A.F. Cook will host a presentation and Q and A on Friday, August 8, from 11:30 am to 1 pm, for the Chilmark library’s “Lunch & Learn” series. Titled “Prelude to Now: Overcoming Climate-Change Denial in the U.S.,” the presentation will describe lesser-publicized causes of climate-change denialism, and offer a range of methods to overcome that roadblock to climate action by the U.S. government, state officials, and the business community.
While political conservatives are seen as playing the greatest role in climate-change denial, the left has its own dilemma of personal cultism undermining the urgency of climate action as a singular, nonpartisan priority.
“Former Vice President Al Gore referred to climate change as an ‘inconvenient truth’ for a reason,” Cook says. “We all have lives to lead, stuff to do, and this problem –- a case of widespread human activity that has pushed nature to its limit –- can seem too overwhelming to confront.” But Cook believes that appealing to self-interest across all levels of society –- including a shared love of outdoor activities, basic economic self-preservation, and above all, preserving hope for the young –- offers opportunities for unity and optimism.
In the wake of multiple devastating climate-related natural disasters, Cook will offer hope in the form of recent pro-climate initiatives, as well as critical context on the combination of anti-science belief systems and industry interests fueling the politics of denial.