notorious hedonistic resort town Sharm el Sheikh.
But somehow the leaders of our socialist green utopia always seem to find a reason why they must, though reluctantly, continue to enjoy privileges which they claim is denied to ordinary folk.
Make no mistake, these people are very serious. A climate-restricted society in which politicians and pundits can dictate your choices seems to be their real end goal. In places like the UK, it’s very difficult for them to find their way.
Related
