Roger Hallam - BBC Hard Talk

On BBC Hard Talk, I didn’t think Roger Hallam was exaggerating or being untruthful. It is important to make a distinction between the basic scientific evidence, such as rate of ice-melt in the arctic, and the framing and projections of such evidence. Thus there is the science, which is pretty indisputable and agreed upon, and the projections of such science. It is the projections that vary a lot.

There is a diversity of views within climate science. Scientists shouldn’t be too confident in thinking they have a stable notion of future events and thus shouldn't be so quick criticising certain climate projections as extreme. When it comes to climate projections, I think it is difficult to say who is exaggerating and who isn’t.

I feel it is arrogant to think we have a clear notion of what is going to happen when we push global temperatures too high and our ecological systems collapse. This is because we are going into  domains of nature we have little knowledge of. “We are climbing rapidly out of mankind’s safe zone into new territory, and we have no idea if we can live in it” (Prof Corell 2007). In light of this idea, it makes sense to talk about and prepare for the worst possible projection of climate breakdown and ecological collapse, because we don’t have a stable idea of what is going to happen.

I understand the position that middle-ground projections of the climate and ecological crisis are bad enough, this is clear. But I also don’t like the idea of patronising the public and underestimating them. We need to include the public as much as possible. We need to empower people and not hide any information from them. This is connected to our demand for a Citizen's Assembly, which reflects XR's vision for a genuinely participatory society and a well-informed, empowered citizenry. I feel, when possible, XR's Media and Messaging team should present the spectrum of scientific interpretations and be clear about what each section of the scientific community is saying.

It is worth noting that XR’s success is in large part due to breaking away from the conservatism and reticence of the scientific community. Of course, scientists are trying to do their jobs and earn a living. But they have undoubtedly operated within a corrupt socio-political system and their communication and interpretation of the science has largely reflected this system. It is this corrupt system that has led to the sixth mass extinction and the climate and ecological crisis.

It seems to me Roger’s approach is one of jolting people into awareness and action and it must be recognised that his interpretations of the science are based on clear evidence and are the views of experienced scientists. It could also be noted that Roger has done exhaustive research into the history of social collapse and mass mental breakdown, which a lot of scientists don’t have or don’t talk about.

Many people are quick to criticise Roger. While some of his actions may be worthy of criticism (no one is flawless after all), I think we have to respect what he has done in co-creating XR and the massive amount of work he is currently doing for the movement. We need to look at things broadly and in context.

The Climate and Ecological Crisis - Tell the Truth

In order to properly understand something, it is essential to put it into context. Today, across the world, we see violent military interventions, staggering wealth inequality, destruction of indigenous communities, mistreatment of minority groups, starvation, homelessness and the destruction of nature. These phenomena are not new.

A clear pattern of human behaviour emerged with the invention of agriculture and writing. This pattern is largely characterised by greed, cruelty and colonisation.

But in spite of thousands of years to learn and reflect, humanity, as a whole, hasn’t woken up from “the nightmare of history”. In other words, we haven’t learned from history and evolved.

But time is running out. The oppression of nature is the final and ultimate oppression. If we toxify our natural environment enough, it will eradicate us.

I feel we need to globally overcome the unhealthy mentality that has led to such oppression and transform ourselves. This may sound like a complicated and impossible task, but it doesn’t have to be.

To begin with, it takes telling the truth. As Rupert Read puts it “telling the truth underscores everything else”.

We need to tell the truth and keep on telling it. This is why Extinction Rebellion’s demands are so resonant and why Greta Thunberg is having such an impact.

Greta speaks in plain and honest words. She doesn’t manipulate. She isn’t bought by corporations. She doesn’t have vested interests.

Only by speaking honestly can we raise awareness and consciousness, then appropriate action will ensue.

Extinction Rebellion addresses the destruction of our natural world in an honest and appropriate way, thus people can meaningfully connect with it.

Unfortunately, our politicians and main media outlets are bought and controlled by corporations, with deeply vested interests. The truth of the climate and ecological crisis threatens such interests. Thus, it is either ignored or distorted. In the words of George Monbiot:

"Because the dirtiest industries attract the least public support, they have the greatest incentive to spend money on politics, to get the results they want and we don’t. They fund political parties, lobby groups and think tanks, fake grassroots organisations and dark ads on social media. As a result, politics comes to be dominated by the dirtiest industries".

The essence of unregulated capitalism, or neoliberalism, is directly challenged by environmental awareness. This is because environmental awareness prioritises respect and consideration over profit, greed and short-term gain.

Widespread truth telling is what we need most in alleviating the climate and ecological crisis, but doing this represents a direct challenge to our fundamental societal system.

Widespread truth telling means questioning the way we do almost everything, particularly, in my view, the way we relate to nature.

This is our final chance.

The Climate and Ecological Crisis - An Oppurtunity

Nature's clock has struck twelve, ominous chimes resounding through a godless night..

History is replete with violence, oppression and colonisation. Now is the time for total solidarity and inclusion, the fight for nature is the fight for all groups.

All forms of oppression are interconnected and derive from the same toxic mentality. The oppression of nature is the oppression of humanity and life on Earth. Due to this oppression, we are in the midst of a human-wrought mass extinction event. Repeat, we are in the midst of a human-wrought mass extinction event.

During history, there have also been times of meaning and love. The climate and ecological crisis presents an opportunity to overcome the atrocities of history and transform our societies, and our identities, into something beautiful and worth living for. This transformation is alchemical, for in the darkest moment, from the basest material, something positive and unimaginable could be forged.

Industrial, neoliberal society is profoundly disconnected from nature. This society lacks community and meaning and our well-being greatly suffers for this. This society is sustaining itself by exploiting nature and poor people, breaking point is near.

Corporations and a small amount of individuals hold the majority of the world's wealth. Indigenous people are brutally assassinated by hired killers, an estimated 3-4 per week in 2018, for defending their communities and lands from corporations. Indian cotton farmers are committing suicide in high numbers, an estimated 1 every 30 minutes in recent years, due to toxic, corporate practices. Coral reefs are vanishing before our eyes, due to rising global temperatures. Industrial fishing is destroying the health of our oceans and stripping away the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen. Our great forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate. Droughts, wildfires, floods, crop failures and air pollution are killing people and wildlife around the world, at increasingly high rates. Even conservative scientists are predicting a future for humanity and life on Earth that will be catastrophic, due to climate breakdown and biodiversity loss.

Echoing throughout history, among the ominous midnight chimes, are the names of indigenous land-defenders, colonised communities, extinct animal species and all who've been oppressed.

To honour their names is to honour who we are.