Clive Hamilton is an Australian academic and writer whose work concentrates on the ill effects of consumerism, detailed in such books as Affluenza and Growth Fetish. He is Charles Stuart Professor of Public Ethics at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, based at the Australian National University.
In his new book, Requiem for a Species: Why We Resist the Truth About Climate Change, Clive Hamilton examines the phenomenon of climate change 'denial' through the prism of rampant consumerism, obsession with market forces and the sanitised urban environment that cuts people off from the realities of nature.
It is this mix of artificial, man-made forces forces that keep people cocooned from the reality of the environment, which the book depicts more as an uncontrollable beast rather than a centrally controlled heating system. Climate science is exceedingly complex, and there are many unknown outcomes that will accompany the planet’s warming. The future may entail a constant process of adaptation to its effects, a situation that will be costly and ugly.
The Tipping Point for Warming Already Reached
Depending on how the individual interprets the climate science, the book is either realistic or very pessimistic. Hamilton argues that safe limits for CO2 emissions in the atmosphere have been reached, and that there is little chance of cutting emissions in time to truly mitigate the effects of global warming. He believes that even with urgent action it seems likely that the earth’s temperature will rise by 3 degrees Celsius – at least.
Essentially, the political will is not there yet to cut emissions. The work that would need to be done is so severe and thorough going that it remains politically unfeasible.
The Psychology of Denial
The rest of Requiem for a Species looks at the mass psychology of what many call 'denial'. Hamilton examines the consumer mentality that has everyone programmed to think in terms of market and technology driven solutions.
The most basic assumption of consumers is that the genius of the free market will unleash a fix to the problem of climate change, and that it will cause no disruptions to modern day life as it is now lived.
This inability to think in any way outside of the free market paradigm also reflects an unrealistic relationship with nature itself. Modern day consumers see the natural world through the prism of technology and television imagery. With no genuine relationship or understanding with nature, people living in advanced economies fail to see the dangers.
A Gloomy Ending Requiring Stoicism
Requiem for a Species offers no cheery or optimistic ending. It outlines a shocking series of environmental scenarios. All that Hamilton offers is a philosophy of Stoicism to deal with the looming environmental disasters facing the world.
Requiem for a Species: Why We Resist the Truth About Climate Change, published by Allen and Unwin (2010). ISBN: 978-1-74237-201-5
Chris Saliba - Chris Saliba is a freelance writer. Read more of his workplace articles at chrissalibafreelancewriter.blogspot.com
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