A Critical Inquiry Framework for Analyzing Systems Impacting Climate Change

A Critical Inquiry Framework for Analyzing Systems Impacting Climate ChangeRichard Beach, University of MinnesotaDigital handout:

http://tinyw.in/a3mo

Paris goal: Limit to 2.0 C. increase

6 Months: 12-14 inches of rainfall

Lack of snowpack in the West

Trump: No drought in California“We’re going to solve your water

problem. You have a water problem that is so insane. It is so ridiculous where they’re taking the water and shoving it out to sea” (USA Today, June 1, 2016).

Artic melting: 1982 to 2012

South Beach, Miami today

South Beach, Miami: 12 foot sea-level rise

Need for radical, systemic change

Naomi Klein: “Either we embrace radical change ourselves or radical changes will be visited upon our physical world…The status quo is no longer an option.”

Change in beliefs and behaviorsFrom scientific evidence ?????From shared social participation

in communities and organizations◦Provides hope beyond despair◦Inspires imagined options

Use of drama or games

Teaching for changeDiana Liverman: I give examples of

how individuals change laws, campaign for low carbon public transport and organize to elect officials who protect the environment. And I have students who lead campus “green” organizations – such as the “Compost Cats” that recycle campus, community and even turn waste into compost — give guest lectures.

Critical analysis of systemsEnergyTransportation/Urban-building

designAgricultureEconomicPolitical

Critical analysis of systemsObject: “What drives a system?”

Tools: “Use of language, rhetoric, and/or narratives to achieve this object?”◦Language use: “war on coal”◦Rhetoric: Change audience beliefs◦Narratives: Imagined alternatives

Norms: “What rules do people follow to achieve this object?”: drama/games

Narrative tools: ChangeFalse binary thinking (Shaw &

Nerlich)◦Cost-benefit analysis◦Pristine nature vs. economic growth◦Either-or neo-liberal balance sheet◦Narrative of heroes fighting to

protect nature or protect fossil future status quo: “War on Coal”

Need for alternative imaginaries

Students’ civic engagmentReport cards: Community effortsPetitions: Oregon students

federal lawsuitPosition statements: Portland

SchoolsWhite papersConsumer praise/complaintsDivestment proposals

Energy systems

Clean energyObjectToolsNorms

Challenges: Lack of subsidies and fundingContinued use of coal and oil Wind and solar energy are diffuse Need massive energy

transmission grids for people in remote areas

Power Up game

Transportation/urban/building designObject: Reduce traffic and

building energy use Tools: Driverless cars/mass

transit◦Cut parking need and lots◦Plant more tree

Redesign buildings to cut energy use

Norms: Value walking and green space

Activity: Redesign school/communityGreen School Initiativehttp://

www.greenschools.netEnergy saving strategies and

policiesCommunity lobbying: Report

Card

Agricultural

Object: Reduce energy use (30% of emissions from agriculture)

Tools: Reduce meat production, mono-crops, water use, fertilizers, food waste

Norms: Value sustainable agriculture

Carbon removal from soilTilling,

deforestation, wetlands destruction

Toxic fertilizers and pesticides

Stripped 136 billion tons or 50%-70% of carbon from soil

soil carbon sequestration

Release of methane gas

Release of methane gasOne molecule of methane: warms

earth 30 times more than molecule of CO2

Melting permafrost Leaking with frackingMicrobes

◦Wetlands/rice paddies: Heavy rain◦Cows

Activity: Food consumptionCafeteria food optionsGrocery store choicesInterview farmers: sustainability

practices

EconomicObject: Reduce needless

consumption impacting energy use Tools: Purchase clean/green products

◦Electric cars◦Solar panels

Norms: Transformation of consumer capitalism◦Naomi Klein: This Changes Everything◦ http://thefilm.thischangeseverything.org. ◦StoryofStuff.org

Reflect on consumptionBreanne Fahs: Students collect trash

that they created over a two-day period that they must then carry around in a bag. Students then wrote a paper describing the kinds of trash they collected, changes in their lifestyle and consumption associated with producing less trash, and potential impacts on climate change through reduced consumption.

Media: Corporate economicsABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox: devoted

only 146 minutes to climate change in 2015

New York Times, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times vs. Wall Street Journal and USA Today

Activity: Students analyze reports: ◦“false equivalency”: need for “both

sides”

Activity: Consumption diaryRecord consumption practicesInfluence of advertising on

choicesInfluence of social media

◦Need to consume content◦Supporting advertisers

PoliticalObject: Resist federal

government gutting of clean energy development

Tools: Support local clean energy initiatives and policies creating jobs

Norms: Value transformation to a clean energy economy

Koch funding of Senate races

“Dark-Money” Fossil Fuel CabinetMarc Short, “Senior Advisor”: Freedom Partners, the

Koch Industries political-donors group, Michael McKenna, Energy Department, MWR

Strategies, client of Koch Companies Public SectorMichael Catanzaro, Energy Department, CGCN

Group, client of Koch Industries and Devon Energy Corporation, a fracking firm

Myron Ebell, E.P.A. transition, Competitive Enterprise Institute, funded by Exxon-Mobil and Koch Industries.

David Schnare, E.P.A. transition, Energy and Environment Legal Institute, funding from coal companies, “harassment” (Union of Concerned Scientists) of climate scientist Michael Mann

Trump withdrawal from Paris climate change agreement1): Cancel agreement itself

◦But still obligated through 20192): Executive order: Withdraw

from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) within one year◦ U. S. no longer obligated to make

payments to the U.N. Green Climate Fund

◦Other countries also withdraw

Activity: Mock court caseStudy Our Children’s Trust

Oregon lawsuit in Federal Courts (see handout)

Student suitors: Suing U.S. government

Fossil fuel/political groupsWitnesses effected by climate

changeJudges who make a decision

BBC Climate Challenge

One player’s experienceThis game starts with the player

assuming the role of the President of the European Nations, and the task at hand is to stop climate change by the year 2100.

I was constantly voted out of office, because I would tend to lean towards the climate change side of things, which most people were not very happy with.

Trying to find a balance between what the people want and what the Earth needs was so difficult that I would only make it past a few turns

Further resourcesDigital handouthttp://tiny

w.in/a3mo

Book websitehttp://tiny

w.in/8hLS