Denial and the psychology of climate apathy

Most of us are worried about climate change. All the world's scientific institutions and most of the living Nobel prize winners have signed letters calling for action. Every head of government (except George W Bush) makes regular pious speeches warning of imminent disaster.
Yet our actions constantly undermine our concern. Newspapers regularly carry dire climatic warnings in the same issue as articles that breathlessly promote weekend breaks in Rio. Individuals, including my friends and family, express grave concern, and then just as quickly block it out, buy a new car, turn up the air conditioning or fly across the world for a holiday.
Psychologists call this process denial - we deny the existence of information that creates internal conflict. In the case of climate change, we find it extremely hard to accept our responsibility for a crime of such enormity. Even the words - "climate change", "global warming" "human impacts" "adaptation" are scientific euphemisms. They suggest that the problem originates in universal natural forces. They deny the moral implications for our role as the perpetrator.
When we are confronted by our grandchildren demanding to know why we did so little, we will deny our part in it ("I didn't do it"), deny our personal power ('I couldn't do anything'), and blame others ("it was the people with the big cars, the Americans, the corporations"). But we won't be able to deny our knowledge.
So, information alone is patently not working ­ there are plentiful signs that it is only intensifying people's denial.
Clearly we are also seeing what psychologists call "diffusion of responsibility". Everyone feels powerless to act because they are waiting for someone else to act. In the case of climate change, the lack of visible public response is part of the self-justifying pattern of behaviour that feeds this ³diffusion². People will never spontaneously take action themselves unless they receive social support and the validation of others. In other words, people will not accept the reality of the problem unless they see that others are engaging in activities that reflect its seriousness. Activities like debate, protest, and 'meaningful visible alternatives'. Simply asking people to change their lightbulbs, plant a tree, boil less water in their kettle, or send in a donation, however desirable in themselves, will not a social movement build. Our participation in resisting climate change must be Active not Passive!
Anyone concerned about this issue faces a unique historical opportunity to break the cycle of denial, and join the handful of people who have already decided to stop being passive bystanders.

From a piece by George Marshall

There's no long-term technical solution to global warming short of leaving remaining fossil fuels in the ground

Hottest October on record
Although it's hardly surprising, it is still extremely worrying to report that it has just been confirmed that this has been the warmest October in the UK since records began in 1659. There have been no cold snaps or frost, which is extremely rare. The average temperature for October in the UK is 10.4C (50.7F) whilst this year the temperatures averaged 14.1C (57.4F). This is warmer than the previous record of 13C (55.4F) in 1969.

The 3rd PGA conference in Bolivia agreed to add a climate change text to its manifesto:
´The ´global commons´ is being appropriated... this now includes the atmosphere. Climate change is a result of capitalist resource exploitation. It reinforces existing global inequalities initiated by colonialism. As the climate warms, essential resources will further become the privilege of the elite, who will use increasingly militarised force to acquire them'