How Polarizing Global Warming Stragies Backfire
Following the death of cap-and-trade, environmental groups like the Sierra Club and Bill McKibben’s 350.org have engaged in a form of grassroots activism and civil disobedience not seen since the 1970s. While the ideological mobilization has undoubtedly elevated particular environmental issues – the Keystone XL pipeline, fossil fuel divestment, and climate change denialism – the discourse is so divisive as to deepen political polarization, even between moderates and liberals, and has contributed to public distrust of the government’s ability to solve problems. In exchange for potent cultural symbols, these groups’ in-your-face activism surrenders broader and potentially more substantive goals, such as protecting communities from climate risks through adaptation, or advocating for the development of cleaner, more reliable energy technologies that can power low-income countries.
by Matthew Nisbet
http://thebreakthrough.org/index.php/voices/the-public-square/climate-of-extremes
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