Introduction<\/p>\n
This is a contribution to future reflection on the significance of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (Copenhagen, 7-18 December 2009). The argument is summarized by a folktale. The case is supported below by the following interlinked considerations: <\/p>\n
1. Questionable asystemic promotion of strategies against "climate change": <\/p>\n
o "climate change" as the "most important problem facing humanity" <\/p>\n
o "climate change" as a surrogate for avoidance of other issues and more comprehensive debate <\/p>\n
2. Questionable use of the best of scientific method in relation to "climate change": <\/p>\n
o scientific research "nested" within an unscientific context<\/p>\n
o promotion of "consensus" on "climate change" by the sciences<\/p>\n
o reliance on modelling methodology (recently demonstrated to increase global vulnerability disastrously)<\/p>\n
3. Questionable exploitation of faith-based behaviour patterns of organized belief systems (notably ideologies and religions): <\/p>\n
o identifying "unbelief" and "denial" to stigmatize critics of "climate change" <\/p>\n
o failure to consider issues conflicting with predetermined ideological or religious dogma<\/p>\n
o failure to identify issues which it is too problematic to recognize and discuss<\/p>\n
o institutionalization of double standards with respect to suffering <\/p>\n
4. Problematic failure to reflect on strategic development in the light of past experience: <\/p>\n
o challenges of broken promises and commitments, disguised by tokenism <\/p>\n
o abuse of faith in governance <\/p>\n
o lack of the political will to change<\/p>\n
o lack of political courage to consider alternatives <\/p>\n
5. Problematic progressive focus on unproven geoengineering options as offering the most viable solution <\/p>\n
6. Overpopulation denial: failure to consider progressive implications of overpopulation <\/p>\n
o denial<\/p>\n
o overpopulation<\/p>\n
o shortages<\/p>\n
7. Developing a healthy pattern of argumentation<\/p>\n
o dialogue, argument and issue mapping<\/p>\n
o polyhedral configuration of envisaged initiatives<\/p>\n
o application of critical thinking to detect fallacious argument<\/p>\n
8. Climate change and overpopulation as cultural challenges of reflexivity <\/p>\n
o thinking "out-of-the-box in the light of psychoanalysis<\/p>\n
o fundamental psychological significance of climate change<\/p>\n
o potential implication of concept associations <\/p>\n
9. Possibility of rapid reframing for an appropriate shift in focus <\/p>\n
o refocusing official documents by substitution<\/p>\n
o playfulness and humour<\/p>\n
o song and poetry<\/p>\n