Book SummaryThe New Climate War, by Michael E. Mann

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of The New Climate War

The book offers a historical account that chronicles the spread of false information regarding climate matters.

The industry's foundational tactics established the basis for the denial of climate science.

This section explores the tactics that corporations, whose interests are jeopardized by scientific findings, use to cast doubt on the validity of the research and to cultivate doubt among the public. This approach has established a foundation for the current trend of dismissing the broadly acknowledged consensus among scientists on the subject of climate change.

The strategy of sowing uncertainty, once utilized by tobacco corporations, is now evident in the discourse on climate change.

Mann highlights the tobacco sector's masterful strategies as a key illustration of how they obscured the harmful effects of smoking. Tobacco companies, for many years, knew the damage their products could inflict and actively engaged in campaigns to cast doubt on the well-established links between smoking and numerous health problems, such as cancer. In 1969, a tobacco industry executive admitted that their strategy involved cultivating skepticism to protect their economic interests by sowing confusion among the public.

The author emphasizes the deliberate propagation of doubt by skeptics of climate change as a key tactic. Proponents of the fossil fuel industry endeavor to delay meaningful measures, aiming to extend reliance on energy sources that damage the environment by undermining the reliability of climate science and exaggerating its uncertainties. Efforts to address the issues caused by global warming have been significantly impeded, in a manner akin to the prolonged postponement of measures targeting the tobacco industry.

The tactics employed by those who deny climate change have given new life to efforts by the pesticide industry to discredit the contributions of Rachel Carson.

Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking book, "Silent Spring," exposed the devastating impact of DDT and other pesticides on wildlife and the environment. The chemical industry initiated a forceful campaign to undermine Carson's credibility and her research, accusing her of scientific misconduct and even attributing numerous deaths to her. Carson's research endured rigorous scrutiny and ultimately led to the United States banning DDT.

Mann draws parallels between the initial attacks on a scientist who uncovered inconvenient truths for a specific sector and the subsequent challenges encountered by climate researchers. Mann emphasizes that the conversation surrounding climate change transcends simple scientific discussion and includes the protection of established influential groups. Strategies designed to obstruct climate action have reemerged, now focusing on undermining the credibility of the messenger, akin to tactics employed against Carson to safeguard profits in the chemical industry, which currently take the form of disparaging and maligning scientists who highlight the perils of carbon emissions.

The escalation of industrial refusal to acknowledge global environmental issues.

The passage then transitions to discussing how tactics for disseminating false information, initially developed by corporate groups, were further advanced by prominent organizations like the George C. Marshall Institute to tackle growing ecological concerns worldwide.

The George C. Marshall Institute's campaign to cast doubt on the issues of acid rain and ozone layer damage was intimately associated with their support for laissez-faire economics and their attempts to discredit the legitimacy of climate science.

During the 1970s and 1980s, as the public became more conscious of ecological threats like the harmful effects of acid rain and the thinning of the ozone layer, there was a rise in industrial resistance against the scientists and their research that brought these environmental concerns to light. The George C. Marshall Institute, founded by physicist Frederick Seitz, was instrumental in these efforts, with Seitz having prior involvement in the tobacco sector. The individuals who established the GMI, despite lacking expertise in environmental studies, promoted a free market approach and were doubtful of any kind of government intervention or regulatory actions.

Mann...

The New Climate War Summary Strategies used to deny the reality of climate change.

Efforts to shift the blame from polluters

This section delves into specific tactics employed by climate inactivists to shift blame away from polluting interests and onto individuals, using classic deflection campaign strategies from prior controversies.

The "Crying Indian" public service announcement serves as a quintessential illustration of a tactic that transfers the responsibility for ecological issues from businesses to the public, similar to contemporary efforts that associate the fight against climate change with the actions of individuals.

Mann draws a parallel between the iconic 1970s "Crying Indian" public service announcements and contemporary campaigns that prioritize individual behavior as the primary solution to address climate change. The "Crying Indian" public service announcement effectively shifted the responsibility for littering away from major corporations and onto individuals. An advertisement depicted an Indigenous individual shedding tears upon seeing the devastation of the environment, underscoring how individual habits of disposing of waste affect the natural world. The initiative significantly diminished public support for potential laws...

The New Climate War Summary "Non-Solutions" Solutions: Delays and Distractions

The text examines various proposed actions that seem to be supported by those resistant to change, yet are actually designed to delay or shift focus away from meaningful interventions to tackle the climate crisis. The narrative also promotes the utilization of natural gas as a transitional energy solution, delves into the possibilities associated with climate intervention techniques, and underscores the importance of adjusting to climatic shifts, while also upholding the viability of the notion of "clean coal."

The mistaken belief that natural gas serves as a bridge in the transition to renewable energy sources.

This section of the text confronts the false belief that supporting natural gas as an interim measure is advantageous, emphasizing that such an approach falls short in tackling climate change and hinders the progression toward renewable energy sources.

The conversation about supporting natural gas as an interim energy option involves assessing whether accidental methane emissions could undermine the benefits of its reduced carbon footprint.

Mann disputes the common perception that natural gas acts as an intermediary energy source paving the way toward a...

The New Climate War Summary The cohesive strength that a collective effort brings.

A mindset has emerged that concentrates on the certainty of disastrous climate consequences.

This section critiques the spread of climate doomism, arguing that this despair-mongering is not only unfounded, but actually undermines efforts to build a unified movement for change.

The danger of conveying a too pessimistic view, which can lead to feelings of hopelessness, lies in its potential to paralyze individuals just as thoroughly as blatant denial, a weakness that adversaries of ecological initiatives are eager to exploit.

Mann cautions that adopting a pessimistic outlook could be as obstructive to climate change action as outright denial. He underscores that portraying an unavoidable disaster, while seemingly opposing denial, is often employed by opponents of proactive measures to diminish the essential momentum and political determination to tackle the problem.

Doomism cultivates an atmosphere of despair and capitulation, convincing people that the environmental emergency is a challenge insurmountable. This could lead to an outcome similar to outright denial, potentially discouraging individuals from participating in measures that could mitigate the effects of...