William E. Rees: The Enigma of Climate Inaction – On the Human Nature of Policy Failure

H. sapiens is a self-described intelligent species, yet seems committed to destroying its own habitat. Human-induced climate change, driven by carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions, is one of several well-known threats to global civilization. Nevertheless, 34 climate conferences and half a dozen major international agreements in the past 50 years have failed to produce even a ripple in the curve of exponentially increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Climate change is accelerating. This presentation: 1) examines some of the evolutionary, behavioural and cognitive impediments to effective corrective action by governments and international agencies and; 2) advances some ideological, political and organizational changes that must be implemented at all levels of society to avoid global climate catastrophe.