20597 EST_Covers:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:05 Page 2

Warm Words II: How the climate story is evolving and the lessons we can learn for encouraging public action 20597 EST_Covers:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:05 Page 3

Contents

About the authors 3 Small actions 16 5.Susceptibilities: weak spots in the new consensus 27 Acknowledgements 3 Establishment techno-optimism 18 The suppression of debate 27 Preface 4 Non-establishment Greenwash 28 The research approach 4 techno-optimism 18 6.Locality and the potential Executive summary 6 David and Goliath 19 to stimulate action 30 1.Climate change: 4.Non-consensus repertoires: Features of the local discourse towards a new consensus 9 what resistance to in more detail 31 2.Consensus and its the consensus looks like 21 Locality and agency: the power effect on the discourse 12 Settlerdom 21 to act 32 3.Consensus repertoires: British comic nihilism 22 Learning from the local 33 how the new consensus is expressed 13 Warming is good 23 7.Conclusion and recommendations 37 Alarmism 13 Rhetorical scepticism 23 Sober alarm 14 ‘Expert’ denial 24 References 40 Conservative alarm 15 Free-market protection 25 Sources of quotes 43 Reluctant belief 16 Free rider 26

2 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 1

About the authors Acknowledgements We are grateful for the generous Nat Segnit is a writer and intellectual contributions received journalist. As a freelance textual from Pat Dade (Cultural Dynamics), analyst, he has extensive experience Malcolm Evans (Space Doctors), working with specialist commercial Greg Rowland (Greg Rowland research organisations, and is an Semiotics) and Graeme Trayner associate of Linguistic Landscapes (Brunswick Group). Thanks also to (www.linguisticlandscapes.co.uk). individual colleagues for their support and advice: Brooke Gill Ereaut is principal of Flanagan, Jon McGowan, Brian Linguistic Landscapes. She began Samuel and Jennie Abelman her career with Unilever, spent (Energy Saving Trust), and Simon more than 20 years as a qualitative Retallack (ippr). research practitioner and established Linguistic Landscapes Thanks also extended to Georgina in 2002. This consultancy adapts Kyriacou (ippr) for copy-editing techniques of linguistic and and proofing the report and Matt discourse analysis to address Robinson (Energy Saving Trust) for marketing, communications and report production. organisational problems. Gill is a Fellow of the Market Research We also owe a particular debt of Society. thanks to the following for supplying local climate change materials, and/or giving up their time to be interviewed: Richard Hurford (Lewisham Council), John Bannister (Guildford Environmental Forum), Alex Swainson and Fiona Booth (Guildford Borough Council), Ashley Baxter and Rod Gilmore (Energy Saving Trust advice centre Anglia), Pauline Lozoya Hocking (Rite2No), Ros Badley (Leicestershire and Northamptonshire EEAC), Caroline Neale and Jessica Goodall (South Northamptonshire Council), Patrick Thompson (The Wise Group), Geoff Thompson (Climate Challenge Fund), Dilys Howells (South East Wales EEAC), and Steven Glynn (Sustainability North West).

3 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 2

Preface behaviour change. Each of the of discourse originating at a local This research was funded by the repertoires identified in Warm or grassroots level. This meant we Energy Saving Trust and is Words was visible to some degree could look at the relationship published in conjunction with the in media discourse at the time, between climate change discourse Institute for Public Policy Research while some – notably the at the national level, and as it (ippr). The basis of both ‘alarmism’ and the ‘small actions’ appeared in local media, community organisations’ interest in this work repertoires – were clearly groups and local authorities. dominant. In that report we also is the belief that preventing Objectives of the study dangerous climate change cannot took a view on how the task of behaviour change might be The overall objectives of the be achieved effectively without project were: real changes in behaviour, and framed in the light of this that this entails the active discursive context. 1. To map the public discourse of engagement of the public. The need to update climate change in the UK, Effective communications can play A year on, the Energy Saving Trust especially highlighting what has an important part in achieving and ippr wished to update this changed since the work we widespread behaviour change, work. Much has happened in the conducted in 2006. This meant whether this is consumer or past year, including the publication careful mapping of the dominant organisational behaviour. both of the Stern Review on the frames and discourses evidenced economics of climate change in in popular print, television, The research reported here was radio and online national media designed to help optimise October 2006, and the pessimistic conclusions of the coverage of climate change (for communications and activities example, newspaper articles/ aimed at encouraging climate- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in January columns, government publicity, friendly behaviour by mapping the influential blogs, material from public discourse within which 2007. Beyond these key events, climate change and global non-governmental these must operate – the public organisations [NGOs]). discourse of climate change. It has warming have rarely been far from application and implications for all the front pages of mainstream and 2. To look at what characterises those engaged in action and other media in the UK. climate change discourse at the communication in this field. Furthermore, a key feature of the local level – how local press, climate change discourse identified local authorities and groups Prior work on climate in the original work was its engaged in climate-related change discourse instability. Change in the nature activities on the ground Research carried out by Linguistic and dominance of different construct and talk about the Landscapes early in 2006, strands of the discourse was issues and their own actions. commissioned by ippr with therefore likely to have taken sponsorship by the Energy Saving place, with new ways of thinking 3. To compare these sources and Trust, was published as the report and talking emerging – even as discourses, and suggest Warm Words: How are we telling little as 12 months on. implications for national and the climate story and can we tell it local communications and better? (available to download at Addressing the local issue activities for all those seeking www.ippr.org). This work The Energy Saving Trust and ippr to change public behaviour on identified a number of ‘linguistic also wished to extend the work to climate change. repertoires’ – loosely coherent look specifically at the climate lines of talking and thinking about change discourse at the local level. The research climate change (see ‘The research The Energy Saving Trust is approach approach’, below). Such engaged in national campaigns and As in the first part of the ‘Warm repertoires are influential because advertising, but also in local Words’ project in 2006, we used a they offer a range of resources activities with local authorities and combination of methods and from which people – consumers, community organisations, and frameworks derived from discourse journalists, politicians and others – support to consumers through its analysis and semiotics. can construct their own arguments national network of advice Discourse analysis (DA) is a desk- about climate change and which, centres. The scope of the current based analysis method developed crucially, lead to different ‘logical’ work was thus extended to include within the social sciences which we conclusions about the need for communications or other examples

4 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 3

have adapted for our • 5 popular science books on particular images, metaphors, communications work. It climate change and energy idioms, stories and categories. incorporates the idea that efficiency. Think, for example, of the familiar, language is not a transparent predictable way in which police medium through which we talk • 90 pieces of promotional officers give public statements on about a fixed external reality, but material from NGOs, retail television news. Typical terms such instead is engaged in forming that brands, local campaign as ‘offenders’, ‘victims’ and ‘the reality; using language is never organisations, renewable energy occupants of the premises’ are set neutral but always active. DA providers and the like. into a distinctive structuring of methods in academic research are • 6 field visits to, for example, a speech that might sound odd in any hugely varied, ranging from public meeting on climate other context. Repertoires are a macro-scale cultural or historical change and to a day-long mix of content (such as ‘typical’ analyses to micro-level dissection energy efficiency event. topics or lines of argument) and of how everyday conversations form (characteristic use of work. For our purposes, we select • 17 interviews – with local grammatical features like tense and tools and concepts from across this authority officers, activists, voice and specific choice of lexicon). range as appropriate to an campaigners and local-level individual project. DA methods are energy advisers. Significantly, though, repertoires essentially qualitative and so do are not merely registers but are not involve numerical analysis: We drew our ‘local’ material distinctive versions of ‘common they are a combination of art and primarily from eight UK localities – sense’: different ways of making science, interpretative while Lewisham (South London), sense of the world. They are also evidence-based and systematic. Manchester, Guildford (Surrey), known as ‘interpretative Bridgend (South Wales), repertoires’ because they are Semiotic analysis is a related Cambridge, Falkirk (central frameworks for inference and for research approach, another desk- Scotland), Derry City and South making judgements like what based method with roots in Northamptonshire. These were things mean; what is right and academia. Again, through selected to give us a range of what is wrong; what is acceptable systematic analysis and informed material from areas with different and not acceptable; and what interpretation, this approach allows socio-demographic profiles and flows logically from what. The us to understand cultural meanings, different levels of environmental range of repertoires available in cultural change and the way these engagement (according to Energy our culture offers all of us a are encoded and decoded in Saving Trust research). We have palette of sense-making devices: communications of all kinds. collected further local material from ways of talking and ways of other areas to develop hypotheses thinking that can be put together The combined DA and semiotic as the project progressed. in specific situations to make our approach in this case enabled us to case, explain our own actions, map structural patterns in The research was carried out predict what might happen next, communications and in other between March and July 2007. and so on. discussions of climate change and to assess their implications for What are ‘linguistic It is important to note that connecting with mass audiences. repertoires’? repertoires do not ‘exist’ in some In this report we have again used concrete way ‘out there’. Our task The 2007 part of the ‘Warm the idea of the ‘linguistic has not been to search them out Words’ review covered a wide repertoire’: an analytic framework or count them. Repertoire-based range of data, including: we have adapted from discourse analysis is systematic (based on analysis in the academic field (for close analysis of large amounts of • More than 760 national and local example, Potter and Weatherell newspaper and magazine articles. data) but is also interpretative. We 1987). Linguistic repertoires are offer our ‘map’ of the climate • 47 TV and radio programmes routinely used systems of language change discourse not as a and clips. for describing and evaluating definitive truth, but as a tool for actions, events and people. A thinking – creating some order • More than 155 web pages. repertoire might include a from, and sense of, the cacophony distinctive lexicon, a set of of voices in the climate change • 117 TV, radio, print and web grammatical or stylistic features, advertisements. arena.

5 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 4

Executive summary ‘turn off your lights and do your own meta-discourse – discussion A year is a long time in climate bit’ line of argument. The research about the nature of the discussion. highlighted the huge and at times change communications. In August With this shift towards consensus 2006, the Institute for Public Policy comic disparity of scale between these two – but also their seems to have come a moderation Research (ippr) published a in language – note this is a research report: Warm Words: prevalence alongside each other in many climate change moderation of tone and rhetoric, How are we telling the climate not a moderation of content. This story and can we tell it better? communications. We drew implications and recommendations report treats the cluster of Detailed analysis of news and ‘consensus’ repertoires as dominant, popular media, websites and for the development of communications in a way that alongside a number of increasingly more, had identified a state of marginalised sceptical repertoires. tension, contradiction and chaos in would avoid this problem, some of the way climate change was being which have been implemented by Within the consensus, there is still talked and written about in the organisations working in the field. some evidence of ‘alarmism’ (the public domain. But, as we said, a year is a long voice of doom; cinematic and hyperbolic), but this has now This report is an update of that time. Major events have occurred since the publication of Warm largely given way to ‘alarm’ – work and again is based on close especially ‘sober alarm’ analysis of media and other public Words, including the Government’s Stern Review on the Economics of (seriousness without the language, this time between hyperbole). We have filed the March and July 2007. Climate Change , the draft Climate Change Bill, and the latest findings other ‘consensus’ repertoires under Both the 2006 work and this latest of the Intergovernmental Panel on ‘resolve’ – different forms of project use forensic analysis of Climate Change (IPCC), all of which acceptance (however reluctant) public discourse, and both employ have clearly changed the cultural that something needs to be done. the idea of ‘repertoires’ – and political landscape of climate We found that one of these – routinely-used systems of language change in the UK. ‘reluctant belief’ – has to some for describing and evaluating extent replaced widespread actions, events and people. The research reported here was scepticism. The ‘small actions’ Repertoires are not fixed entities, commissioned both to update the repertoire remains dominant in but do represent discernible 2006 work and to extend it into national campaign patterns among the cacophony of the area of local discourse, to communications, but we saw some voices in the wider discourse. More inform communications and other evidence in the national media importantly for the public, and activities of organisations seeking that it may be becoming more indeed for all of us, they provide to change public behaviours in differentiated and sophisticated – sense-making devices: ways of relation to climate change. and perhaps more compelling. talking and ways of thinking that 2007: Towards a consensus Beyond the emergent can be drawn on in specific It is clear that there is an emerging consensus situations to make our case, explain consensus on climate change – at Beyond the consensus, outlying our own actions, predict what least in the official public arena. sceptical repertoires are still might happen next and so on. In The existence of climate change, discernible, as is an emergent the uncertain and contrary field of and human implication in it, seems repertoire we called ‘free rider’. climate change in 2006 it was clear to constitute a new common Nonetheless, straight opposition or that many such repertoires were in sense, now almost taken for public disbelief no longer seems circulation, but also that there granted. This manifests itself in a widely acceptable in the public were some major players. number of ways in the discourse: sphere, and these positions are The discourse at that time was climate change is often now increasingly marginalised. However, dominated by ‘alarmism’ – climate referred to as a given, with little they will still present a challenge change constructed as awesome, or no explanation; it is sometimes to consensus and any concerted terrible, immense and totally used to stand in for other things (a action that might follow from it. metaphor for inevitability, for beyond human control. Alongside Another challenge comes from this, the other dominant example); specialised language is creeping into lay discourse; and two weak spots in the consensus. repertoire was one of domestic First, there is the problem of and mundane ‘small actions’ – the climate change has acquired its

6 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 5

suppression of debate, clearly climate change and possible apparent consensus, and use it to visible in the discourse we responses to it. Essentially, local bring about real and positive analysed. While there is consensus communications stand a better behaviour change among on some key issues (that climate chance of reifying the problem of individuals and organisations change exists, that humankind is climate change, and the potential before it fractures or fades. at least partly responsible and that solutions to it – making them real, we need to act), it has yet to concrete and/or imaginable. There is still a role for ‘ordinary develop in others (what the exact heroism’, the creative approach effects will be, and what exactly The local communications that suggested last year, but the should be done). In these cases, stood out took a linguistic discourse has shifted and we need the dismissal out of hand of approach quite distinct from both to develop additional strategies to alternatives to the mainstream national communications, and suit the evolving communications environmental position arguably from the less compelling local climate. It remains a challenge to amounts to the suppression of examples that were simply local make climate-friendly behaviour debate, and is likely to undermine imitations of the national. The desirable, not dutiful, in ways that and destabilise the wider most significant difference was in are meaningful to the population consensus. Mainstream consensus their means of addressing the at large. For this reason we advocate can and should accommodate individual. He or she was making use of the full spectrum of debate where appropriate, or risk constructed as a (powerful) communications approaches, wholesale rejection as member of a real, physically including those more commonly undemocratic, statist and, located community; the action used by the private sector. ironically, unscientific. (s)he could take was framed as collective or communal; the voice Our specific recommendations are: The second threat to the emergent used was playful, metaphorical, 1. Seize the consensus, before consensus is the problem of and moreover, collaborative – greenwash erodes its potential ‘greenwash’; the potential gap peer-to-peer – as opposed to top- The new consensus on man-made between agreeing in public with down or authoritative. climate change, at least in the the consensus, and not attempting media, represents a huge step to do anything about it (whether We identified in last year’s report that if climate-friendly behaviour forward for organisations wishing or not one actually believes in to encourage the public to reduce private). This concern, too, was is to be encouraged then new ways of engaging the public will their energy consumption. But this visible in the discourse, in addition is potentially a crucial and delicate to being indicated by the Energy have to be found. The findings this year suggest that a concerted moment. Organisations now need Saving Trust’s own research, and to recognise certain distinctions by other reported findings. effort – both at the national and local level – to address the and subtleties in the climate Local communications and individual as a member of his or change debate, helping people actions her community could close the gap separate questions over which On one level, climate change between the ‘official’ consensus on there is now scientific consensus discourse used at a local level is a climate change, and the public’s and growing acceptance in the more parochial and everyday – motivation to act on it. public sphere (that climate change even mundane – version of the is happening, and that we are at national. It is the natural home of Where next for climate least partly responsible for it) from the ‘small actions’ repertoire – but communications? other questions over which there is this suffers even more in a local In the concluding section of this still vigorous and legitimate setting from a lack of energy, and report, we revisit and develop the debate (how bad the effects might an uncompelling element of recommendations for climate be, and what we should do about domesticity. However, we found change communications that we it). Without this differentiation, some local communications that made last year in Warm Words in the embryonic consensus itself may stood out as energetic and light of the changing discourse be threatened. compelling, and also bypassed and what we learned in this latest some of the problems we work from local climate change identified at the national level, activities. We conclude that a such as the mismatch of scale major challenge for communicators between the global issue of today will be to capitalise on the

7 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 6

2. Make it easier for people to climate change. Furthermore, environmental awareness and understand what they can do addressing people as members of a commitment into the way people Climate change is a complex and located community positions them actually think, feel and live in the abstract issue, encompassing many as having more power to act: they UK in the 21st century. different concepts, objects and are big fish in a small pond, not

possible actions: ‘CO 2’; ‘carbon’; powerless members of an ‘ozone’; flying; driving, leaving the unmanageably large group. And TV on standby…and more. It is communications are more effective complex, but all these concepts using the informal, peer-to-peer and actions are presented to a tone of contemporary public general audience in a complicated discourse, as opposed to the and unfathomable inflexible voice of authority. interrelationship. The abstraction and intricacy of the climate change 4. Use all possible routes to discourse can become reasons to engagement ignore it. There is a clear need to Returning to a key theme from divide up or organise possible last year’s report, we challenge actions so that they are more climate change communicators to easily digestible. work right across the spectrum of routes to engagement. 3. Harness opportunities offered Organisations do need to by real, located ‘communities’ encourage rational public Patterns of social engagement engagement with the climate have changed beyond recognition change issue, but they also need with electronic connectivity. to attract people to the issue, However, our desire for real-life making it appealing, interesting connectedness and belonging also and meaningful to the individual. remains strong. It is clear that When people are drawn people who share a physical emotionally to an action they are location can come together and far more likely to sustain it than if think of themselves as a they act through simple civic duty community, albeit a socially or obedience. disparate one. This can partly be achieved through the virtual. Our Much can be learned from certain data included examples of local communications that use the physically defined communities rich, imaginative and playful mobilising at least partly through language of popular culture, online connection and activity. The media and everyday discourse idea of the located community rather than the discourses of therefore offers climate change politics, campaigning and the communicators some distinct public sector. A new, more positive benefits. By harnessing the latent and energetic lexicon of climate power of locality, interested change emerges in these organisations could begin to close communications, and the the gap between the official difference this makes is profound. consensus on climate change and Efforts to curb emissions will never the public’s willingness to do be successful without radical policy something about it. measures at the national and The ‘unit’ of the physical locality international level. But neither will allows a degree of reification – they succeed without a shared making real and concrete – of the popular culture of environmental otherwise abstract and responsibility in the UK. unknowable connection between Organisations now have the action and effect in the area of opportunity to integrate

8 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 7

1.Climate change: Figure 1: The new meta-message – climate change is real towards a new consensus It’s over- It’s a blown A year is a long time in climate non-issue change communications. In Warm It’s not Words, our first report on the CONSENSUS our fault subject published in August 2006, It’s happening we characterised the discourse of It’s happening now climate change in the UK as It’s a bad thing We can’t Outlying positions - ‘confusing, contradictory and no longer part chaotic’. It would be hard to make It’s significantly our fault do anything of the mainstream quite the same claim today. In the It’s everybody’s problem ongoing analysis of any public It’s the biggest issue discourse, be it political, commercial We have to act or cultural, shifts of meaning and It’s not emphasis are invariably detectable our It’s a over time. Language is always in a problem good state of flux. The remarkable thing thing about the language of climate change, however, is how rapid its evolution has been.

This will come as no surprise to radical has to be done about it. what people say, and the way in anyone who has opened a We see this in everything from which it is said. newspaper recently. Last year’s leader articles in the right-wing report emerged from an press to television comedy And what recurs right across the unprecedented volume of media programmes. The prevailing discourse is an acceptance that coverage and communications on message for the lay public is stark: man-made climate change is real. climate change, and this is even climate change is real and we have It is crucial to note at this point more the case for this year’s report to act. that our study was essentially - to the extent, as we will show, confined to media accounts of the that the subject’s domination of As we have suggested, it would be subject. Public opinion, however the news agenda has become difficult – if not misleading – to much it is influenced by the media, newsworthy itself. attribute this shift to any one is a different matter, and it only cause in particular. Certainly the takes a glance at web forums like What becomes especially clear is a publication of the Stern Review on bbc.co.uk’s Have Your Say to see new level of consensus on the the Economics of Climate Change, that a high level of scepticism still reality of anthropogenic – man- the Fourth Assessment report by exists. This is borne out by recent made – climate change. Whether the Intergovernmental Panel on research by the Energy Saving this is predominantly a cause or Climate Change (IPCC), and the Trust and Ipsos Mori: we will effect of the increase in coverage release of Al Gore’s film An examine later why a gap might is open to debate. What is not is Inconvenient Truth have helped at have opened up between the the breadth of the consensus. Last once to publicise the issue and ‘official’ consensus on climate year the discourse was riven by dismantle the arguments of those change, and the private opinions opposing positions. This year, seeking to dismiss it. But for the of the largely silent majority. sceptical voices persist, and a purpose of this analysis, we are degree of controversy attaches less concerned with where ideas Nonetheless, for the time being, both to the precise effects of come from than how they are we are concerned with what the climate change and possible perpetuated, contested and papers, TV, internet and radio say responses to it, but the developed in and through – and here the shift to consensus is overwhelming assumption is made language, tracking the much more readily detectable. Some that climate change is happening, development and significance of of this might be called vindicated we are at least partially an idea from its recurrence in certainty – the implicit claim to responsible, and that something

9 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 8

recognition by certain voices that climate change...but...the evidence sign of its new marginality is the they were right all along about for it is starting to be manifest in comic force the dismissal of climate change, and it is only now everyday life.’ (Lanchester 2007) climate concerns has now gained. that the mainstream has caught up. It is the unacceptable thing to say, ‘In less than a year,’ says Charlie Perhaps the strongest evidence for a means of provoking a laugh by Kronick, climate campaign manager a widespread consensus position rejecting the orthodox position, at Greenpeace, ‘the perception [of on climate change is how and in so doing painting yourself decentralised energy] has gone frequently it is now referred to as a pantomime villain: from fruitcake territory to without comment. In constructions mainstream policy’ (Allen 2007). like ‘In these days of climate Krishnan Guru-Murthy: ‘There was Even a journal like Petroleum change, we’re all being urged to a report this week saying the Economist betrays symptoms of go green’ (Daily Mail 2007) the Arctic will be gone in 13 years.’ this ‘I told you so’ approach: incontestability of the rationale for going green is taken as read. In Jeremy Clarkson: ‘Oh that’s just ‘Last month, the...IPCC confirmed some instances anthropogenic crap.’ [Big laugh] what most people have believed climate change has become not Guru-Murthy: ‘I think mainly for years and what countless only undeniable but a figure of because of you.’ reports had already said: that speech for undeniability: (Have I Got News For You , BBC1, human activity is causing global 13 April 2007) warming.’ (Nicholls 2007) ‘Global warming continues. The magnolias are blooming obscenely It is a measure of the maturity of Elsewhere we found evidence of a early...And the long, hot summer the discourse – and the new, cautious acceptance of man- of pointless film sequels is expectation in accounts of climate made climate change, even if it underway.’ (Bradshaw 2007) change that the audience will be was lent against the speaker’s will. ‘The decline of classical music is as familiar with its terms – that it has We called this ‘reluctant belief’, begun to refer to itself. Not only and found it present in so many indisputable as global warming.’ (Christiansen 2007) has climate change come to constructions of the issue that we dominate the news agenda, but in felt it deserved treatment as a That man-made climate change constructions like ‘Climate change repertoire in its own right. As such exists is now the commonsensical has become the topic du jour ’ we will leave its further definition position, at least in the public (Nicholls 2007), news value for the ‘consensus repertoires’ discourse. Terms like ‘carbon attaches to the domination itself, section of this report, but for now footprint’, ‘carbon neutral’, often, in a further twist of self- it is worth noting the hedging, ‘offsetting’ and ‘emissions’ are no reflexivity, using the language of tentative language (‘no longer longer part of an expert, rarefied climate change to do so. The seems tenable’, ‘evidence is discourse, but the stuff of tabloid following comes from Al Gore, starting to be’) of these excerpts editorials and consumer quoted in New Statesman on the from The Times and the London advertising. Translation to the subject of American attitudes to Review of Books respectively: vernacular is no longer necessary. global warming. Not only has there ‘I am not a natural An offsetting company like Future been a sudden surge of interest in environmentalist. I am no longer Forests now feels confident the subject, but it shares that even a sceptical environmentalist. enough in the language of climate suddenness with the abrupt I have become a reluctant change and carbon trading to transitions of the climate system: environmentalist because it no change its name to the Carbon Neutral Company. ‘It can appear to move at a longer seems tenable either to glacier’s pace and then, after dismiss the existence of global Departures from the consensus, crossing a tipping point, it can warming or to deny the while still common, and still suddenly move rapidly into a contribution that humans have capable of a disproportionate completely new pattern.’ made to it.’ (Sieghart 2007) effect on the discourse, are now (Kolbert 2006) ‘I don’t think I can be the only more clearly readable as just that – departures – as opposed to A similar process is at work in an person who finds in myself a article in The Observer Magazine strong degree of psychological alternative positions given equal weight in the discourse. A telling about the significance of the polar resistance to the whole subject of bear in climate change

10 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 9

communications. Again, the focus something to worry about) to is less on the actual plight or examining media representation otherwise of what The Observer of something that readers are now described as ‘the new poster boys assumed to accept as beyond of global warming’ than on the reasonable doubt. battle to invest them with meaning. Contrary to several of In sum, there are three areas over the media reports it cites, the which there is emerging consensus Observer piece argues that to in public discourse. One, climate suggest that the bears are change is happening; two, it is our ‘howling against’ the ‘injustice’ of fault (at least partly); and three, climate change is to indulge in a we have to do something about it. righteous anthropomorphism at There are nonetheless other the expense of the facts. matters over which consensus has not yet been reached – how bad What is interesting here is that the climate change might be, and piece is an explicit commentary on what exactly we should do about the signifiers of climate change, it. We will revisit this point in our not climate change itself. It discussion of vulnerabilities in the demonstrates a shift in emphasis emergent consensus. from establishing first principles (persuading Observer readers that man-made climate change is

11 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 10

2. Consensus and its approach’, p4, for an explanation weaknesses in the consensus have of what we mean by ‘repertoires’.) left it susceptible to otherwise effect on the discredited opposing positions. discourse For one, ‘alarm’ has become differentiated. It now embraces Lastly, some new repertoires have An effect of the widespread media ‘alarmism’, or what remains of it, emerged. It is inevitable that with consensus on anthropogenic plus new repertoires that have a growing consensus on climate change has been a new emerged in the wake of the new anthropogenic climate change, the moderation in the language used moderation: ‘sober alarm’ and way people express their to describe it. It is striking that the ‘conservative alarm’. Note we are acceptance or rejection of the ‘stark warning’ (Adam and Traynor distinguishing ‘alarmism’ – ‘the climate change arguments should 2007) contained in the IPCC’s often unwarranted exciting of develop over time. As ever, each Fourth Assessment has mostly fears or warning of danger’ – from repertoire is interpretatively been conveyed without recourse ‘alarm’ – ‘fear resulting from the derived, and the dividing lines to the ‘inflated and extreme’ perception of imminent danger’ between them are open to debate, alarmist lexicon we identified in (Merriam-Webster). but two new patterns were the first Warm Words . sufficiently distinct to warrant The repertoire we named ‘small their inclusion in the list of It is crucial to note that by actions’ in 2006 has perhaps repertoires: ‘reluctant belief’, as ‘moderation’ we do not mean to unsurprisingly been bolstered, discussed above, and ‘free rider’. suggest that the implications of proceeding as it always has from the prevailing scientific opinion an essentially moderate following the IPCC report are any construction of the problem (it is less grave than was the case a year serious, but we can do something ago. If anything, the discourse about it without too much makes them out to be more so. personal sacrifice). The bleak conclusions of the Fourth Assessment are only lent The sceptical repertoires from 2006 weight by the IPCC’s historical (‘rhetorical scepticism’, ‘free sobriety of tone. In other words, it market protection’, and so on) is exactly the IPCC’s distaste for have been significantly alarmism that makes its latest marginalised, although we will go findings so alarming. on to discuss how certain

The moderation under consideration, then, is not a Figure 2: The new language landscape moderation of content but of rhetoric: not what is said, but the British comic way it is said. It is arguable that nihilism the wide media consensus on man- Warming is good made climate change has removed the need for ‘loud talk’ – the sort CONSENSUS Rhetorical scepticism of urgent, quasi-religious doom- REPERTOIRES mongering that was all the more Alarm Resolve urgent and quasi-religious for its Outlying repertoires - Alarmism Reluctant belief not part of the detachment from the science. Now Sober alarm Small actions mainstream the case has been made the message need no longer be Conservative Techno- alarm optimism shouted from the rooftops. Expert denial David & So this new moderation might be Goliath Settlerdom defined as consensus-in-use. Its Free market effects are detectable across all the protection linguistic repertoires we identified Free rider last year. (See ‘The research

12 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 11

3.Consensus Alarmism: ‘we should be climate systems change over the repertoires: how scared stiff’ long term – the very long term. The ‘alarmism’ repertoire has Alarmist constructions, however, the new consensus largely been depleted by the new undermine this assumption with is expressed moderation at the heart of the the language of acceleration and discourse. In its place, as we will increase. ‘Everything,’ says James The emergent consensus comprises show, has come a new ‘sober Lovelock, ‘is happening very two key strands of thought and alarm’, no less bleak in its quickly’ (Jeffries 2007); climate language: alarm and resolve. implications, but shorn of the change, warns the New Statesman, Within each of these there are unsupported, inflated rhetoric that will possibly be ‘abrupt’ and sub-strands, and these form our characterised the alarmist ‘catastrophic’ (McDermott 2007). key consensus repertoires. Outside constructions we analysed last year of the consensus there are some The quasi-religious foretelling of (‘Freak weather sweeps world, just important (and some less ‘apocalypse’ is still common, as is like in disaster film’). important) sceptical ways of the borrowing of cinematic codes thinking and talking, and these That is not to say the doom-laden to lend a thrilling – and, as before, are described in a later section. language of catastrophe, chaos ultimately distancing – note to and destruction is not still widely certain treatments that might Alarm in evidence. To the extent that otherwise be dry rehearsals of the The three repertoires outlined humanity has not woken up to the science. For example, on the here – ‘alarmism’, ‘sober alarm’ threat of climate change, there publication of Mark Lynas’s Six and ‘conservative alarm’ – have in still exists a need – or so alarmist Degrees, the cover of the Sunday common an acceptance of the constructions would have it – to Times Magazine featured a existence and seriousness of alert us to the unimaginable, and photorealistic graphic of the UK climate change, but differ in the only linguistic shock tactics will do. reduced to a desert archipelago. way they construct this Inside, a further graphic, acceptance, and the appropriate Inertia and epochal slowness are illustrating the likely effects of the response to it. structural both to the science and eponymous six-degree rise in the language of climate change. global temperatures, promised We are used to the idea that ‘apocalyptic storms, flash floods, hydrogen sulphide gas and methane fireballs racing across the globe with the power of atomic Alarmism: ‘we should be scared stiff’ bombs’. ‘Only fungi,’ it concluded, ‘survive’ (Girling 2007). It is hard to Life on Earth ends with apocalyptic storms, flash follow that with the If we don’t [cut our CO2 floods, hydrogen sulphide gas and methane fireballs production] the climate is set recommendation to change to racing across the globe with the power of atomic to warm by between two and low-energy light bulbs. bombs; only fungi survive three degrees in the next 50 years, with all the And this of course points to the The Sunday Times accompanying apocalyptic problem we identified in Warm hurricanes and floods Words last year: alarmist Not only is the world ES Magazine constructions largely exclude the turning and fearfully, but possibility of human agency. As Neal everything is happening The imminent demise of the Qori Kalis glacier offers the Lawson puts it in The Guardian: very quickly starkest evidence yet of the effects of climate change James Lovelock ‘The threat of global warming The Times creates a psychosis of despair because, it seems, nothing can be A study by the world’s leading experts says global warming will happen faster and be more devastating than previously thought The Observer done.’ (Lawson 2007)

New Statesman Scientists are increasingly concerned at the possibility of abrupt, catastrophic climate change

Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

13 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 12

Implicit in the alarmist position is a As was the case last year, alarmist lessening of inflated rhetoric in counsel of despair. If fungi alone constructions were evident across favour of a more concrete, are in with a chance, what is the the ideological spectrum. We evidence-based construction of point of turning down your found examples of it in The Times, climate change. This we might call thermostat, let alone expecting The Daily Telegraph, The Daily ‘sober alarm’. In place of the shock radical initiatives of government? Express, The Daily Mail, The Star, tactics of the ‘alarmism’ repertoire, Furthermore, extreme and The Guardian, The Independent, ‘sober alarm’ deals in the language sensationalist constructions leave The Financial Times, New of seriousness, numbers, likelihood the entire green agenda open to Statesman and Vanity Fair . Purely and proof: ‘all sides agree [climate the familiar charge that it is alarmist accounts were far less change] is readily observable informed by an insidious anti- common, however: an article worldwide’ (Evans 2007), ‘starkest materialism: might have brief recourse to the proof yet’ (Henderson 2007), ‘A repertoire before reverting to warming world will place ‘Like a religion, environmentalism ‘sober alarm’ (see below). hundreds of millions of extra is suffused with hatred for the Furthermore, we noted last year people at greater risk of food and material world.’ (Lindzen 2007) that the right-wing press often water shortages’ (Adam and Lindzen’s accusation may not embraced the ‘alarmism’ Traynor 2007). repertoire, only to undermine it square with the moderation of the Clearly this is alarming stuff. It is green mainstream. But it is grist to with sceptical accounts in its comments pages. This is now important to reiterate, however, the sceptic’s mill when James that the language and logic of Lovelock speaks in terms of a strikingly less apparent, partly as (with a few notable exceptions) a ‘sober alarm’ construct no less stark ‘plague of people’ (Girling 2007), a future than alarmism – they just or a contestant on BBC1’s reality new grudging acceptance of man- made climate change is increasingly frame it in less inflated terms. Our show Castaway judges global prospects as inhabitants of the warming a ‘good thing’ because it extended by right-wing commentators (see ‘reluctant belief’). planet may be ‘bleak’, but however will bring about ‘the end of the slim our chances, in contrast to world’ (Methven 2007). Sober alarm: ‘it’s serious but alarmist constructions, the language It is perhaps from a sensitivity to let’s keep our cool’ of tempered reflection that the charge of misanthropy, or self- As we have argued, an effect of characterises ‘sober alarm’ leaves righteous Luddism, then, that we the media consensus has been the crucial room for human agency: see an apologetic note creeping in to certain alarmist constructions. In Sober alarm: ‘it’s serious but let’s keep our cool’ a speech to Congress in March 2007 Al Gore was careful to acknowledge that his talk of ‘a Hollywood and the media The Observer true planetary emergency’ are ‘appealing to fear’ and I have found myself increasingly ‘confusing the public’ chastised by climate change campaigners sounded ‘shrill’, and was ‘a when my public statements and lectures challenge to the moral on climate change have not satisfied imagination’ (Gore 2007). Similarly, their thirst for environmental drama and in June 2007 The Independent ran Amid the shouting lately about whether exaggerated rhetoric global warming is a human-caused one of its poster-style front pages catastrophe or a hoax, some usually warning of ‘imminent peril’ and Mike Hulme, staid climate scientists in the usually Director of the Tyndall Centre ‘environmental cataclysm’, calling invisible middle are speaking up for ‘nothing short of a planetary It’s nice to see news pieces on climate rescue.’ But what followed sought New York Times that aren’t breathless accounts of a to substantiate the claim in new breakthrough and that take the explicitly less inflated terms: time to point out that the vast majority I am convinced by the facts... of relevant scientists take climate ‘These are not the words of eco- change extremely seriously

warriors but the considered David Miliband opinion of a group of eminent ...It’s not that the world is Realclimate.org scientists writing in a peer- going to end

reviewed scientific journal.’ Note: see pages 43-49 for full references (O’Connor 2007)

14 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 13

‘The world has the technology and Conservative alarm: ‘not England ’ can afford to tackle the effects of climate change – provided it begins immediately.’ (Clover and Will the midge-covered hills [of the west of Berger 2007) Scotland] sprout holiday villas like the Greek islands? I hope not but I suspect they will In 2006 we suggested that by sensationalising the issue, alarmist The Telegraph constructions have an inflationary The warmer temperatures and thus ultimately trivialising could also mean that effect. ‘Sober alarm’, in contrast, daffodils, Christmas trees ...if global warming continues seeks to reinvest the language of and cod and chips become a we will be flooded and our thing of the past climate change with meaning. heritage and livelihoods will have disappeared forever The repertoire is evident in the IPCC report, of course, and in its The Energy Saving Trust telegraph.co.uk paraphrasing, explanation and interpretation in media accounts

across the ideological spectrum. It This is what the Cotswold village of Naunton could look like as Country Life is also seen in explicit calls for climate change takes hold moderation in the language used to report climate change, Note: see pages 43-49 for full references particularly in what might be termed ‘responsible blogs’ like realclimate.org and climatedenial.org. blithely unconcerned dismissal of ‘Reluctant belief’ is a new Conservative alarm: ‘not the dangers of climate change – repertoire – a pragmatic, if weary, England! ’ had it been able any longer to acceptance that the climate ‘Conservative alarm’ is a marginal summon the smile. change argument must hold water, repertoire – but, like the ‘British and that something needs to be That is not to say it does not comic nihilism’ we identified last done. accommodate a quiet playfulness year, potentially significant from a in its sober concern. Unlike the The green movement is often communications point of view for true localism that we will examine subject to attack on ideological its very British, middle-class towards the end of this report, grounds. Right-wing framing of climate change. We ‘conservative alarm’ often exploits commentators have accused found evidence of it in the right- the absurdity of considering global environmentalists of ‘pseudo- wing press ( The Telegraph ) and catastrophe and cod and chips in religious madness’ (Booker 2007) magazines like Country Life . the same breath in a genial, and a ‘Trotskyist’ indifference to The quotation from Country Life whimsical tone: ‘this is what the the poor (Daley 2007). As we have above was the caption for a dream village could look like’. noted, the idea that the green agenda is powered by a barely – or mild nightmare – landscape Resolve wherein the typical chocolate-box concealed contempt for humanity The ‘resolve’ part of the emergent Cotswold idyll was hemmed in by and its achievements since the consensus divides into four olive groves and palm trees. Industrial Revolution is lent weight repertoires. In contrast to the ‘Conservative alarm’ is global by some of the more misanthropic ‘alarm’ repertoires, they are alarm brought within the purview comments of the campaigning concerned less with the gravity of of the English countryside-lover. Left. the problem than the necessity of Like ‘reluctant belief’, it is drawn doing something about it. In other upon by accounts forced by the words, they share the resolve to consensus to accept the reality of act, but differ in what they anthropogenic climate change. In suggest should be done. other words, it is what might have been ‘British comic nihilism’ – a

15 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 14/9/07 13:53 Page 14

Reluctant belief: ‘we will saving tips and initiatives that believe it if we have to’ despite their seeming insignificance treated separately, add up to effective action against Reluctant belief: ‘we will believe it if we have to’ climate change – or so the repertoire has it.

An increasingly common visual someone my age is likely to have spent a couple of formative decades trying not to think about nuclear counterpart to the ‘small actions’ ...it must be admitted that it war...Global warming is even harder to ignore repertoire is the ‘doll’s house’ would be nice to wake up one morning and find that graphic, usually consisting of a John Lanchester, the whole thing is a bit of a two-up, two-down with its fourth London Review of Books storm in a teacup wall removed and the rooms labelled according to the energy- We deeply don’t want saving measures that can be taken Deborah Orr, The Independent to believe this story in them (installing a ‘hippo’ in the downstairs loo, lagging the attic A dwindling minority of scientists still contest [that the global and so on.) This helps to anchor Spectator warming debate is closed], but let us assume, for the sake of the repertoire in the real: in argument, that ministers are right contrast to the sublime abstractions of ‘alarmism’, or the

I find our low-energy lightbulbs annoying and I resent having to wrap Mary-Ann polemics of ‘rhetorical scepticism’, up warm inside my house because the thermostat has been turned Sieghart, ‘small actions’ deals in the object down. But my view is that we simply have to grit our teeth and get The Times world, and what people can do on with it about climate change irrespective Note: see pages 43-49 for full references of the ideological wranglings that adhere to it. The highly reified, material nature of the ‘small actions’ repertoire is both its major ‘Reluctant belief’ seeks to restore a Reluctant belief might otherwise advantage and a significant humane, rational moderation to be called ‘grudging libertarian drawback, as we will go on to the acceptance of man-made credence’ but the repertoire is discuss. climate change. ‘Rhetorical detectable right across the scepticism’ (see page 23) rejects ideological spectrum. We found As ever, the repertoire is the green agenda partly on the examples of it in The Times, The characterised by the language of basis that its ‘invasive restrictions’ Daily Telegraph, The Independent, ease, convenience, and agency (Daley 2007) fit a statist, The Observer, and in the (‘Saving energy the easy way’ authoritarian model of political arguments of a right-wing panel [Ariel print advertisement]; ‘we control so perfectly that the member on Radio 4’s Question will...start to make a real science must be cooked. ‘Reluctant Time . The repertoire is difference to the world’ [Ley belief’, on the other hand, characterised by the hedging, non- 2007]) and by the conflation of advances a new pragmatics, dogmatic language of caution (‘let ethics and self-interest. Reducing sharing the sceptics’ distaste for us assume’, ‘it no longer seems emissions is rarely framed solely in ‘boring’, ‘annoying’ energy-saving tenable’) and confessed lack of terms of its benefits to the measures while acknowledging expertise. environment; to be a good citizen that ‘95 per cent of the world’s of the planet is almost always to climate scientists can’t be wrong’ Small actions: ‘I must do my be kind to your wallet too: (Sieghart 2007). It might well be bit for the planet’ ‘Small actions’ is still the dominant ‘If our energy-saving condensing nice to wake up ‘and find that the boiler couldn’t save you up to 40 whole thing is a bit of a storm in a repertoire in campaign communications. Its logic argues per cent on your heating bills teacup’ (Orr 2007), but ‘reluctant we’d drop it...Doing the right belief’ wearily, resentfully admits that many small actions will have a cumulatively significant effect. As thing.’ (British Gas print that this is not going to happen, advertisement) and that it is time – unfortunately was the case last year, the – to change. repertoire abounds in lists: energy-

16 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 15

2007) place an understanding of Small actions: ‘I must do my bit for the planet’ one’s carbon footprint within the realm of desirable knowledge, of everyday lay science: in the same Small changes to your lifestyle can reduce the amount of harmful way that you might look up how emissions you produce many calories there are in a Mars If enough of us do these things, not bar, it is no longer absurdly The Sunday Times only will we feel good about what pedantic to know how many InGear we’ve done, but we will also start to kilograms per year of CO you make a real difference to the world 2 might save by turning down your thermostat by one degree. Save your 20% Eugenie Harvey, We are What We Do In a January 2007 edition of The Observer Magazine journalist Lucy The Energy Saving Trust Siegle offered ‘36 positive The Times suggestions on how we can Defra change our lives, reduce carbon People in urban areas who want to save the emissions and help save the planet would do better to use the washing Act on CO2 planet’, ranked ‘breakfast’, ‘lunch’ machine at a lower temperature than buy a wind turbine and ‘dinner’ options according to how significant a lifestyle change Note: see pages 43-49 for full references they involved. Remembering to turn off your phone charger was a breakfast option; more radical ‘supper menu’ suggestions ‘for the The ‘small actions’ repertoire is still viewer’s attention to its mundanity: committed green’ included limited in its ability to compel, installing a photovoltaic system however. In bringing the ‘It’s huge! The biggest yet! A and avoiding ‘driving a total of 40 potentially unimaginable problem fantastic opportunity not to be miles by car’ (Siegle 2007). By of climate change down to human missed!’ (Newcastle City Council constructing a hierarchy of ever- scale, its rootedness in the world 2007) greater steps the reader can make, the article helps establish the of things is simultaneously what Similarly, a series of website notion that small actions add up: bogs it down in the mundane, the banners for Recycle Now frames you can start making greater domestic, the dull: green behaviour as a national strides once you are practised in habit by referencing TV shows like ‘...conveying the message to get a the baby-steps. more efficient cooker or fridge is a Coronation Street, EastEnders, and boring one.’ (Patton 2007) Little Britain (‘Monday is recycling It is perhaps a function of the day in Weatherfield’, ‘Tuesday...in moderating effect of the In Warm Words we called this the Albert Square’, ‘Thursday...in widespread media consensus on, ‘wallpaper’ problem, and it still Llandewi Breffi’ [Recycle Now 2007]). for example, alarmist constructions applies. Furthermore, juxtaposed This constructs recycling as an of climate change, that the idea of with alarmist constructions (‘Small activity so embedded in British life saving the planet step by small steps can save the planet’ [Saini even fictional characters are step no longer seems quite so 2007]) ‘small actions’ can seem committed to it, but runs the risk incongruous. There is increasing absurdly out of scale, and even if nonetheless of underscoring the rhetorical force behind the myth some communications succeed in repetitive drudgery of of ‘ordinary heroism’ – the means, managing this incongruity, others environmentally minded behaviour. recommended in the first Warm betray an anxiety about it. For Words, of reconciling the disparate There are, however, promising instance, a TV advertisement notions of environmental signs that the ‘small actions’ promoting recycling schemes in catastrophe and the small actions repertoire is evolving into Newcastle borrows playfully from of the individual. This is borne out something more compelling. the codes of clearance-sale in campaigns like the WWF’s Handbooks like Mark Lynas’s advertising to jazz up its message, ‘Change the world with a pen’, Collins Gem Carbon Counter (Lynas but succeeds only in drawing the and the Energy Saving Trust’s

17 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:08 Page 16

Non-establishment techno- optimism: ‘small technology will provide the answer’ ‘Non-establishment techno- Figure 3: Energy Saving Trust website banner optimism’ is a marginal repertoire, interactive website banners register, characterised by non- differing from its establishment depicting belching chimney stacks specifying plurals (‘technologies’, counterpart in working from the shut off at the click of a light ‘challenges’) that borrow from technology up, rather than the switch, and floodwaters in the expert scientific discourses, but intention down. That is, it Thames levelled by a one-degree without substantiation. Holding as proposes specific technological turn of the thermostat. it does that business will provide fixes to the problem of climate the answers, an evasive generalism Establishment techno- change, as opposed to stating the is structural to the repertoire, and problem then issuing general optimism: ‘relax: we’ve got is further borne out in its reliance it all under control’ assurances that technology will be on future tenses and the able to fix it. ‘Establishment techno-optimism’ – conditional mood: technologies suggesting that large-scale ‘will help us’, hydrogen fuel ‘could For this reason it is notably less technology will solve the problem mean’ the end of emissions. For rhetorical; it deals more in science of climate change – is arguably out those committed to the need for and numbers talk (‘if we can of place in the consensus camp. emissions reductions, increase the reflectivity by about Marginalised both by the consensus, ‘establishment techno-optimism’ 3 per cent’) than the non-specific and a growing apprehension of can be viewed, as George Monbiot promises of oil-industry greenwash in the environmental puts it, as ‘another species of advertising. The suggestion here is pronouncements of government denial’ (Monbiot 2007). It is a that the answer to climate change and big oil, establishment techno- wriggler’s repertoire, potentially: a lies in independent inventiveness. optimism is still prevalent in the means of diverting attention from As such the repertoire has been broadly right-wing press and the imperative to act via inflated, bolstered by the greater sense of energy company advertising. and questionably meaningful, agency, of the feasibility of (and urgent need for) effective action As we identified in last year’s rhetoric. promoted by the moderating report, this is a highly rhetorical effects of consensus. Like last year, it largely features in approving Establishment techno-optimism: ‘relax: we’ve got it all under control’ coverage of innovation in the left- leaning press.

America is on the verge of technological However the repertoire is Taking on the world’s breakthroughs that will enable us to live undermined by certain factors. toughest energy challenges our lives less dependent on oil. And these First, any construction that places technologies will help us be better stewards of the environment, and they faith in our ability to adapt to Exxon Mobil will help us to confront the serious climate change risks runs counter challenge of global climate change to the reduction argument – that we should be focusing on emitting Billions of dollars of less, not working on ways to mop President George W Bush investment are now waiting to up our current emissions. Second, be plunged into the most the repertoire is susceptible to promising technologies One day, hydrogen fuel could mean the wild conjecture. It is hard to keep end of carbon vehicle emissions faith in man’s ability to invent The Sunday Times Magazine Shell himself out of trouble when ‘giant sunshades in space’ are on offer:

If something does come of this, then we can all get back and enjoy life ‘The most ambitious (and and not feel guilty about leaving the light on or putting coal on our fires expensive) idea would be to place Richard Branson a giant sunshade in space at the Note: see pages 43-49 for full references inner Lagrange point.’ (Howard 2007)

18 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 17

David and Goliath: ‘a small ‘The big NGOs have become too ‘We dispute the 99 per cent of group can change the world’ close to the government.’ (Hutton scientific reports “confirming” this Last year we held that the ‘David 2006) so-called “climate catastrophe”.’ and Goliath’ repertoire – found (SPURT 2007) ‘Stop Climate Chaos...is running largely in the aggressively scared.’ (Law 2007) The rhetorical tactics of the radical oppositional communications of fringe have arguably had a the campaigning left – was The language of the radicalised destabilising effect on the becoming ‘increasingly marginal’. fringe is inflated, rhetorical, and language of mainstream activism. Since then it has arguably moved highly adversarial. Flying is an Organisations like Friends of the back into relative dominance, at ‘obscenity’, climate change Earth might justly claim to have least on the basis of the sample of amounts to ‘genocide’, any influenced big policy initiatives material we looked at. This might departure from green orthodoxy is like the draft Climate Change Bill. be attributed to a new ‘criminal’. In keeping with its As FoE’s director says, ‘The Big campaigning vigour on the part of characteristic ‘ideological fury’ Ask... has led the call for emerging radicals like Plane Stupid (Harris 2007), it is preoccupied legislation to tackle climate and the Camp for Climate Action. with power structures (‘we felt change’ (Juniper 2007). that we had the power’). In mock- It might equally be argued that advertorials like SPURT’s call for Nonetheless the influence of the the ‘furious passion’ (Harris 2007) ‘unlimited aviation growth’, radical fringe on mainstream of campaigners like Merrick Lewis satirical inversions are used to activism is detectable in a certain has been provoked in part by the validate what it takes as read: tonal schizophrenia. For example, growing moderation in tone of a recent Greenpeace ad, mainstream NGOs like Greenpeace There’s sleight-of-hand at work denouncing BA’s inaugural flight and Friends of the Earth. The claim here: the reader is cajoled into from London to Newquay, recalled that the old firebrands of the accepting the inflated register of the belligerent campaigning of the environmental movement have ‘climate catastrophe’, because to past in its two-finger salute been emasculated by their own reject it would be to side with the formed of fluffy vapour trails: ‘BA’s success is made explicitly by the sort of (self-evidently idiotic) answer to climate change’. So far, radicals who – as they would have sceptic that would ‘dispute... so ‘David and Goliath’. But the it – have displaced them: 99 per cent of scientific reports’. accompanying text borrows from a far less confrontational register:

‘...we prefer the Richard Branson Non-establishment techno-optimism: ‘small technology will provide way, which is for people to “stop the answer’ flying domestically”’ (Greenpeace 2007) The combination of geothermal and hydroelectric technology...can serve Hardly very radical, especially as a model for the future Calculations show that if we can when even The Telegraph is increase the reflectivity by about accusing Branson of hypocrisy, Planning Magazine 3 per cent, the cooling will balance the global warming caused by mocking him for voicing concern about climate change while increased CO 2 in the atmosphere ‘running 24 flights a week to the Caribbean’ (Hughes 2007). Green Biologics...will be on its way Professor John Latham to becoming a multi-million pound The inflated register of the radical operation intent on doing a fringe ripples through the entire significant bit to save the planet With many of the repertoire and beyond. Even a technologies, such as mainstream phrase like ‘climate Dr Edward Green, renewable power, there is a eco-energy expert and change denier’ or ‘denial’ contains “learning effect”, meaning founder of Green an uncomfortable echo of that costs decrease with use Biologics ideological fury and intemperance. The Times As the climatologist Timothy Ball says, Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

19 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 18

David and Goliath: ‘a small group can change the world’

What we urgently need is social change on an unprecedented scale. And that has Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace...are always meant direct action “shackled by their need to have an open door with the politicians” Leo Murray, Plane Stupid Merrick Lewis, Camp for Climate Action It is entirely realistic to expect people to give up flying short distances tomorrow While we were sitting on that runway...we felt that we had the power To use the fact that somebody else is developing...as an excuse to do nothing, and fly Joss Garman, off to Florida on holiday...is an obscenity Plane Stupid

Duncan Law, Lambeth Green Party Leo Murray If we don’t do this, it’s not going to get done The global nation states must take action. If not, we’ll be calling it climatic genocide Beverley Duckworth, World Development Movement Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

‘I can tolerate being called a ‘The effect of their efforts has sceptic because all scientists been to make it easier for the should be sceptics, but then they mainstream to suppress doubts started calling us deniers, with all and avoid difficult questions the connotations of the about the treatment of Holocaust...’ (Harper 2007) animals...the last thing the developed world needs is the The potential danger of the environmental movement’s lunatic inflated rhetoric at the extremes fringe trumping Gore’s of the ‘David and Goliath’ inconvenient truth with a repertoire is that it makes the convenient excuse for doing entire green agenda easier to nothing.’ (Cohen 2007) dismiss. The journalist Nick Cohen draws a parallel with the extremist animal-rights movement:

20 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 19

4. Non-consensus We named the repertoire with marginality as anything: it has reference to the ‘Settlers’ become naughty not to care. A repertoires: what attitudinal typology devised by the similar kind of comically resistance to the consultancy Cultural Dynamics provocative obtuseness can be consensus looks like (www.cultdyn.co.uk). ‘Settlers’ (so- read into Kelvin MacKenzie’s riff called because they have on ‘global p***ing.’ Outside the growing consensus we sustenance-driven needs associated see some outlying repertoires – with the home) tend to look It is important to reiterate, not part of the mainstream and backwards to yesterday, which was however, that this research was certainly more marginalised than better, and tend to dislike largely confined to the relatively in 2006. However, it is important anything new or different as they ‘official’ space of the news media, that those working to promote feel this threatens their identity, television, radio, advertising and awareness of and action on belonging and security. campaign communications. climate change keep watching Research by Cultural Dynamics and these strands of language and At least as far as climate change is the Energy Saving Trust suggests logic, since at least some of them concerned, ‘settlerdom’ is no the ‘settler’ position still accounts remain potentially compelling in longer a tenable public position. In for a significant percentage of today’s cultural environment. the past year the commonsensical public opinion in the UK. A glance position – at least in the popular at the unofficial space of the Settlerdom: ‘what’s all the media – has undergone a volte blogosphere, or web forums like fuss about?’ face , and the consensus on the BBC’s Have Your Say, reveals a In 2006 we characterised the anthropogenic climate change has deep current of dismissive ‘settler’ repertoire as one that largely appropriated settlerdom’s opposition to the rejected and mocked the notion of place in the discourse. green agenda. man-made climate change on the basis that it offended common Where it is evident – largely in the ‘When all the government sense. It constructed the speaker right-wing press – it is often in a ministers get Toyota Pious’s [sic] and implied audience as ‘the sane comic contrariness, as in Jeremy I’ll think about it, but not until majority’ in opposition to ‘the Clarkson’s rant about ‘eco- then.’ (Bergkamp 2007) doom-mongers’ or ‘the global mentalists’ and ‘lesbionics for warming brigade’ who are mother Russia’. As we have The possibility that the ‘settler’ ‘keeping us all awake’. argued, this is as much a sign of its position might have receded in public but become entrenched in private is reflected in the huge Settlerdom: ‘what’s all the fuss about’ gap between word and deed revealed by the Energy Saving Trust’s ‘Green Barometer’ survey: [A Christian Aid ad is] a deeply offensive attempt to make us feel ‘Over 80 per cent of people Honda have jettisoned 50 million guilty and empty our pockets. They believe that climate change is quid’s worth of sponsorship...and won’t be getting a penny from me painted their cars with a map of the having an impact on the UK right world...to highlight climate change or now and yet 40 per cent of us are some such rubbish Richard Littlejohn doing nothing to reduce our energy use.’ (Energy Saving Jeremy Clarkson Trust 2007) How do our green chums explain going from global In the face of widespread ... they go after Chelsea Tractors because these are warming to global pi**ing consensus it is arguably easier to symbols of middle-class success. You have to in six months? Could it just remember that trade unionists and anti-nuclear feign concern then carry on exactly be something called the campaigners didn’t go away. They just morphed as you were: ‘settlerdom’ in weather? into eco-mentalists because they realised that sheep’s clothing. This perhaps global warming was a better weapon than striking, represents the biggest challenge or doing lesbionics for mother Russia in Berkshire now for organisations promoting Kelvin MacKenzie climate-friendly behaviour.

Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

21 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 20

In sum, the ‘settler’ repertoire now ‘High performance. Low emissions. even more so now. As we defined occupies a distinctly uneasy space Zero guilt’ (Lexus Dealers 2007) it in the first Warm Words , comic in the repertoire – increasingly nihilism is a very British, very marginal in public, stubbornly But the uneasiness persists. The middle-class, whimsical refusal to persistent in private. It is also Mitsubishi ad features the SUV mind very much about climate visible in glimpses in riding out of an inset cityscape into change. The broad consensus on communications that are finding it an immaculately snowy road through the reality of man-made climate increasingly hard to ignore the the mountains. The irony here, of change has made the joke harder reality of man-made climate course, is that vehicles like the to get away with, and its ability to change. A good example of this is Outlander, designed to cope with amuse, if it ever had much, has SUV (sports utility vehicle) just such snowy, rugged conditions, arguably run its time in any case. advertising. Earlier this year an ad are driven predominantly in urban Writing in The Observer, Tim appeared for the Land Rover environments, arguably Adams characterised an article in Freelander that juxtaposed the car contributing to the disappearance which the sceptic Christopher with a snow-capped Mount Fuji. of the snowy conditions they were Monckton wrote about buying a designed for. What is key, house ‘high on Richmond Hill’ as ‘a At first glance this juxtaposition of however, is that the snowscape is jokey piece of the kind with which images – the ultimate icon of ‘climate made to appear imaginary, an we have...become horribly criminality’ next to an icon of what unreal space that can remain familiar’ (Adams 2007). you might call ‘climate victimhood’ pristine in the mind of someone – seems either audacious or obtuse. not disposed to think in any great As was the case last year, ‘comic Is this pure, residual ‘settlerdom’? depth about the environmental nihilism’ is predominantly a A refusal to engage in the debate consequences of driving an SUV... a feature of rightist constructions of – or a provocative acknowledgement ‘Settler’ sort of mindset, perhaps.... the issue. We found examples in of climate concerns? Writing in the The Times, The Telegraph, and The London Review of Books John British comic nihilism: ‘oh, Sunday Times. Lanchester argues that the ‘SUV bugger it and open another driver is...trying at the same time bottle’ to send a signal...that even if British comic nihilism was a climate change comes she will be marginal repertoire last year and is able to protect herself from it’ (Lanchester 2007).

So is this the subtext of the ad? British comic nihilism: ‘oh, bugger it and open another bottle’ ‘I’m alright, Jack?’ Later versions of the same execution carried the If [global warming] continues I’ll logo of Climate Care, an offsetting Oxford will be a coastal resort, shown on their map as “Oxford-on-Sea”. That be able to turn down the central service, together with the promise means I get a beach front property heating, thus reducing my in the body copy to offset the first without actually having to move carbon footprint 45,000 miles with every Freelander

sold. The seemingly irreconcilable Digital Camera Forum Letter to The Sunday Times InGear strains in the Freelander campaign are indicative of the instability of the ‘settler’ repertoire. Public Champagne-quality sparkling wine from Wolverhampton?... Oliver Pritchett, communications, however The Telegraph for once, the weather is not all informed by the repertoire they A large chunk of the bad news polar ice cap has might once have been, just cannot broken off and floated – quite – be seen not to care The Times across Gloucestershire anymore. Ads for the Mitsubishi and is now blocking Outlander and Lexus RX400H the drive to the house attempt a bolder piece of myth- Nudism is a policy whose time has come. It making: guiltless emissions. is made possible by global warming The Sunday Times ‘Enjoy it with a clear conscience’ (Mitsubishi 2007) Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

22 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 21

Warming is good: ‘okay, but belief: ‘I also believe climate discourses (‘pseudoscientific’, there are benefits...’ change will provide...’, ‘Dorset ‘flawed computer modelling’, As before, ‘Warming is good’ bears bubbly could be...’, ‘climate ‘category confusion’). comparison to comic nihilism in its change has the potential to be...’. Like the ‘settler’ repertoire, sunny prognosis, but posits real Never particularly significant, this ‘rhetorical scepticism’ has in the benefits for humanity as a result repertoire has been further last year been undermined by the of climate change, instead of marginalised by the consensus. growing consensus in the media. blithely relishing the prospect. In Where it is evident (predominantly However, where ‘settlerdom’ has other words, where ‘British comic in the right-wing press and trade retreated into the comic margins, nihilism’ raises a glass to the end magazines like British Farmer and and/or the unofficial space of of the world, ‘Warming is good’ Grower ) it relates more often to private opinion, the blogosphere, focuses on the benefits to solipsistic, self-interested and so on, ‘rhetorical scepticism’ agriculture of a warmer climate, or constructions of local or regional has to an extent altered its angle the economic benefits (for benefit (‘delighted’ Tibetan of attack. example, investment in new farmers, Mark Dianoco’s crops) technology) of dealing with the than to the greater global good. As we saw last year, ‘rhetorical harmful effects of climate change. scepticism’ is distinct from Rhetorical scepticism: ‘it’s ‘settlerdom’ in its level of Linguistically it is characterised by bad science – at the service engagement. Instead of dismissing a similar sort of non-specifying of bad politics’ the issue it aggressively confronts generalism as applies in In 2006 we described the it, borrowing from a mix of ‘establishment techno-optimism’: ‘rhetorical sceptic’ repertoire as a scientific, academic and political ‘People prefer warmer climates,’ non-expert discourse that discourses to dismantle the says the US lobbyist Myron Ebell, nonetheless attacked the notion of arguments supporting man-made quoted in Vanity Fair . ‘They do anthropogenic climate change as climate change one by one. better in them’ (Shnayerson 2007). ‘bad science’. It was characterised By definition it is a highly by emotive discounting strategies, The ripple-down effect of Martin speculative repertoire, and as such and a heavy borrowing from Durkin’s Great Global Warming is rich in future tenses, expert academic and scientific Swindle has lent renewed force to conditionals, and statements of the sort of amateur refutation of the science that characterised the repertoire last year:

Warming is good: ‘okay, but there are benefits...’ ‘A string of impressive senior scientists...said the science was

I also believe climate change will provide big wrong.’ (Pile 2007) opportunities for environmental businesses and ‘...now, at last, the truth is out. A new energy companies Global warming is melting the snows and glaciers - and the group of eminent scientists have Tom Stevenson, The Telegraph peasant farmers of the Tibetan made a television programme that plateau are delighted shows how the “greens” have got it wrong.’ ( Sunday Express 2007) climate change has the potential to be a major The Telegraph value driver What is particularly notable is how Country Life Pensions Week the repertoire relies on Mark Dianoco...believes climate change compensation strategies to Dorset bubbly could soon be on restaurant will allow cultivation of produce normally legitimise itself. The scientists it wine lists - thanks to global warming restricted to warmer climes cites are invariably ‘impressive’, The Express ‘senior’, ‘eminent’ or organised We will adapt and change by into ‘impressive line-ups’. Compare Climate change offers many opportunities for embracing the future rather this with the neutrality of accounts farmers including: longer growing seasons than trying to turn back the that accept the notion of clock of technological change British Farmer and Grower anthropogenic climate change:

Kevin Toolis, The Express Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

23 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 22

mainstream – that man-made Rhetorical scepticism: ‘it’s bad science - at the service of bad politics’ climate change has to be addressed, whatever our qualms Truly, this pseudo-religious madness has Despite the fact that there is not a shred of about ‘invasive restrictions’ – the become by far the most important and evidence that would stand up in court that project of ‘rhetorical scepticism’ is all-pervasive political issue of our time mankind is contributing to climate change, all political parties are clinging to falsehoods to make the argument ideological, Christopher Booker, Sunday Telegraph as an excuse to levy more and more taxes keep it in the arena of political argument at the expense of Perhaps I am sceptical about the Letter to The Express concrete action. As we will go on climate change campaign because its Marketing Week to argue, whether it succeeds or exponents remind me so much of the not depends in part on the people I knew years ago on the Marxist Religion and hysteria have ever been effectiveness of climate change Left: repressive, self-righteous, and bedfellows and so it has proved with inherently totalitarian global warming communications.

Janet Daley, The Telegraph ‘Expert’ denial: ‘we beg an impressive line-up of scientists disputed to differ’ every facet of this fashionable assumption Though far from being a ‘global warming The ‘expert denial’ repertoire denier’, I am sceptical about the newfound Dominic Lawson, The Independent essentially draws on science to absoluteness of the doom-mongers refute any consensus on anthropogenic climate change. In Stephen Glover, The Mail Association of the biggest con trick ever British Drivers perpetrated on the human race the first Warm Words , we Note: see pages 43-49 for full references described the repertoire as a determinedly non-emotive discourse, confined to scientists engaged in public arguments with their peers, and lay writers borrowing from ‘The world’s scientists yesterday ‘The more scientists agree, the ‘science talk’ in their blogs and issued a grim forecast for life on more inclined [doubters] are to be chat-room encounters. earth when they published their sceptical about the conventional latest assessment of the impacts wisdom.’ (Sieghart 2007) In 2007 it remains a marginal of climate change.’ (Adam and repertoire, but has been given a In the face of overwhelming Traynor 2007) late boost by Martin Durkin’s scientific consensus ‘rhetorical Channel 4 documentary The Great ‘Climate change is already under scepticism’ has had to reframe Global Warming Swindle , first way...scientists and officials from itself as a beacon of liberty broadcast on 8 March 2007, and more than 100 governments holding out against statist control: since made available on the agreed in Brussels yesterday.’ internet. Of the instances of this (Clover and Waterfield 2007) ‘These days you are castigated for worrying about self-indulgent repertoire we noted this year, over Here the scientists and officials are luxuries such as free speech and two-thirds explicitly reference the just that: scientists and officials. open debate.’ (Daley 2007) Durkin film. The consensus position has no It is arguable that ‘expert denial’ need of anxious qualification. As such, it has become an even more politicised, class-conscious and ‘rhetorical scepticism’ Sceptical readings of the science repertoire, deploying similarly repertoires are converging. ‘Expert have of course become harder to emotive discounting strategies to denial’ was hitherto characterised sustain in the face of the IPCC’s its polar opposite, the radical by a relatively high level of findings. For this reason ‘rhetorical fringe of the ‘David and Goliath’ ‘science talk’ – multiple scepticism’ is now more evident in repertoire. So global warming is a qualifications, long sentences, rightist arguments disputing the ‘liberal hoax’ (Inhofe 2006); terms of art – but a combination consensus per se. In other words, environmentalists are ‘failed of circumstances has lent it a there has been a general shift from socialists’ (James 2007) guilty of different rhetorical tone. The ‘the science is wrong’ to ‘anything ‘religious fanaticism’ (Lindzen findings of the IPCC have so this certain must be wrong’: 2007); An Inconvenient Truth is Al thoroughly depleted it on its own Gore’s ‘dinner-party movie’ (Gill terms that it has had to seek other 2007). Contrary to the pragmatic discursive tactics to maintain itself.

24 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 23

shift toward lower emissions of ‘Expert’ denial: ‘we beg to differ’ carbon are needlessly expensive’ (Copenhagen Consensus 2004) no ...as the frenzy over man-made global ...in the post-war years when industry and longer strikes a very consensual warming grows shriller, many senior climate the whole economies of the world really note, if it is widely accepted that scientists say the actual scientific basis for got going and human production of CO 2 the theory is crumbling just soared, the global temperature was ‘costs and benefits of mitigation... going down. In other words, the facts are broadly comparable’ (Black The Great Global Warming Swindle didn’t fit the theory 2007), or, as per Stern, that the costs of mitigation are likely to be ...the climate was controlled by the Professor Tim Ball, University of Winnipeg, dwarfed by the costs of inaction. clouds; the clouds were controlled by The Great Global Warming Swindle the cosmic rays; and the cosmic rays This increasingly residual were controlled by the sun. It all came ...just as many religions, the route to repertoire is now most often to be down to the sun personal salvation lies in the performance of superstitious rituals, such as changing a found in the public grumblings of Richard Lindzen, professor of lightbulb or arranging for a tree to be car-industry spokesmen like VW’s Atmospheric Science at MIT planted after every plane journey Martin Winterkorn and BMW’s and leading sceptic Norbert Reithofer.

I think one of the reasons we particularly like ‘global warming’ is that it seems to fulfil this ‘BMW’s new chief executive has long history of myths about human action in relation to not just the environment but in condemned European Commission relation to goodness and the Garden of Eden and all the rest of it. It’s a great myth plans to impose a limit of 130g a Philip Stott, leading UK climate sceptic kilogram on CO emissions...as Note: see pages 43-49 for full references 2 “physically impossible” and “economically unsound”.’ (Gow 2007) The ‘expert’ sceptics featured in Working Group 3 Summary Report Aside from the short-term interests the Durkin film have had to have done much to discredit it. of individual companies, the ‘free- construct the consensus view as a Bjørn Lomborg’s Copenhagen market protection’ repertoire has militant, ‘unscientific’ orthodoxy. Consensus, which holds that implicitly been undermined by the Richard Lindzen, professor of ‘approaches based on too abrupt a atmospheric science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has derided the Stern Review as ‘manifestly Free-market protection: ‘it’s not worth it’ incompetent’.

Apart from in The Great Global The real present-day cost of reducing Warming Swindle itself, the carbon dioxide levels...is almost One minute we are talking about fair repertoire was most notably certainly prohibitive and ruinous to trade, the next minute the issue is evident in approving responses to economic growth lessening the carbon footprint by cutting the documentary online, and in markets in Africa. It is so confusing The Times the broadly right-wing press. Jane Ngige, chief executive Free-market protection: ‘it’s for the Kenya Flower Council not worth it’ we have to ask the hard question The ‘free-market protection’ of whether we could do better by repertoire holds that the negative focusing on other issues first - effects of taking action on climate Regulations are “on the verge helping real people improve their change outweigh the benefits. A of endangering the future of an lives and resilience so they can entire industry” relatively minor strand in the better deal with the world’s challenges discourse in 2006, it has been VW chairman further marginalised since the Martin Winterkorn Bjørn Lomborg, author of the publication of the first Warm Sceptical Environmentalist Words . Clearly the conclusions of the Stern Review, and the IPCC’s Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

25 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 24

consensus on the gravity of the defensive, adversarial solipsism: likely effects of climate change, and the rest of the world does not in part by the growing body of matter, unless we all act together. opinion that business can benefit from efforts to mitigate emissions: The repertoire is of course related to, and enabled by, the invisibility ‘An impending energy revolution of the problem, because it could stimulate the global constructs anthropogenic climate economy.’ (Financial Adviser 2007) change as distant, other – not quite ‘not our problem’, but ‘not our ‘Free rider’: ‘we will – but problem if no one else is bothering’. only if you will’ It is a moral repertoire, Unlike the others in the sceptical characterised by the language of camp, ‘free rider’ is a new righteous individualism, and repertoire, an emergent corollary scepticism of the conscious collective of widespread media consensus. It act (‘involves making the rest of us represents a last-ditch attempt, in feel guilty’ [Littlejohn 2007]). The the face of overwhelming odds, to repertoire is open to obvious build a case for filing man-made criticism (‘absolutely nothing climate change under ‘possibly a happens if everything is left to problem – but on second thoughts everyone else’ [Hartnett 2007]) but let’s not bother’. it is nonetheless prevalent. Like It is related to what is sometimes most sceptical repertoires, it was referred to as The Prisoner’s most evident in the right-wing Dilemma. That is, man-made climate press; but we also found evidence change might be real, but there is of it in The Independent and the no point in acting if everyone else Financial Times. is not. It amounts to a kind of

‘Free rider’: ‘we will - but only if you will’

Nothing we do in this country in isolation There is no point in Britain making will make the slightest bit of difference sacrifices alone while the rest of the Richard Littlejohn world enjoys itself to destruction

The Independent TLS

Climate change is a global problem, requiring everyone to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; but as long as others act, the “cheats” can abjure any painful change, yet enjoy the group benefit

the idea that Britain should make unique sacrifices Financial Times when it accounts for such a tiny proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions is ludicrous there is a danger of other The Express nations free-riding on European efforts

Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

26 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 25

5. Susceptibilities: ‘The discussion has been taken Considering the weight of evidence, over by politically driven forces and the urgent need implied by weak spots in the with little interest in the value of that evidence for radical measures, new consensus free intellectual enquiry.’ (Daley it is often held that endless a priori 2007) debate on the existence of man- As we have shown, in the last year made climate change is not only there has been a marked shift in The counter-argument to this is, irrational but a form of quietism: the discourse towards a consensus however, well established. There bickering while the world drowns. position on climate change, at has been free intellectual enquiry; least in the official and public the argument has been had, and Nonetheless there is of course a space of the established media. has – if the overwhelming majority high level of uncertainty as to Although this is clearly to be of the world’s climate scientists are what the exact consequences of welcomed by organisations to be believed – been won. climate change will be, and what seeking to promote climate- Insistence on the dangers of man- should be done about them. And friendly behaviour, the very notion made climate change is not a it is entirely consistent with a solid of consensus brings with it a new matter of suppressing debate but consensus on the existence of set of difficulties. confronting, however reluctantly, anthropogenic climate change that The suppression of debate ‘a scientific consensus as strong as there should still be vigorous that which maintains that smoking debate at this level: A common claim, particularly by causes lung cancer or that HIV commentators on the right, is that causes AIDS’ (Monbiot 2007): ‘We are entering a period of any form of publicly endorsed climatic change...without a consensus is by nature scientifically ‘It has seemed appropriate to the confident sense of what those unsound and anti-democratic. media to treat [the climate changes will entail.’ (Lanchester Differing views are structural both debate] as a polarised issue, one 2007) to the scientific process and to on which there are two schools of political discourse. In other words, thought, which, in respect of the ‘The science – as science always if the scientists are as certain as science, it isn’t: there is one school should be – is contradictory and the politicians claim they are, of thought, and a few nutters.’ confusing.’ (Monbiot 2007) something fishy must be going on: (Lanchester 2007) ‘None of this is to suggest that the ‘In science, consensus is science should not be subject to irrelevant.’ (Crichton 2005) constant scepticism and review.’ (Monbiot 2007) The suppression of debate The discourse of climate change does not always successfully accommodate such ‘constant God save us from nuclear power scepticism and review’ even where it is appropriate. There is a sense, Duncan Law, We don’t have time to waste on nukes Lambeth Green Party particularly in communications coming from the campaigning left, Greenpeace that the moratorium on debate ...they tell us [investment in nuclear energy] is part of an extends beyond human implication overall plan. No, sorry: it’s a in climate change – where there is response to pressures from now broad agreement in the conventional minds You are a total waste of skin and air. Help public domain – to areas where the environment and jump off a cliff uncertainty still obtains.

Letter to the National Review, What is implicit – and occasionally which had criticised Al Gore’s explicit – in the communications of electricity consumption Ignore the optimists: the global warming horror stories are all true some parts of the campaigning movement is that any departure The Guardian from the orthodoxy is heretical. There is no consensus on the Note: see pages 43-49 for full references maximum temperature rise likely

27 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 26

over the next century; or on the power and the unthinking learn; this becomes the subject of need for carbon reductions to the canonisation of Al Gore – risks explicit analysis; the question then total exclusion of adaptive leaving the mainstream agenda arises whether any account of measures; on the admissibility of open to wholesale dismissal. climate change can be trusted; nuclear technologies; or on the people are thus less disposed to do efficacy of certain renewables. Greenwash and the problem anything about it. And so on, and There are voices, however, that of meaning on, and on, as with every cycle of would dismiss the ‘huge amount Earlier in this paper we noted a the logical loop, the discourse of uncertainty about the details’ new self-consciousness in the becomes more depleted of meaning. (Meggs 2007) in favour of an discourse – a higher level of inflexible insistence that a certain explicit analysis, particularly in What is at stake here is a question set of responses to climate change newspaper and magazine of interpretation and belief. In are the only ones allowable. accounts, not only of the facts of Profiles of the Future Arthur C. climate change but of the Clarke proposed that ‘any In The Observer Nick Cohen quotes language used to describe them. sufficiently advanced technology is from a rash of emails sent to an indistinguishable from magic’ American think tank that dared to It is symptomatic of this new (Clarke 1973). Whatever the criticise Al Gore for his energy concern with meaning that the consensus on climate change, consumption. The think tank problem of greenwash – the whatever the ‘proof’ contained in ‘hadn’t denied global warming’; dressing up in fine words of the IPCC’s Fourth Assessment, nonetheless its vice president continued inaction – should have climate science is engaged in a received death threats, was called taken such a central place in the similar process of selling us a ‘redneck bitch’ and ‘a total discourse. As we have noted, the something we are ultimately ill- waste of skin and air’, and was Energy Saving Trust’s Green equipped to understand: advised to ‘Help the environment Barometer survey suggested a and jump off a cliff’ (quoted in yawning gap between the public’s ‘...we are required to act on the Cohen 2007). By lending credibility stated belief in climate change and basis of the faith in science which to the ‘green bully’ ‘neo-puritan’ the will to do anything about it. is one of the fundamental underpinnings of our society, caricature of the environmentalist It may also be that this anxiousness movement, this kind of militant but...the need to act radically, with regard to word and deed urgently and expensively on the orthodoxy – the kind that insists becomes self-fulfilling. People say on the unthinkability of nuclear basis of scientific models is testing one thing and do another, we that faith to the full and beyond.’ (Lanchester 2007)

Figure 4: Consensus in close-up The problem is perhaps even harder to confront when it comes to corporate greenwash. We are MAINSTREAM CONSENSUS trained to put our faith in brands nuclear and yet to mistrust large the end of we’re corporations. On the one hand we the world nowhere near are assured that business is taking larger and more radical measures adaptation 11.5° max than government ever has, or ever issues still will; on the other we hear reports in debate that the supermarkets’ ‘greening’ 5.8° max mitigation is so much lip-service to the issue, masking the self-interested we’re getting not the end of intention to carry on much as there the world before. When Marks and Spencer renewables takes out two-page spreads in the national press advertising its ‘Plan A’ (‘because there is no Plan B’), do Mainstream consensus can and should accommodate we suspect them of greenwash, or debate where appropriate do we give them the benefit of

28 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 27

Greenwash and the problem of meaning

While Mr Blair’s rhetoric on climate Mr Cameron’s greenwash was eco-spin change has been full of boldness, his actual policies have been characterised by The Mirror a shameful timidity Voters think of themselves as green...These The Independent claims are way ahead of the reality The Times

The gap between what the The car industry stepped up pressure on the EU science tells us is necessary yesterday to water down plans for compulsory limits and what the politics is on CO emissions...as manufacturers sought to outdo delivering is still significant 2 each other with a futuristic array of new green technologies and fuels David Miliband George Monbiot

Greenhouse gases generated by British My fear is not that people will stop talking aviation could be far higher than the about climate change. My fear is that they government’s published figures will talk us to Kingdom Come

New Statesman BBC News Rhetoric up, action down website Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

the doubt, accepting that ‘In some made climate change in the cases you can say that brands are mainstream media. As such it is leading ahead of their consumers’ potentially even harder to (Kasriel 2007)? overcome than the dwindling clutch of sceptical arguments – So how do we believe? How do we which have the advantage of interpret the actions and rhetoric being arguments, and therefore of others, and ourselves, when defeatable. How exactly to restore consensus is essentially a mass leap meaning to a discourse depleted of faith, the efficacy of our by greenwash (among other individual efforts to combat it is things) is the subject of the almost impossible to measure, and next section. the discourse is constantly telling us to beware of empty words? The urgent – and paradoxical – task of any climate change communication is to invest the discourse with meaning. But how do you advocate ‘actions not words’ with words?

This, clearly, is another major challenge facing those wishing to win over the hearts and minds of the public to the cause of climate- friendly behaviour. The problem of greenwash – of the gap between what people say and what they do – is an ironic consequence of the widespread acceptance of man-

29 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 28

6. Locality, discourse scepticism’; these repertoires are Downing, says, ‘very few people particularly evident in the letters actually reject out of hand the and the potential pages of local newspapers. idea the climate is changing or to stimulate action that humans have had at least So what can be said to be distinct some part to play in this’, but In addition to national about the local discourse? It is there is ‘still a lot to do’ in communications, as part of the broadly the case that the problem encouraging ‘low-carbon lifestyles’ research for this update to the first of climate change is well covered (BBC News 2007). Warm Words we looked at a range at national level. We learn from of local materials. These included any number of accounts adhering It is our contention that this failure local newspaper articles, local to the consensus that climate to engage has much to do with authority communications, change is real and that we are distance. You might accept that interviews with local authority implicated both in its causes and ‘the climate is changing’ and that staff and environmental activists, effects. The national discourse also ‘humans have had...some part to websites, local advertising and offers us solutions to it, inasmuch play’, but as long as the effects of campaign communications. These as any solution is held to be this change remain the stuff of were drawn from eight localities realistic or feasible. As we have media reports and pronouncements selected for their wide geographic shown, there is evidence that the by international panels of distribution, mix of urban and myth of ordinary heroism, and the scientists, they are too easy to rural population densities, and notion that collectively, small discount as exaggerated, or not breadth of socio-economic status, actions can have a big effect, are truly worthy of attention: nothing, engagement in environmental gathering rhetorical force at the in other words, to do with ‘us’. initiatives, and success in national level. implementing them. Hence the disproportionate effect However, significant problems of even the most marginal What we found was the features persist. The ‘small actions’ sceptical account of climate of the national discourse were repertoire is still undermined by change: it might not accord with largely evident at the local level, the disparity of scale between the the acceptable public position, or with some differences of emphasis. mundanity of the solutions offered even what our rational selves Perhaps unsurprisingly the local and the enormity of the problem. privately believe to be true, but it discourse was dominated by the Suppression of debate, greenwash, speaks to our undeniable wish to ‘small actions’ repertoire – we will the ‘free rider’ argument, and ‘wake up one morning and find go on to discuss the reasons for resilient sceptical repertoires all the whole thing is a bit of a storm and implications of this. There was threaten to undermine the broad in a teacup’. some evidence of local ‘sober consensus arrived at in media alarm’, and just a little ‘alarmism’, discourse. Most importantly, the Local communications would seem like the postcard issued by South Energy Saving Trust’s Green to offer little solution to this Northamptonshire Council of the Barometer survey, and Ipsos Mori’s problem. The narrowness and village of Stoke Bruerne under recent research on attitudes to parochialism of the local newspaper water, or this, from the Cambridge climate change, show a significant discourse, for example, is almost Evening News: disconnection between what comically unequal to the task of public discourse holds to be describing climate change: ‘East Anglia will be submerged acceptable and true, and what under water if we continue to ‘If global warming is as much of a people privately think: pump huge amounts of carbon threat as we have good reason to emissions into the atmosphere.’ ‘The Ipsos Mori poll of 2,032 think it is, the subject can’t be (CEN 2007) adults – interviewed between 14 covered in the same way as church and 20 June – found 56% believed fêtes and county swimming ‘David and Goliath’ and ‘non- scientists were still questioning championships.’ (Lanchester 2007) establishment techno-optimism’ climate change.’ (BBC News 2007) were also evident, but not Alarmist constructions of climate linguistically distinct from their Whatever the consensus view change are evident at the local counterparts in national constructed in the national media, level, but most often in the communications. Scepticism in the public is evidently still not ‘national news’ sections of local local discourse was largely confined engaged. As Ipsos Mori’s head of and regional newspapers, where to ‘settlerdom’ and ‘rhetorical environmental research, Phil they are juxtaposed with far more

30 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 29

nonchalant accounts of the much reason to read the Bridgend problem and solutions to it. problem as it impacts the local Gazette if you come from Ipswich. Agency – the power to act – may readership. Take these excerpts It is in this often extremely narrow simply be more readable, more from two adjacent articles in the focus that the potential for naturally expressed at the local Manchester Evening News: mundanity – even comic mundanity level, as there is no significant – in the local discourse lies. incongruity to negotiate. ‘Billions...will face catastrophic drought and food shortages Nonetheless, it is this narrowness Mundanity remains a problem because of climate change.’ of focus that makes the local however. Whatever cultural work (Manchester Evening News 2007) discourse such a perfect fit for the has been done to give ‘small ‘small actions’ repertoire: actions’ persuasive force, local ‘Although Manchester did not see communications can undo it. the country’s hottest weather, ‘So although they don’t have the While we looked at many those who stayed in the region sex appeal of a new sun room or adequate, and some excellent for the bank holiday enjoyed a luxury en suite, good stout loft attempts at the local level to make pleasant 15C – the same as insulation and immersion heater the climate change message Madrid.’ (Qureshi 2007) lagging could help boost the value compelling, we saw many others of your home.’ (Mid-Ulster Mail that were strikingly residual and Much as ‘small actions’ has to 2007) confront the ‘wallpaper’ problem, prosaic. It was notable how local so local alarm has to negotiate its ‘Already the proud owner of 10 communications often underscore own incongruity: simply stated, to chickens, three beehives and two their own mundanity with discuss a chunk of ice the size of cats, [county environmentalist language effects. Witness this Rhode Island falling off the Larsen Julie Mason] said she had always headline from the Bridgend B ice-shelf would strike a faintly been interested in green ideas.’ Recorder: absurd note in the pages of the (Northants Evening Telegraph ‘NATURE RESERVE CENTRE parish gazette. 2007) UNCOVERS ITS COOL ROOF!’ Features of the local The focus on the domestic, the (Bridgend Recorder 2007) discourse – in more detail routine, and the small-scale courts The rudimentary pun, awkward We know that local news, absurdity when set against the cooption of (residual) youth-speak advertising, council and campaign more compelling concerns of the (‘cool’), the superfluous communications can have a national discourse. Here, however, exclamation: all serve to emphasise solipsistic and parochial focus on the humdrum assumptions (sun the limited scope of local the close-at-hand, sometimes at rooms with sex appeal), residual communications. Local newspaper the expense of the wider context: turns of phrase (‘luxury en suite’, discourse is often a hybrid of for instance, in accounts of local ‘good stout loft insulation’), and tabloid informality and broadsheet interests that run counter to the extremely high detail threshold sobriety, without the skilful national agenda. (‘10 chickens...’) sit naturally in a playfulness of the former, or the discourse designed to describe and informational weight of the latter. ‘[Climate change] is seen as a legitimate the everyday. distant and conceptual problem Local government and corporate that is frequently trumped by Furthermore, we occasionally communications are often marked short-term local and individual encountered the impression that by a similar very basic deployment interests when it comes to the the national media does not offer of rhetorical effects: a leaflet small decisions we all make on solutions, and instead ‘focuses far produced by Guildford Borough travel, heating and electric power.’ too much on the problem’ Council claims that fitting a wall- (Spencer 2007) (Almond 2007). Clearly this runs mounted wind turbine amounts to counter to the evidence: ‘small ‘your chance to be one of the Local communications are often actions’ is everywhere in the trendsetters!’. highly personalised; the concerns national discourse. Nonetheless, of the ordinary individual are the impression of a newsworthy at the local level. And counterproductive national focus they have a limited ability to on what is wrong may indicate a compel for anyone outside the persistent mismatch at this level locality they address: there is not between constructions of the

31 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 30

Locality and agency: the Locality and agency: the power to act power to act However, there is something else Reconnect with the one planet on which we have highly significant at work here. We’re going to save the Planet, to live, reconnect with our local communities, and Clearly, there are initiatives that starting with Manchester relocalise with our local communities, and can be realised at local level that relocalise - because that’s what’s going to do it Manchester is my Planet simply cannot be at the national. Our research was restricted to UK Duncan Law, Lambeth Green Party Richard Hurford, communications, but such is the Lewisham Council global influence of public Innovation tends to come at the local level This journalist from The Times [was] discourse in the United States that Alex Swainson, taking the Mickey about making its state and city-level measures to Guildford Borough Council the leap from the global climate combat climate change are often problem to the fact that local reported in the British media: Solutions...are driven at the local level action needs to happen...three years later that is the mainstream ‘All around the country there are towns and cities and state Falkirk has a huge contribution to make towards the restoration of Scotland’s It’s the local authorities that lead by governments that are actively environment...’Think global, act local’ is example - like the Mertons, the Wokings working to reduce their emissions central to how we operate - that raise the standards for everybody in spite of – or perhaps one should say because of – federal inaction.’ Falkirk Council Green Manifesto John Bannister, Guildford Environmental Forum (Kolbert 2006) Note: see pages 43-49 for full references

The US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, which ‘calls on cities to “strive or meet or beat the not ‘deniers’ or ‘climate criminals’, with concrete action that local Kyoto Protocol targets in their as the enemy. What is striking is people can witness for themselves own communities”’ (Kolbert 2006), how concrete initiative and a lends meaning to a discourse in is a good example of this. As of groundswell of public support severe danger, as we have shown, May 2007, 496 US mayors had (‘the biggest public meeting in of signifying nothing for all its signed up to the initiative. It is an Lampeter anyone could sound and fury. obvious but vitally important truth remember’) has helped to invest In our research for this project we that radical measures are more terms of global significance like visited a number of local feasible with small numbers. ‘energy descent’ – which might installations, such as the otherwise have sounded an And indeed, there are signs of a hydropower unit on the River Wey incongruous note in a local discourse of genuine agency at Guildford Mill, designed at context – with real meaning. emerging at the local level in the once ‘to generate at least 260,000 UK. In place of the mundane and This is the task of the local project: kWh per year of electricity to feed parochial there is a new sense of to make climate change, and into the local electricity potent collective action reflected solutions to it, real, tangible, in a distribution network, supplying in the language. way that is clearly far harder at enough energy for 50 typical households’, and to provide ‘public ‘...the people of Lampeter, a small the national and/or international awareness benefits to the wider community in...rural Wales, level. Lampeter is part of the community’ (Paish 2003). gathered together earlier this Transition Towns movement, a loose federation of communities week to mobilise for a new war Like the photovoltaic panels on committed to ‘responding to the effort. They decided to plan their the roof of Sandfield Primary twin challenges of Peak Oil and “energy descent”.’ (Lawrence School nearby, or the wind turbine Climate Change’ (Transition Towns 2007) planned for the City of Manchester 2007). And this is near the heart of Stadium, the Guildford Mill project Here the metaphor of war avoids it: the very notion of ‘transition’ makes an effective response to the potentially counterproductive collapses problem and solution climate change imaginable. Many prickliness of the radical into the active present. national climate change campaigning fringe by framing Furthermore, the movement’s communications address us as our own fossil-fuel dependency, model of backing up its rhetoric

32 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 31

individuals; as citizens of a development of different and • It connects the imaginability of threatened planet. We have seen possibly more compelling the problem to the visibility of how this can fail to grant the communications, whether for a the solution. Attention can be individual much sense of their local or national audience. We will drawn to local initiatives and power to act. In terms of any one first discuss a fundamental issue – their concrete results. person’s ability to do anything the way these communications about it, the problem is construct or ‘position’ their • It harnesses the certain cultural unimaginably large; the response audience – then go on to look at momentum behind ‘locality’: is to bury one’s head in the sand other linguistic features. Totnes/Lampeter/Brighton is or dismiss the problem as remote. where it is at. Even if action is taken, it is next to Communal address: a possible new model for • It helps interested organisations impossible to know how effective speak with the voice of it is, if at all. persuasive communications Given our observations on ‘collaborative authority’: a This need not be the case with community as the sensible unit of powerful emergent code. local communications. People agency, we suggest that future There are several useful models for living close to Guildford Mill have communications strategies, whether this. In the wider cultural context, ready access both to a symbol of national or local, could usefully there is gathering force, as we effective action and a concrete adopt a key feature of the more have indicated, behind the notion means of providing renewable energetic and compelling local of ‘collaborative authority’. This is energy to a small community. The communications we analysed – particularly notable in online hydro-power unit could only what we have called ‘communal discourse. Websites like eBay and possibly have symbolic force at the address’. the peer-to-peer lending service national level, but in Guildford it is This means addressing the Zopa are authoritative only insofar manifestly heating offices and as they are so widely used: the lighting homes. And not only is potential energy saver as an individual defined by his or her company itself only facilitates or climate-friendly action reified in oversees a process whereby trust is this way at the local level: membership of a knowable, physically located community, as built by mass collaboration and community initiatives help to peer review. Figure 5 shows how make global action seem less opposed to the ‘citizen of the world’ constructed by most this model fits into what might be unimaginable, for the simple called a continuum of address. reason that the world is comprised communications at present. of many fewer communities than This would have several Between the top-down, monologic it is people. ‘We are going to save advantages: authority of government, and the the planet, starting with unregulated babble of the Manchester’ is that much more • It frames individual climate- blogosphere, comes a potentially feasible a proposition than ‘We friendly behaviour as a useful positioning for are going to save the planet – conscious collective act. This organisations promoting climate- starting with you.’ helps to counteract the ‘free friendly behaviour. As opposed to rider’ problem: if in reducing the voice of authority telling the Learning from the local your emissions you feel you are individual what to do, the In the course of this research, we part of a group, as opposed to a interested agency might usefully saw many examples of local benighted individual struggling address the ‘communal individual’ communications that essentially against the tide, you are that as an equal, a partner in the replicate the discursive patterns of much less likely to succumb to collaborative process of combating national communications, resentment that no one else is climate change. As its although in a more parochial or doing anything. Environmental Policy Officer Alex mundane way. But there were a Swainson says, the role of handful that stood out as doing • It gives the individual greater Guildford Council is to act not as something quite different. These agency: he or she represents a an instigator but as ‘a catalyst for share a set of subtle but significant percentage of an local initiatives’ (Swainson 2007). cumulatively more energetic and imaginable group, as opposed engaging qualities. Taken to a drop in the national ocean, together, these features begin to or atom in the planetary offer a template for the ecosystem.

33 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 14/9/07 13:55 Page 32

• Everybody’s talking about Figure 5: Peer-to-peer – a powerful emergent code climate change – a ‘Defra- supported local government There is an emergent ‘continuum of address’, The role of the council is to act climate change public awareness particularly notable in web discourse as ‘a catalyst for local initiatives’ campaign throughout Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.’ This one is notable National Guildford Unregulated particularly for the ‘Carbon Government media, Council, ‘Expert’ chatrooms, Lay blogs, Saved’ banner on the right-hand ‘Big’ science Energy Manchester blogs Mundane is my Planet side of its homepage, detailing Saving Trust locality the tonnes of carbon saved in both counties. This is a reifying device: it helps to make communal effort imaginable. Top-down authority, Dialogic, conversational, horizontal: Noise, babble, monologic peer-to-peer communication parochialism (www.everybodys-talking.org) We hear a great deal today about ‘virtual communities’, but our By addressing the ‘communal individual’ an organisation would be speaking to its desire for real-life connectedness equal - framing the individual act as a collective one and stimulating action and belonging remains strong. It is clear that people who share a physical location can come together and think of themselves as a community, even if socially As for communications dealing • Love Lewisham – this Lewisham very disparate. The idea of the specifically with climate change Council initiative, raising located community is highly and energy efficiency, we found a awareness of environmental issues relevant today – and offers climate number of examples of ‘communal in one of the country’s few beacon change communicators some address’ used to advantage: local authorities for sustainable distinct benefits. energy, frames the individual • Manchester is my Planet – a pledge to be active as a communal Most importantly, the ‘unit’ of the campaign ‘running across Greater act. (www.lovelewisham.org) physical locality allows a degree of Manchester to bring about a reification – making real and green energy revolution in the • Cambridge Carbon Footprint – concrete – of the otherwise region’, managed by Manchester: ‘a small, local, voluntary abstract and unknowable Knowledge Capital, a partnership organisation’ aiming ‘to make connection between action and of ‘all ten Greater Manchester people more aware of their effect in climate change. authorities, four universities, the personal impact on climate Furthermore, addressing people as strategic health authority, other change and...help people reduce members of a located community – key public agencies and leading that impact’. It is notable that as we have suggested – positions businesses’. What is interesting on the website the individual’s them as having more power to act. here is the suggestion that the carbon footprint stands for the They are big fish in a small pond, individual has an effect on the city’s – the personal and the not relatively powerless members planet inasmuch as (s)he is a communal combined in one of an unmanageably large group Mancunian. The notion of saving image. (www.cambridgecarbon (the nation, for example, or the the planet ‘starting with footprint.org) human race). Manchester’ makes the global • Planet St. Helens – ‘the hub of a effort more imaginable: we can Talking about located physical community network promoting do it city by city. The bright, communities with a sense of real, local action in support of Agenda colourful, iconic visual style, and concrete boundaries and shared 21 and sustainable development note of cheeky humour in the space raises the question of how in the Borough of St Helens, text, borrow more from the large these areas can be. Generally UK.’ This adopts playful use of language of popular culture and we are thinking here of local communal address in similar advertising than the dry discourse authority or city council territories, manner to Manchester is my of public sector communications. or localities like villages and (www.manchesterismyplanet.com) Planet. (www.planetsthelens.net)

34 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 33

towns, but also self-defined The linguistic framing of economy that is already in the neighbourhoods within big cities. positive action process of establishing itself However, in the sense that Great Aside from the issue of ‘communal (‘transition’, ‘energy descent’, Britain is bounded by the address’, at its best the emergent ‘beyond oil’). undeniably physical border of the local discourse is different in Crucially, the emergent local coastline, it might also function as several respects to its national discourse uses imaginative and a suitable unit for ‘local’ approach. counterpart – as Figure 6 shows. It is possible that one could (with metaphorical language to frame care) use communal address, Some of these features we have climate-friendly behaviour as national pride and a sense of already discussed. The ‘energetic’ desirable. So we have playful national community to address the local discourse deals in the real, juxtapositions like ‘Planet St ‘Free Rider’ problem – we Britons the tangible, the directly Helens’ and ‘The Magic Boiler might simply decide to lead the imaginable. It speaks the language Scheme’ and the informality of, for way, regardless of others. of collective action, in contrast to example, ‘Love Lewisham’. The use the relatively disempowered of imaginative, creative and We are aware that both this individualism of ‘small actions’ at informal language, and surprising particular kind of national pride the national level. It addresses the combinations, is a feature of many and the desire for local ‘community’ individual, as we have areas of public and popular might be most meaningful to a demonstrated, as a member of a discourse – not just popular media middle-class audience. However, community, as opposed to a citizen and advertising but the everyday there is a strong case for targeting of the planet, and speaks peer-to- playful language of ordinary communications at specific like- peer rather than from the people. This is especially relevant minded groups (as we argued last standpoint of authority. for the British, known for their year), and middle-class sensibility is love of puns and word-play, a trait a good place to start – the affluent Beyond this, the climate change reflected in much popular and are both the most likely to lead communications we identified as populist UK advertising. Using such action, having resources to spare, ‘emergent’ (that is, fresh, vigorous, language in the context of climate and are the heaviest individual engaging) also employ language change lifts these communications polluters (based on Energy Saving that is subtly but significantly away from the far more common Trust consumer research). different from the majority. framing of climate change issues National communications, and through discourses of public We suggest that ‘communal many local ones, tend to operate service, politics and campaigning address’ could be a powerful way with the imperative (‘we must!’) or (‘campaign against…’, ‘xxx to construct climate change conditional (‘if we all…’). In initiative’, ‘action plan on…’). communications, whether these contrast, these emergent address specific local audiences, or communications consistently use We argue that understanding the are in fact designed for wider, the present and future tenses to powerful effect subtle language even national, audiences. We frame positive climate-friendly shifts like this can have on the believe it would be possible to activity as already happening, or engagement of ordinary people is take a creative approach that about to happen. Their approach a vital step for organisations addresses the ‘community is pragmatic, descriptive and striving for real and widespread member’ in all of us, even through inviting (we are doing this – come public action on climate change. mass communication. This is not and join in!), rather than hectoring necessarily easy – we are aware, or rhetorical. for example, of a risk in what we would call ‘cut and paste’, or the Emergent local communications transparent and cynical grafting of also differ noticeably from the quasi-localisation onto essentially majority in their construction of national communications. The the problem and the action specifics of how best to harness required. Instead of constructing ‘communal address’ do need more the climate change problem as an working through, but its potential epic battle (‘war against...’, seems clear. ‘tackle’, ‘combat’), the emergent discourse speaks in calm and pragmatic terms of a new energy

35 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 34

Figure 6: The national and local discourses compared

Residual/ National dominant local Emergent local

Mode of Symbolic and abstract - Real, tangible, visible, imaginable representation unimaginable

Actions Small individual actions Collective actions, collective decisions

Address Citizen of UK, inhabitant of the Member of town/village/district community planet, member of human race

Authority/voice Top-down authority Peer-to-peer

Tense and Imperative (we/you must), Descriptive; present and future tense ( we are doing..., modality conditional (if we all) or modal we’re going to save the planet, starting with x ) (you can do this)

Construction of War: tackle, stop, combat Pragmatic, leapfrogging to a new future. A whole problem/action climate change new vocabulary: energy descent; beyond oil, transition, carbon constrained, energy lean

Discourse Political ( campaign ) and Language of popular culture and advertising public sector/govt) (Manchester is my Planet; the Big Ask; the Magic Boiler Scheme; Planet St Helens; Love Lewisham )

36 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 35

Conclusion: need to develop additional growing consensus in the public strategies to suit the evolving sphere (that climate change is persuasive climate communications climate. happening; and that we are at change least partly responsible for it) communications Our third major recommendation from other questions over which revisited from 2006 remains just as valid there is still legitimate debate now, however – to work within (how bad the effects might be; In last year’s report Warm Words , the current cultural context to and what we should do about we offered a set of produce engaging communications. it). Without this differentiation, recommendations for those creating The challenge is still to make the embryonic consensus itself communications designed to climate-friendly behaviours will perhaps be threatened; we encourage climate-friendly inherently sensible or desirable, already see evidence that behaviours. A year on we need to not merely dutiful, ‘working publicly people might accept the revisit these, partly because public within the cultural norms, value arguments, but privately doubt discourse has changed significantly, systems and communication them and fail to act. and partly because we have had the contexts that are meaningful to benefit of analysing an additional large sections of the population’. 2. Make it easier for people to source of insight and inspiration – understand what they can do We revisit and develop all these climate communications and Climate change is a complex and issues as we outline below our action at a local level. abstract issue, encompassing recommendations for climate many different concepts, objects change communicators from the In 2006 we argued that the and possible actions: ‘CO 2’; overarching message for the lay 2007 analysis. ‘energy’; ‘carbon’; ‘ozone’; public was that nobody really 1. Capitalise on the consensus, flying; driving, leaving the TV knew whether climate change was before greenwash erodes on standby… and so on. It is real or not. Twelve months later a its potential complex, but myriad concepts consensus seems to have emerged, The move to apparent consensus and actions are consistently at least on some of the key represents a huge step forward presented to a general questions and in the established for organisations wishing to audience, and are presented as media. The challenge for encourage the public to reduce having complicated and communicators today will be to energy consumption – but this is unfathomable interrelationships. capitalise on the media consensus, potentially a crucial and delicate As individuals, we are asked to using it to bring about real and time. That is, we might indeed do many (apparently) only positive behaviour change among be at a positive tipping point – loosely connected things – individuals and organisations, the point at which climate-friendly turning off our lights, lagging before it fractures or fades. actions and attitudes become our lofts, holidaying in the UK, spending thousands on A significant recommendation ‘normal’ and we move towards microgeneration technologies, from 2006 followed from the then- a culture of environmental ‘offsetting’ our ‘emissions’ and enormous disparity in public responsibility. But alternatively, so on. We are asked to save discourse between the scale and today’s consensus in the public energy, reduce carbon – or any nature of the problem (vast, sphere might be just a narrow one of many other notions. unimaginable, hyperbolic) and window of opportunity, after Some of the required actions that of the actions on offer (small, which climate change becomes are further complicated by mundane, domestic). We yesterday’s issue, or after which being inactions: stopping doing suggested turning this apparent ‘greenwash’ leaches all meaning something, or doing it less. The chasm from a problem into an and power from the discourse. abstraction and intricacy of the opportunity through the creative So the apparent consensus climate change discourse easily myth of ‘ordinary heroism’. There needs to be handled carefully. become reasons to ignore it. We is still room for this approach, and Organisations now need to might compare this with, say, we see it developing usefully, but recognise certain distinctions anti-smoking campaigning, the discourse has shifted, and the and subtleties in the climate where the behaviour change is disparity between the portrayal of change debate, helping people unequivocal and easy to the problem and of its solution is separate the questions over communicate, even if achieving no longer so immense. We thus which there is now scientific and it is hard for the individual.

37 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 36

There is therefore a need to problem of complexity. This is of agree, if they wish, to meet organise possible actions so that course an unfamiliar and physically. And our data they are digestible. One perhaps extreme way to think included examples of physically example from our data is the about a public issue like this – defined communities mobilising ‘menu’ approach taken by Lucy but it is a novel way to generate at least partly through online Siegle in The Observer Magazine alternative approaches for connection and activity. (Siegle 2007), grouping actions effective communication. according to the level and type So the idea of the located of commitment required. Such 3. Harness opportunities offered community is highly relevant an approach bridges the gap by real, located ‘communities’ today – and offers climate between the banality and We hear a great deal today change activists some distinct potential ridiculousness of the about ‘virtual communities’ and benefits. undoubtedly our patterns of small single action (‘turn off Most importantly, the ‘unit’ of your TV’) and the entire social engagement and alliance have changed beyond the physical locality allows a undifferentiated list of climate- degree of reification – making friendly behaviours. From a recognition with electronic connectivity. However, our real and concrete – of the different field, retailer Boots’s otherwise abstract and ‘Change One Thing’ leaflet desire – even need – for real-life connectedness and belonging unknowable connection series also provides a useful between action and effect. That model – the display encourages also remain strong. There is also nothing like a shared local is, at the local level it is possible the customer to focus effort on for people to see or at least just one (health-related) issue; problem or concern (a threatened phone mast or rash imagine the connection each leaflet then gives simple between specific collective but detailed support and advice of new crack houses) to mobilise a local community, given some actions and their effect on around how to do this one energy use – and to celebrate thing (Boots 2007). impetus and leadership from within the locality. It is clear their collective achievements. If this were a commercial task, that people who share a Second, addressing people as we might in fact suggest physical location can come members of a located creating a single ‘brand’ together and think of community positions them as (representing the desire to act themselves as a community, having more power to act. They in a climate-friendly way) under even if socially disparate (our are big fish in a small pond, not which lies a range of specific data in fact included some such relatively powerless members of behaviours, each supported and groups). an unmanageably large group promoted as a ‘variant’ of the We might also detect a growing (the nation, for example, or the overarching brand. This allows human race). In the main body each variant (behaviour) to be desire for a sense of locality – at least among some population of this report we discuss the communicated simply, and idea of ‘communal address’ as a targeted appropriately, reducing sectors – in the rise of farmers’ markets and demand for locally language resource for tapping the general noise and confusion into the latent power of desire in the ‘marketplace’, and produced food. It is clearly not out of date to talk about for community, as well as a way allowing people to find the mix of reinvesting individuals with a of behaviours that speaks most physical communities. At its most contemporary, in fact, the sense of their own power to act. clearly to them. One could in It is important, too, that the fact rotate the public salience of virtual becomes a bridge to the physical. The online social tone of these communications these variants/behaviours, should not represent the voice sustaining interest through networking site Facebook enables located communities to of authority – there is much relative novelty, and thus evidence for the growing making a virtue out of the ‘find’ each other virtually, then

38 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 37

contemporary importance of are many other ways peer-to-peer, not top-down, communicators can engage influence. people on an emotional level. From the current research, we We believe that by harnessing would strongly suggest there the latent power of locality, are lessons to be learned from interested organisations could certain communications coming begin to close the gap between from locally-organised the official consensus on climate initiatives. These benefit from change and the public’s using the rich, imaginative and willingness to do something playful language of popular about it. culture, media and everyday 4. Use all possible routes to discourse, rather than the engagement discourses of politics, Finally, we return to a key campaigning and the public theme from last year’s report – sector. We also see in these our challenge to climate change communications the emergence communicators to work right of a new, more positive and across the spectrum of routes to energetic lexicon of climate engagement. Organisations do change – and the difference this need to encourage rational makes is profound. public engagement with the Efforts to curb emissions will climate change issue, especially never be successful without with regard to the remaining radical policy measures at the debates. But winning hearts and national and international level. minds will be more effective But without ‘a shift in cultural than minds alone. norms, in the mores that shape Communicators need to attract everyday behaviour’ (May 2007), people to the issue, make it the policy effort will be fruitless. appealing and interesting and There is considerable evidence make it feel individually to suggest that such a shift in meaningful. When people are cultural norms has begun to drawn emotionally to an action happen in the mainstream they are far more likely to media. There is an equal sustain it than if they act amount of evidence to suggest through simple civic duty or that this has failed to filter obedience. For this reason, we through sufficiently to stimulate would incidentally suggest that the public to act. Organisations the common phrase ‘do your have the opportunity to bit’ is highly counter-productive integrate environmental in communications, evoking as it awareness and commitment into does a rather dated discourse the way people think, feel and of duty. live in the UK in the 21st century – and they can and must Resources for achieving use a full range of engagement are varied. At one communications approaches to extreme lies the ‘brand’ idea do so. referred to above – but there

39 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 38

References

Note: web references correct August 2007

Adam D and Traynor I (2007) ‘Scientists’ stark warning on reality of warmer world’, The Guardian , April: 7

Adams T (2007) ‘Monckton saves the day!’, The Observer , 6 May: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2073267,00.html

Allen P (2007) ‘Emission Impossible?’ The Guardian (Society) , 21 February: 6

Almond T (2007) Conversation with Tony Almond, Planet Energy Solutions, ‘Power to the People’ event organised by Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre, Anglia, 18.4.07

Ariel (2007) advertisement feature ‘Saving energy the easy way’

Bergkamp T (2007) Comment on ‘Would you pay more for an environmentally friendly car?’, 8 February: http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=1&threadID=5444&start=15&tstart=0&edition=1&ttl=20070 511154239&#paginator

Booker C (2007) ‘A turning point in climate change’, The Sunday Telegraph , 11 March: 16

Boots (2007) http://www.bootschangeonething.com/

British Gas (2007) print advertisement, ‘If our energy-saving couldn’t save you up to 40% on your heating bills we’d drop it’

Christiansen R (2007) ‘Who will triumph in the battle of the concert halls?’ The Daily Telegraph , 7 March: 33

Clover C and Berger S (2007) ‘World given deadline on climate change’, The Daily Telegraph , 5 May: 10

Clover C and Waterfield B (2007) ‘World finally agrees that global warming threatens everyone’, The Daily Telegraph , 7 April: 4

Cohen N (2007) ‘Beware the noxious fumes of eco-extremism’, The Observer , 15 March: 12

Copenhagen Consensus (2004) www.copenhagenconsensus.com

Crichton M (2005) Speech to the National Press Club, Washington DC, 25 January: http://www.michaelcrichton.com/speeches/npc-speech.html

Daley J (2007) ‘Green lobby must not stifle debate on the environment’, The Daily Telegraph , 12 March: 22

Energy Saving Trust (2007) http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/aboutest/greenbarometer/

Ereaut G and Segnit N (2006) Warm Words: How are we telling the climate change story and can we tell it better? London: Institute for Public Policy Research: http://www.ippr.org.uk/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=485

Evans T (2007) Letter to The Times , 13 March: 18

Garfield S (2007) ‘Living on thin ice’, The Observer Magazine , 4 March: 34

Gill AA (2007) ‘I need a hero’, Sunday Times Style , 4 March: 12

Girling R (2007) ‘To the end of the Earth’, Sunday Times Magazine , 11 March: 17

Gore A (2007) Speech to Congress 21.3.07, quoted in: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/03/21/politics/main2591104.shtml

Gow D (2007) ‘BMW chief calls EU’s CO2 target impossible’, The Guardian , 15 March: 33

40 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 39

Greenpeace (2007) print advertisement, ‘BA’s answer to climate change’

Greenpeace (2007) website homepage: www.greenpeace.org.uk/front

Guildford Borough Council, ‘Small Scale Wind Energy’, Householders Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Information Pack

Harris J (2007) ‘The Burning Issue’, The Guardian Weekend , 14 April: 30

Harper T (2007) ‘Scientists threatened for 'climate denial’’, The Sunday Telegraph , 11 March: 3

Hartnett J (2007) http://www.enoughsenough.org/

Have I Got News For You (2007) BBC1, 13 April

Henderson M (2007) ‘Great Andean glacier “will melt to nothing by 2012”’, The Times , 16 February: 35

Howard S (2007) ‘Business can lead way to reversing damage’, The Times , 12 March: 52

Hughes P (2007) ‘A born-again carbon Virgin’, The Daily Telegraph Travel , 24 February: 5

Hutton N, Campaign Against Climate Change, quoted in O’Keeffe A (2006) ‘Why the green movement is taking to the streets’, New Statesman , 6 November:14

Inhofe J quoted in Hertsgaard M (2006) ‘While Washington Slept’, Vanity Fair , May: 180

Jeffries S (2007) ‘We should be scared stiff’, Guardian Unlimited , 15 March: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,2035068,00.html

Juniper T (2007) ‘This paper is not perfect but I congratulate David Miliband’, The Independent , 14 March: 5

Kasriel T quoted in Hosea M (2007) ‘Shifting sands’, Brand Strategy , 12 March: 25

Kolbert E (2006) ‘Can America go green?’, New Statesman , 19 June: 13

Lanchester J (2007) ‘Warmer, Warmer’, London Review of Books , 22 March: 3

Law D (2007) Lambeth Green Party, speaking at a meeting of the World Development Movement, Catford Town Hall, 25 April

Lawrence F (2007) ‘Pioneering Welsh town begins the transition to a life without oil’, The Guardian , 7 April: 11

Lawson N (2007) ‘New Labour has presided over a social recession’, The Guardian , 22 February: 32

Leader (2007) ‘We need the facts now that global warming’s all hot air’, Sunday Express , 4 March: 26

Lexus Dealers (2007) print advertisement, ‘High Performance. Low Emissions. Zero Guilt.’

Ley R (2006) ‘We’ve got the whole world in our hands’, Times Magazine , 2 September: 29

Lindzen R (2007) ‘Global warming is the religion of our age: self-righteous, intolerant of dissent and based on superstition’, Daily Mail , 8 March: 29

Littlejohn R (2007) Daily Mail , 13 March: 29

Lynas M (2007) Collins Gem Carbon Counter , London: HarperCollins

McDermott T (2007) ‘No time to lose’, New Statesman , 29 January: 13

Meggs T , BP’s group VP of technology, quoted by Nicholls T (2007) ‘Alternative Realities’, Petroleum Economist , 9 March: 4

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, http://www.m-w.com

41 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 40

Mitsubishi (2007) Outlander print advertisement, ‘It’s rude to guzzle’

Monbiot G (2007) Heat , London: Allen Lane: 17

Monbiot G (2007) ‘Don’t be fooled by Bush's defection: his cures are another form of denial’, The Guardian , 30 January: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2001694,00.html

Newcastle City Council (2007) TV advertisement, ‘Our Newcastle. Let’s take care of it’

Nicholls T (2007) ‘Environment: Alternative Realities’, Petroleum Economist , 9 March: 4

O’Connor S (2007) ‘Scientists say scale of threat puts Earth in “imminent peril”’, The Independent , 19 June: 1

Orr D (2007) ‘Stop this sentimentality over grey squirrels’, The Independent , 10 March: 24

Paish O (2003) Guildford Mill – Mini-Hydro Feasibility Study , Guildford Borough Council, November: ii

Patton D (2007) ‘War of greens – how British consumers are back-stabbing Kenya’, The Nation , 25 February: http://allafrica.com/stories/200702260590.html

Pile S (2007) ‘Don’t shoot the messenger’, The Daily Telegraph , 10 March: 18

Poole S (2007) Review of Svensmark and Calder’s The Chilling Stars, The Guardian Review: 7 April: 8

Potter J and Weatherell M (1987) Discourse and Social Psychology: Beyond Attitudes and Behaviour, London: Sage

Qureshi Y (2007) ‘Cracking holiday sun is putting Europe in shade’, Manchester Evening News , 7 April: 7

Recycle Now (2007) web banner campaign

Saini A (2007) ‘Small steps can save the planet’, advertising feature, The Observer: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/carbontrust/story/0,,1512910,00.html

Shnayerson M (2007) ‘A Convenient Untruth’, Vanity Fair , May: 140

Sieghart M (2007) ‘There’s no choice: wrap up and grit your teeth’, The Times , 13 March: 17

Siegle L (2007) ‘The Low Carbon Diet’, Observer Magazine , 21 January: 24

Spencer M (2007) ‘Climate action needs devolution’, BBC News website, 4 May: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6616307.stm

SPURT (2007) print advertisement, ‘Let’s not worry about climate change’

Swainson A (2007) Conversation with Alex Swainson, Environmental Policy, Guildford Borough Council, 3 May

Transition Towns WIKI (2007) http://www.transitiontowns.org/

Unattributed (2007) ‘How green is my valley’, Daily Mail , 15 February: 37

Unattributed (2007) ‘Energy revolution could kick start global economy’, Financial Adviser , 22 February: 34

Unattributed (2007) ‘Move? Stay?’, Mid-Ulster Mail (South Derry) , 8 March: 38

Unattributed (2007) ‘NATURE RESERVE CENTRE UNCOVERS ITS COOL ROOF!’, Bridgend Recorder , 28 March: 9

Unattributed (2007) ‘Act now or face climate disaster’, Manchester Evening News , 7 April: 7

Unattributed (2007) ‘TV guru shares his green tips with Julie’, Northants Evening Telegraph , 10 April: 11

Unattributed (2007) ‘‘Scepticism’ over climate claims’, BBC News website, 3 July: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6263690.stm

42 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 41

Sources of quotes in diagrams Alarmism (page 13) ‘Life on Earth ends with apocalyptic storms, flash floods, hydrogen sulphide gas and methane fireballs racing across the globe with the power of atomic bombs; only fungi survive’ Girling R (2007) ‘To the end of the Earth’, Sunday Times Magazine , 11 March: 17

‘If we don’t [cut our CO 2 production] the climate is set to warm by between two and three degrees in the next 50 years, with all the accompanying apocalyptic hurricanes and floods’ Eagar C (2007) ‘The Colour of Money’, ES Magazine , 10 November: 12

‘Not only is the world turning and fearfully, but everything is happening very quickly’ James Lovelock quoted in Jeffries S (2007) ‘We should be scared stiff’, Guardian Unlimited , 15 March: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,2035068,00.html

‘The imminent demise of the Qori Kalis glacier offers the starkest evidence yet of the effects of climate change’ Henderson M (2007) ‘Great Andean glacier 'will melt to nothing by 2012’’, The Times , 16 February: 35

‘A study by the world's leading experts says global warming will happen faster and be more devastating than previously thought’ McKie R (2007) ‘Global warming: the final verdict’, The Observer , 21 January: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1995348,00.html

‘Scientists are increasingly concerned at the possibility of abrupt, catastrophic climate change’ McDermott T (2007) ‘No time to lose’, New Statesman , 29 January: 13 Sober alarm (page 14) ‘Hollywood and the media are ‘appealing to fear’ and confusing the public’ Jowit J (2007) ‘Don’t exaggerate climate dangers, scientists warn’, The Observer , 18 March: 5

‘I have found myself increasingly chastised by climate change campaigners when my public statements and lectures on climate change have not satisfied their thirst for environmental drama and exaggerated rhetoric’ Hulme M (2006) ‘Chaotic world of climate truth’, 4 November: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6115644.stm

‘Amid the shouting lately about whether global warming is a human-caused catastrophe or a hoax, some usually staid climate scientists in the usually invisible middle are speaking up’ Revkin AC (2007) ‘Middle Stance Emerges in Debate Over Climate’, The New York Times , 1 January: http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F2081EF93D540C728CDDA80894DF404482

‘It’s nice to see news pieces on climate that aren't breathless accounts of a new breakthrough and that take the time to point out that the vast majority of relevant scientists take climate change extremely seriously’ RealClimate (2007) ‘Consensus as the New Heresy’, 3 January: http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2007/01/consensus-as-the-new-heresy/

‘I am convinced by the facts...It’s not that the world is going to end’ Miliband D (2007) ‘Climate change is the biggest threat to our future economy...only Labour can rise to it’, Sunday Mirror , 11 March: 6 Conservative alarm (page 15) ‘Will the midge-covered hills [of the west of Scotland] sprout holiday villas like the Greek islands? I hope not but I suspect they will’ Clover C (2007) ‘Help preserve a place you love’, The Daily Telegraph , 24 March: 10

‘The warmer temperatures could also mean that daffodils, Christmas trees and cod and chips become a thing of the past’ Energy Saving Trust (2005) ‘Save your 20% - how will you save yours?’: 3

‘...if global warming continues we will be flooded and our heritage and livelihoods will have disappeared forever’ Christine Griffiths, Foxhole Farm, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Slideshow/slideshowContentFrameFragXL.jhtml?xml=/arts/exclusions/suppleme nts/est/estpix.xml&site=

‘This is what the Cotswold village of Naunton could look like as climate change takes hold’ Akers-Douglas C (2007) ‘Are you ready for climate change?’, Country Life , 19 April: 109

43 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 42

Reluctant belief (page 16) ‘...someone my age is likely to have spent a couple of formative decades trying not to think about nuclear war…Global warming is even harder to ignore’, ‘We deeply don’t want to believe this story’ Lanchester J (2007) ‘Warmer, Warmer’, London Review of Books , 22 March: 3

‘...it must be admitted that it would be nice to wake up one morning and find that the whole thing is a bit of a storm in a teacup’ Orr D (2007) ‘Stop this sentimentality over grey squirrels’, The Independent , 10 March: 24

‘A dwindling minority of scientists still contest [that the global warming debate is closed], but let us assume, or the sake of argument, that ministers are right’ Leader (2007) ‘Climate of opinion’, The Spectator , 10 March: 5

‘I find our low-energy lightbulbs annoying and I resent having to wrap up warm inside my house because the thermostat has been turned down. But my view is that we simply have to grit our teeth and get on with it’

Sieghart M (2007) ‘There's no choice: wrap up and grit your teeth’, The Times , 13 March: 17 Small actions (page 17) ‘Small changes to your lifestyle can reduce the amount of harmful emissions you produce’ Pattenden M (2007) ‘First steps in saving the planet’, Sunday Times InGear , 4 February: 30

‘Stephen Pacala and Robert Socolow of Princeton demonstrated that 15 existing technologies each has the potential to prevent 1 billion tons a year worth of carbon emissions by mid-century’ Howard S (2007) ‘Business can lead way to reversing damage’, The Times , 12 March: 52

‘If enough of us do these things, not only will we feel good about what we’ve done, but we will also start to make a real difference to the world’ Eugenie Harvey, We Are What We Do, quoted in Ley R (2006) ‘We’ve got the whole world in our hands’, Times Magazine , 2 September: 29

‘Save your 20%’ Energy Saving Trust campaign slogan

‘Act on CO 2’ Defra campaign slogan

‘People in urban areas who want to save the planet would do better to use the washing machine at a lower temperature than buy a wind turbine’ Smith L (2007) ‘Want to save the planet? It’s your little changes that mean the most’, The Times , 6 March: 22 Establishment techno-optimism (page 18) ‘Taking on the world’s toughest energy challenges’ ExxonMobil TV ad

‘America is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that will enable us to live our lives less dependent on oil. And these technologies will help us be better stewards of the environment, and they will help us to confront the serious challenge of global climate change’ President Bush (2007) State of the Union Address, 23 January: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070123-2.html

‘Billions of dollars of investment are now waiting to be plunged into the most promising technologies’ Appleyard B (2006) ‘The Last Refuge’, Sunday Times Magazine , 11 June: 15

‘One day, hydrogen fuel could mean the end of carbon vehicle emissions’ Shell web ad

‘If something does come of this, then we can all get back and enjoy life and not feel guilty about leaving the light on or putting coal on our fires’ Richard Branson quoted in Hughes P, (2007) ‘A born-again carbon Virgin’, The Daily Telegraph Travel , 24 February: 5

44 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 43

Non-establishment techno-optimism (page 19) ‘The combination of geothermal and hydroelectric technology...can serve as a model for the future’ Callaghan D (2007) ‘Historic mill pioneers progressive energy use’, Planning , 6 April: 19

‘Calculations show that if we can increase the reflectivity by about 3%, the cooling will balance the global

warming caused by increased CO 2 in the atmosphere’ Latham Prof J (2007) ‘Futuristic fleet of “cloudseeders”’ BBC news website, 15 February: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/6354759.stm

‘Green Biologics....will be on its way to becoming a multi-million pound operation intent on doing a significant bit to save the planet’ Butanol producer Dr Edward Green paraphrased in Frost M (2007) ‘Dr Green’s clean-fuel revolution’, The Express , 21 February: 38

‘With many of the technologies, such as renewable power, there is a "learning effect", meaning that costs decrease with use’ Howard S (2007) ‘Business can lead way to reversing damage’, The Times , 12 March: 52 David and Goliath (page 20) ‘What we urgently need is social change on an unprecedented scale. And that has always meant direct action’, ‘It is entirely realistic to expect people to give up flying short distances tomorrow’, ‘If we don’t do this, it’s not going to get done’ Leo Murray, Plane Stupid, quoted in O’Keeffe A (2006) ‘Why the green movement is taking to the streets’, New Statesman , 6 November:13

‘Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace...are “shackled by their need to have an open door with the politicians”’ Merrick Lewis, Camp for Climate Action, quoted by Harris J (2007) ‘The Burning Issue’, The Guardian Weekend , 14 April: 30

‘While we were sitting on that runway...we felt that we had the power’ Joss Garman, Plane Stupid, quoted in O’Keeffe A (2006) ‘Why the green movement is taking to the streets’, New Statesman , 6 November: 15

‘To use the fact that somebody else is developing...as an excuse to do nothing, and fly off to Florida on holiday...is an obscenity’ Duncan Law, Lambeth Green Party, at a meeting of the World Development Movement, Catford Town Hall 25.4.07

‘The global nation states must take action. If not, we’ll be calling it climatic genocide’ Beverley Duckworth, Head of Campaigns, World Development Movement, Catford Town Hall 25.4.07 Settlerdom (page 21) ‘Honda have jettisoned 50 million quid's worth of sponsorship...and painted their cars with a map of the world...to highlight climate change or some such rubbish’, ‘...they go after Chelsea Tractors because these are symbols of middle-class success. You have to remember that trade unionists and anti-nuclear campaigners didn't go away. They just morphed into eco-mentalists because they realised that global warming was a better weapon than striking, or doing lesbionics for mother Russia in Berkshire’ Clarkson J (2007) ‘Climate change Jen- ius’, The Sun , 3 March: Opinion

‘[A Christian Aid ad is] a deeply offensive attempt to make us feel guilty and empty our pockets. They won't be getting a penny from me’ Littlejohn R (2007) ‘Who do you think you're talking to - Rory Bremner?’, Daily Mail , 27 February: 17

‘How do our green chums explain going from global warming to global pi**ing in six months? Could it just be something called the weather?’

Mackenzie K (2007) ‘Global warming’, The Sun , 8 March: Opinion

45 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 44

British comic nihilism (page 22) ‘Oxford will be a coastal resort, shown on their map as "Oxford-on-Sea". That means I get a beach front property without actually having to move’ ‘bluecabbage’ (2007) ‘Global Warming BS’, Digital Camera Forums, 4 April: http://community.dcmag.co.uk/forums/thread/387834.aspx

‘If [global warming] continues I'll be able to turn down the central heating, thus reducing my carbon footprint’ Mickley C (2007) Letter to Sunday Times InGear , 25 February: 33

‘Champagne-quality sparkling wine from Wolverhampton?...for once, the weather is not all bad news’ Boyes R (2007) ‘World's wine map changes with climate’, The Times , 17 February: 50

‘A large chunk of the polar ice cap has broken off and floated across Gloucestershire and is now blocking the drive to the house’ Pritchett O (2007) ‘I'm starting to lose the plot’, The Daily Telegraph , 28 February: 25

‘Nudism is a policy whose time has come. It is made possible by global warming’ Bowditch G (2007) ‘My campaign for nudism has a flaw’, Sunday Times , 18 February: 17 Warming is good (page 23) ‘I also believe climate change will provide big opportunities for environmental businesses and new energy companies’ Stevenson T (2007) ‘History teaches us not to panic over a mid-cycle slump’, The Daily Telegraph , 6 March: 7

‘Global warming is melting the snows and glaciers - and the peasant farmers of the Tibetan plateau are delighted’ Spencer R (2007) ‘Shepherds delight as world worries over the big melt’, The Daily Telegraph , 15 February: 18

‘climate change has the potential to be a major value driver’ Opinion (2007) ‘How best to take advantage of climate change trends’, Pensions Week , 5 March

‘Mark Dianoco...believes climate change will allow cultivation of produce normally restricted to warmer climes’ Akers-Douglas C (2007) ‘The pioneering smallholder’, Country Life , 19 April: 116

‘Dorset bubbly could soon be on restaurant wine lists - thanks to global warming’ Bamford E (2007) ‘Crack open the Dorset 'champagne’’, The Express , 19 February: 23

‘Climate change offers many opportunities for farmers including: longer growing seasons’ Unattributed (2007) ‘Climate quiz’, British Farmer and Grower , 1 March: 26

‘We will adapt and change by embracing the future rather than trying to turn back the clock of technological change’ Toolis K (2007) ‘Doom-mongers want us back in the dark ages’, The Express , 7 March: 25 Rhetorical scepticism (page 24) ‘Truly, this pseudo-religious madness has become by far the most important and all-pervasive political issue of our time’ Booker C (2007) ‘A turning point in climate change’, The Sunday Telegraph , 11 March: 16

‘Despite the fact that there is not a shred of evidence that would stand up in court that mankind is contributing to climate change, all political parties are clinging to falsehoods as an excuse to levy more and more taxes’ Moreton R (2007) ‘Science pours cold water on global warming zealots’, Letter to The Express , 13 March: 45

‘Perhaps I am sceptical about the climate change campaign because its exponents remind me so much of the people I knew years ago on the Marxist Left: repressive, self-righteous, and inherently totalitarian’ Daley J (2007) ‘Green lobby must not stifle debate on the environment’, The Daily Telegraph , 12 March: 22

‘Religion and hysteria have ever been bedfellows and so it has proved with global warming’ Unattributed (2007) ‘Brave voices speaking up amid a climate of overheated opinion’, Marketing Week , 22 February: 86

46 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 45

‘the biggest con trick ever perpetrated on the human race’ Association of British Drivers quoted in Foster P (2007) ‘On trail of the men behind million voices who oppose road pricing’, The Times , 17 February: 6

‘an impressive line-up of scientists disputed every facet of this fashionable assumption’ Lawson D (2007) ‘Global warming gurus set a bad example’, The Independent , 9 March: 48

‘Though far from being a 'global warming denier', I am sceptical about the newfound absoluteness of the doom-mongers’ Glover S (2007) ‘Show me a global warming zealot and I'll show you a hypocrite’, Daily Mail , 1 March: 14 ‘Expert’ denial (page 25) ‘...as the frenzy over man-made global warming grows shriller, many senior climate scientists say the actual scientific basis for the theory is crumbling’, ‘...the climate was controlled by the clouds; the clouds were controlled by the cosmic rays; and the cosmic rays were controlled by the sun. It all came down to the sun’ The Great Global Warming Swindle , first broadcast on Channel 4 8.3.07

‘...in the post-war years when industry and the whole economies of the world really got going and human

production of CO 2 just soared, the global temperature was going down. In other words, the facts didn’t fit the theory’ Professor Tim Ball, University of Winnipeg, quoted in The Great Global Warming Swindle

‘Scientists who dissent from the alarmism have seen their funds disappear, their work derided, and themselves labelled as industry stooges’, ‘And, just as in many religions, the route to personal salvation lies in the performance of superstitious rituals, such as changing a lightbulb or arranging for a tree to be planted after every plane journey’ Richard Lindzen quoted in Harper T (2007) ‘Scientists threatened for ‘climate denial’’, The Sunday Telegraph , 11 March: 3

‘I think one of the reasons we particularly like ‘global warming’ is that it seems to fulfil this long history of myths about human action in relation to not just the environment but in relation to goodness and the Garden of Eden and all the rest of it. It’s a great myth’ Stott P (2007) ‘BBC – Truth Will Out’, http://www.open2.net/truthwillout/globalwarming/global_stott.htm Free-market protection (page 25) ‘One minute we are talking about fair trade, the next minute the issue is lessening the carbon footprint by cutting markets in Africa. It is so confusing’ Jane Ngige, chief executive of the Kenya Flower Council, quoted in Lawson D (2007) ‘Global warming gurus set a bad example’, The Independent , 9 March: 48

‘The real present-day cost of reducing carbon dioxide levels...is almost certainly prohibitive and ruinous to economic growth’ Baker G (2007) ‘A free market solution to global warming’, The Times , 20 February: 51

‘we have to ask the hard question of whether we could do better by focusing on other issues first - helping real people improve their lives and resilience so they can better deal with the world's challenges’ Lomborg B (2007) ‘Climate hysteria’, The Guardian , 7 February: http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/bjrn_lomborg/2007/02/climate_hysteria.html

‘Regulations are “on the verge of endangering the future of an entire industry”’

VW chairman Martin Winterkorn quoted in de Quettevillein Berlin H (2007) ‘Car makers accuse ‘green’ politicians of hypocrisy’, The Daily Telegraph , 6 March: 16

47 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 46

Free rider (page 26) ‘Nothing we do in this country in isolation will make the slightest bit of difference’ Littlejohn R (2007) Daily Mail , 13 March: 29

‘There is no point in Britain making sacrifices alone while the rest of the world enjoys itself to destruction’ Richards S (2007) ‘An inconvenient truth: there is a lot of hot air in this confusing green debate’, The Independent , 13 March: 26

‘Climate change is a global problem, requiring everyone to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; but as long as others act, the “cheats” can abjure any painful change, yet enjoy the group benefit’ May R (2007) ‘Respect the facts’, Times Literary Supplement , 6 April: 3

‘the idea that Britain should make unique sacrifices when it accounts for such a tiny proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions is ludicrous’ Leader (2007) ‘Ludicrous green policies’ The Express , 13 March: 10

‘there is a danger of other nations free-riding on European efforts’ Leader (2007) ‘EU climate changes Europe's greenhouse gas goal is good but its methods less so’, Financial Times , 10 March: 10 The suppression of debate (page 27) ‘We don’t have time to waste on nukes’ Greenpeace (2007) www.greenpeace.org.uk/front

‘God save us from nuclear power’, ‘...they tell us [investment in nuclear energy] is part of an overall plan. No, sorry: it’s a response to pressures from conventional minds’ Duncan Law, Lambeth Green Party, at a meeting of the World Development Movement, Catford Town Hall 25.4.07

‘You are a total waste of skin and air. Help the environment and jump off a cliff’ Email responding to exposure of Al Gore’s electricity consumption, quoted in Cohen N (2007) ‘Beware the noxious fumes of eco-extremism’, The Observer , 15 April: 12

‘Ignore the optimists: the global warming horror stories are all true’ Meacher M (2003) ‘End of the world nigh - it’s official’, The Guardian , 14 February: http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,895297,00.html Greenwash (page 29) ‘While Mr Blair's rhetoric on climate change has been full of boldness, his actual policies have been characterised by a shameful timidity’ Leading article (2007) ‘Boldness abroad, but cowardice at home’, The Independent , 14 February: 30

‘Mr Cameron’s greenwash was eco-spin’ Leader (2007) ‘Brown will beat Cam’, The Mirror , 13 March: 10

‘Voters think of themselves as green...These claims are way ahead of the reality’ Riddell P (2007) ‘Voters do care, but they prefer the carrot to the stick’, The Times , 13 March: 7

‘The gap between what the science tells us is necessary and what the politics is delivering is still significant’ David Miliband quoted in leading article (2007) ‘Boldness abroad, but cowardice at home’, The Independent , 14 February: 30

‘The car industry stepped up pressure on the EU yesterday to water down plans for compulsory limits on CO 2 emissions...as manufacturers sought to outdo each other with a futuristic array of new green technologies and fuels’ Gow D (2007) ‘Carmakers go green - on their terms’, The Guardian , 8 March: 30

‘Greenhouse gases generated by British aviation could be far higher than the government’s published figures’ Leake J (2006) ‘Exposed: Britain’s dirty secret’, New Statesman , 18 December: 22

‘My fear is not that people will stop talking about climate change. My fear is that they will talk us to Kingdom Come’ Monbiot G (2007) http://www.turnuptheheat.org/

‘Rhetoric up, action down’ Black R (2006) BBC News website, 29 December: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6197135.stm

48 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 47

Locality and agency (page 32) ‘Reconnect with the one planet on which we have to live, reconnect with our local communities, and relocalise – because that’s what’s going to do it’ Duncan Law, Lambeth Green Party, Catford Town Hall, Lewisham 25.4.07

‘We’re going to save the Planet, starting with Manchester’ Manchester Knowledge Capital (2005) Manchester is My Planet, November: 3

‘Innovation tends to come at the local level’, ‘Solutions...are driven at the local level’ Conversation with Alex Swainson, Environmental Policy, Guildford Borough Council, 3.5.07

‘This journalist from The Times [was] taking the Mickey about making the leap from the global climate problem to the fact that local action needs to happen...three years later that is the mainstream’ Conversation with Richard Hurford, Sustainable Resources Group Manager, Lewisham Council, 23.4.07

‘Falkirk has a huge contribution to make towards the restoration of Scotland’s environment...‘Think global, act local’ is central to how we operate’ Falkirk Council Green Manifesto, Falkirk and West Lothian Green Party, http://fwl.scottishgreens.org.uk/focus.php?reg=falkirk

‘It’s the local authorities that lead by example – like the Mertons, the Wokings – that raise the standards for everybody’ Conversation with John Bannister, Chairman, Guildford Environmental Forum, 17.4.07 Figure 5: Peer-to-peer – a powerful emergent code (page 34) ‘The role of the council is to act as “a catalyst for local initiatives”’ Conversation with Alex Swainson, Environmental Policy, Guildford Borough Council, 3.5.07

49 20597 EST_Text:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:09 Page 48

50 20597 EST_Covers:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:05 Page 4

51 20597 EST_Covers:Layout 1 13/9/07 12:05 Page 1

Energy Saving Trust, 21 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BP, Tel 020 7222 0101, www.energysavingtrust.org.uk Institute for Public Policy Research, 30-32 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7RA, Tel 020 7470 6100, www.ippr.org CO140 © Energy Saving Trust and ippr September 2007. E&OE. Printed on Revive 75 Silk which contains 75% recycled fibre.