"We Don't Really Want To Know” Environmental Justice and Socially Organized Denial of Global Warming in Norway
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Date
2006-09
Authors
Norgaard, Kari
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Organization and Environment
Abstract
Global warming is the most serious environmental problem of our time and a major issue
of environmental justice. Yet meager public response in the form of social movement activity,
behavioral changes, or public pressure on governments is noteworthy in all Western
nations. Existing research emphasizes lack of information as a limiting factor for failed
public response. This explanation cannot account for the significant population who know
about and express concern for global warming. Ethnographic and interview data from a
rural Norwegian community indicate that nonresponse is at least partially a matter of
socially organized denial. Because Norwegian economic prosperity is tied to oil production,
collectively ignoring climate change maintains Norwegian economic interests. Most
environmental justice research focuses on people facing disproportionate exposure to
environmental problems. This project examines wealthy citizens who perpetuate global
warming as they turn a blind eye. Environmental justice implications of socially organized
denial are discussed for global warming and beyond.
Description
24 pages
Keywords
Climate change, Environmental justice, Carbon dioxide, Lay perceptions of global risk, Information-deficit model, Interpretive sociology, Micro sociology, Sociology of denial