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Important to note that among those doing the work of the Carbon Lobby, outright denialism has gradually been replaced by a broader strategy of predatory delay.
That's the only smart way to take Republicans' new-found willingness to bargain on climate.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
That's the only smart way to take Republicans' new-found willingness to bargain on climate.
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
2. What is "predatory delay?"
Predatory delay is the blocking or slowing of needed change, in order to continue to unjustly profit off unsustainable systems.
It's the core of American climate politics today.
Predatory delay is the blocking or slowing of needed change, in order to continue to unjustly profit off unsustainable systems.
It's the core of American climate politics today.
3. We find predatory delay woven through every major part of the climate fight, from the denying the reality of climate science, to refusing to acknowledge the consequences of inaction, to arguing we can't "afford" to cut emissions, to "moderate" calls for slow, gradual action.
4. All the major GOP climate moves today are straight from the predatory delay playbook.
5. Slow, low carbon taxes—especially those that limit fossil fuel company liabilities for climate change or gut existing regulations—may look like climate action, but they're actually predatory delay.
6. Call for massive investments in carbon capture research—especially when used to justify slower climate action—are just climate gradualism, just a new kind denial.
7. Agreeing to act on climate—with the demand that we start by studying every possible economic impact of action and apply strict financial cost-benefit analysis (ignoring and low-balling the costs of climate chaos) to get optimal climate policies—that's predatory delay.
8. Indeed, treating climate action as a cost and the catastrophes unleashed by climate inaction as unknowable externalities—counting the cost to change, while ignoring the cost of letting the planetary emergency worsen—that's a core predatory delay strategy.
9. Calling for climate bail-outs in any form is predatory delay, encouraging bad actors to hold out and raising the costs of eventual government action.
This is true whether we're talking oil investors, coal miners, feedlot ranchers, or developers building in flood plains.
This is true whether we're talking oil investors, coal miners, feedlot ranchers, or developers building in flood plains.
10. A lot of the strategies are cultural, including scaring people about the impacts of climate action on their lives ("they're coming for your hamburgers!") and making people give up hope ("It's too late to avert apocalypse.")
11. Huge efforts have been spent twisting the American public debate—which is why I say we've never yet had a honest national discussion about climate policy—and those lies continue to this day (as a few hours viewing of FOX news will show you):
12. But predatory delay can be defeated.
The strategies the Carbon Lobby employs now are not invincible. Indeed, they only work as long as we agree to play by their rules.
All we need is to embrace new strategies of our own.
The strategies the Carbon Lobby employs now are not invincible. Indeed, they only work as long as we agree to play by their rules.
All we need is to embrace new strategies of our own.
How we create and deploy new strategies for climate action is the subject of my new book, The Snap Forward.
If you'd like to help me finish that book (and get yourself an advance copy in the bargain), please support this quick Kickstarter campaign:
kickstarter.com/projects/19108…
If you'd like to help me finish that book (and get yourself an advance copy in the bargain), please support this quick Kickstarter campaign:
kickstarter.com/projects/19108…
More on The Snap Forward and why I hope you'll support it (and get yourself an advance copy!):
