Laurence Delina Discusses Climate Change Activism for The World in 2:00 Broadcast

Laurence Delina, a post-doctoral associate at the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, recently discussed the “Extinction Rebellion” — a group of climate activists holding public demonstrations in the U.K. — for The World in 2:00, Talk Media News’ flagship world news radio broadcast.

During the interview, Delina expressed support for student-led demonstrations urging the British government to ramp up climate change action, but also offered a critique of the protesters’ message.

“What worries me the most is the slogan that because of climate change, human civilization might not survive for these children. To be clear, young people are 100% right to be up in arms about climate change,” Delina said. “It’s also right that they need powerful images to grab people’s attention, yet some of this imagery that’s being bandied around the Extinction Rebellion movement is quite frightening, which can easily backfire – even disengage people – and even worse can be perceived as a form of manipulation.”

The World in 2:00 , created in 2014 by United Nations Bureau Chief Luke Vargas, is syndicated to more than 300 radio stations across the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. The broadcast “has been produced in 34 countries and featured guests spanning heads of state to health researchers, soldiers to scientists.”

Click here to listen to Delina’s interview.

In his newest book, Climate Actions: Transformative Mechanisms for Social Mobilisation (Palgrave Macmillan 2018), Delina gives an overview of global climate change action and explores ways to mobilize groups and individuals to become more successful activists. In the book, Delina introduces a novel set of mechanisms to strengthen the climate action movement’s campaigns, tactics, and strategies. His recommended mechanisms are designed around five major themes: enhancing relationships, developing value-based messaging, presenting alternatives, establishing networks, and increasing public communication.

Click here for more information, and to purchase the book.