Climate scepticism Reflections on gender confusion ; Le climato-scepticisme Réflexions sur la confusion des genres

Open Access

Abstract

The analysis examines the sociopsychological findings of climate sceptical discourse. The author distinguishes two elements in the debate on climate change: a diagnostic part including observation of global warming, its causes (greenhouse gas emissions) and its possible consequences (trend scenario of major climate change); and a "prescription" part which, taking into account the diagnosis, proposes policy measures and is no longer a matter of scientific observations but a moral assessment. After a reminder of what is fuelling the debate (the part of uncertainty which can only concern the prospective vision arising from the observation of the facts, and not the characterisation of the facts observed), Antonin Pottier clearly shows that climato-sceptical arguments are confusing between diagnosis and prescription: it is because they refuse to accept the need for or content of climate policies that they deny the scientific reality of climate change, shifting the debate and embracing themselves in error. This is all the more damaging as it finds a significant media resonance which tends to stifle the information available to public opinion somewhat more: "Citizens' perception of contemporary challenges is hampered, to the benefit of the interests that would be undermined by combating greenhouse gas emissions. ' ; International audience The analysis examines the socio-psychological mechanisms underlying the dimate-sceptical position. Pottier distinguishes between two elements in the debate on climate change: a "diagnostic" component, induding the observation of the warming of the planet, its causes (the emission of greenhouse gases) and its possible consequences (a scenario tending towards large-scale dimatic upheavals), and a "prescriptive" part which, taking account of the diagnosis, proposes political measures and relates not to scientific observations but to a moral evaluation of the situation. After reminding us of what "fuels" the debate (the element of uncertainty which, Pottier argues, can relate only to the ...