Dear All,

Thought that some following this thread might find the new article in Japan
Times interesting:

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/11/05/national/barriers-climate-activism-in-japan/#.XcKpHlNt-Da

Best,

Marta Szczygiel
Tokyo University
JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow

pt., 18 paź 2019, 14:05 użytkownik SSJ-Forum Moderator <
ssjmod@iss.u-tokyo.ac.jp> napisał:

From: Peter Matanle <peter_matanle@yahoo.co.jp>

Date: 2019/10/16

Thanks to Peter for this discussion and summary.

Just to add a couple of points.

1. It's important to distinguish between the discourse on environmental
issues, which has little direct impact, and direct action.

Clearly no one is saying that protest is the best way to reduce GHG
emissions, which would be a laughable claim if it were not so tiresomely
levelled at concerned citizens repeatedly by soft denialists as an
attempt to divert. Of course, investment in renewables technology as a
replacement for fossil fuel energy, expansion of wilderness areas,
reductions in consumption and so on are, improvements in recylcing and
pollution and waste prevention are what are needed to restore at least
some of the Earth's life support systems. These are the most effective
ways of achieving environmental restoration, it is obvious and needless
to say.

However, it is also undeniable that protest is effective in garnering
those with power and money to take the above action. Greta Thunberg's
bravery and persistence has catalysed an enormous groundswell of concern
into public protest and action by, mostly, younger people so that
politicians feel able to act (or compelled) and businesses find
themselves in ever more uncomfortabhle situations if their behaviour is
destructive. Her action has also helped ordinary people to increase
their own environmentally concerned behaviours in the way of reducing
consumption, recycling waste, upcycling materials, etc etc. There are
many other 'Gretas' out there who do not receive her recognition,
particularly in developing countries. However, Greta's actions are
nonetheless extremely important because the countries where she is
having most impact are precisely those (except Japan) which are the most
egregious contributors to environmental breakdown and ecological collapse