Climate Change. Have scientists failed to give sufficient warnings?

Seminar Paper , 2016 , 14 Pages , Grade: 2,7

Politics - Environmental Policy

This term paper discusses different reasons, why scientists may have failed to give sufficient warnings about climate change and why mankind does not want to listen.

Most scientists are well-meaning and often altruistic. They are looking to find out what is the “truth” in order to explain and help society and nature. If such a person sends urgent warnings because of their research findings, it is fascinating how the public reacts. One evocative reaction comes from Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway’s Book The Collapse of Western Civilization. The narrator is a historian in the future, blaming our society for ignoring the obvious.

Table of contents

1. Introduction

2. The Foundation: “Knowledge did not translate into power.”
2.1 Literal decoding
2. 2 Philosophical interpretation

3. Political Aspects
3. 1 IPCC, UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol

4. Climate Change Denial

5. Historical aspects

6. Institutional Reasons
6. 1 Precautionary Principle

7. Critical Laypersons

8. Conclusion

9. Bibliography

• College: University of Würzburg (Englische Philosophie)
• Course: Climate Narratives
• Grade: 2,7
• Author: Marcel Riguez (Author)
• Publication Year: 2016
• Pages: 14
• Catalog Number: V341277
• ISBN (eBook): 9783668312609
• ISBN (Book): 9783668312616
• Language: German
• Tags: climate change, scientists, mankind, science, future