Why generational pressure is the key to climate change policy | Dan Esty | Big Think

Why generational pressure is the key to climate change policy? Watch Dan Esty on Big Think
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With figures like Greta Thunberg and demonstrations like the global climate strike, it's become apparent that young people are driving the effort to stop climate change.

This generational pressure is the key to change. In the same way that smoking became less accepted in society, even frowned upon, so too can the behaviors that have sped up climate change.

Moving forward, energy companies will play a major role if they can reimagine themselves as part of the solution to this crisis and forge a better path to save the planet.
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DAN ESTY

Daniel C. Esty is the Hillhouse Professor of Environmental Law and Policy at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the Yale Law School. Known for his innovative policy ideas and commitment to transformative change, Dan served as head of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection from 2011 to 2014. He is the editor of "A Better Planet: 40 Big Ideas for a Sustainable Future."

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TRANSCRIPT:
The key to progress on environment broadly and on climate change in particular is to change values. I think this has to be understood as in some regards an ethical issue, a moral issue and one has to see it as a wrong to contaminate the planet and to put at risk the future of humanity on the planet. And I think that change is coming and curiously but perhaps not really surprisingly it is coming from young people much more from the generation that’s currently in positions of leadership. Greta and other young people are out there saying to the leaders and political positions of power not only in the United States but across the world step up. You need to do more. And I think we have seen again and again that transformational change is often driven by generational change. And I think it’s almost certainly going to be true on climate change. Fifty years ago if we’d had this interview I’d probably be smoking or maybe smoking a pipe as a professor. That’s so unacceptable now you don’t even have to tell me that I can’t come in and light up a cigarette. Norms have changed. Values have changed. We know now that that’s completely unacceptable and a threat to public health. And I think we’re starting to get there on climate change.

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[petarpandilovski]

Change the fight against climate change to a fight against pollution. No one can deny that pollution is abysmal to humanity and the environment. By reducing pollution we would also curb our carbon foorprint.

This is the way.

[Zentar]

I don't think moralizing the issue will help solve it, I think it's already moralized and that's why we see the extreme divide on the issue. Edit: For those wondering, Google "Solution aversion".

[DaddyOfTheSugarVariety]

Children should never be used as political tools. Greta's parents should be ashamed.

[Linda-mxcn]

It's disgusting to see corrupt adults take advantage of a child all because its profitable.

[PetarStamenkovic]

Step 1 is don’t lie. Unfortunately, Yale is still far behind step 1, or at the very least, they hire people who don't make it to step one. One would think that step one isn't that high a bar for setting to start on, but here we are. No wonder people can’t agree on what to do when many educated people can’t get themselves to stop lying to start with.

One would think that climate change is serious enough issue that all lies should stop, but some people think they should lie even more, like their lives depend on it. Worse still, they have the urge to spread their lies to unwitting and innocent children. And for what? Short term political gain.

What is you goal? Hoping that kids raised today will forget about the lies you tell them by the time they turn 30 or simply develop amnesia? That they will forgive you for lying and destroying their lives because you had good intentions?

There is a reason why fable about a boy who cried wolf is so true and important, even if the story doesn’t describe any one particular historical event. It's as if stories can tell us things that are truer than true. Who knew?

[michaelblacktree]

I don't think an angry child can teach me anything useful. I also don't like it when people use children as pawns in their political games. Only a coward hides behind a child.

[jarradpuckridge]

Bully others until they fall with your own views. Why hasn't that been tried before?

[straysod]

It's the same way christan missionaries changed indiginous societies. "The old are set in there ways. The young are easily swayed.."...

[imthebossthere]

"use your children as props for our political agenda"

[PLMedina]

I just unsubed this channel used to be about science now its mostly how to get people to think like us by shaming them on there character and compassion. Laying out the facts and getting the guests to talk about the science of things is why I used to watch

[thstroyur]

1:07 Thanks for reminding me why I'll eventually quit smoking: not as a matter of personal choice, nay - but as a matter of pure peer pressure

[nimz]

I think it might be more effective if people, you know, did something. So far Greta has spoke in a lot of places but their policies haven't changed and I haven't heard of a single positive impact. That's why I find it so laughable that she was person of the year. Boyan Slat is out there cleaning up the ocean, but since that's actually accomplishing something, nobody cares. Crying at our governments to do "something" is so childish and useless it's funny. If you want to fight climate change, come up with a plan and then ask the government for funding. I've heard a lot of interesting ideas like; mushrooms that eat plastic, ferns that are carbon neutral, solar panels on tractor trailers. Just pick a project, ask the government for funding, and go.

[QarthCEO]

Anyone alive in the 80's remembers all too well the doomsday predictions of climate activists we've been hearing our entire lives. Every decade was the last. We all had to act now before it's too late. We passed "the tipping point" every few years! Funny how it always seemed to line up with an election. We have had a young female child wag her finger at us every few years, so Greta is not novel to us. We had our own Greta when we were kids 30 years ago, her name was Severn Suzuki, she was 12 years old, and she wagged her finger at the adults of the UN, too and we cheered her on.


Listen to her speech, keep in mind this was 30 YEARS AGO. Alot of what she said sounds ridiculous today. Two notable standouts:
She was afraid to go into the sun because of holes in the ozone layer... in 1992... 4 years after the Montreal Agreement had already been signed banning Ozone depleting chemicals... yeah.
She was afraid to breathe the air... in 1992? Really?. Utterly ridiculous.
But 30 years ago she sounded awesome to us kids. Yeah, we were kids, we knew better than our parents!! The follied chorus of every generation. Thankfully we grew up. 30 years from now, you will grow up, and Greta will sound equally as ridiculous.

[gunnarchannal]

its child labor but on "our" side

[Milestonemonger]

No real solutions will be reached until we can separate the politics from the science.

[heidiheidi]

I can't believe this video is getting so many dislikes. Her message on climate change is crucial to our survival and Greta is brave in being a person who speaks out about the urgency of it!

[blurglide]

Oh...what other complex geopolitical issues should we take children's advice on?

[darren.davies]

Yes and in the 1950's, the 60's, it was the same, Machiavellian characters rise to the top who can not see past their own egos to do anything about the situation

[AntonBogomolov]

I can't understand all that negative comments. He is telling obvious things. The views and values are going to change with the new generation. The transformation is ongoing now. Is it too late already - we will see.

[cesarbahena]

Generational pressure is the key to climate change policy, not to GOOD climate change policy.