Is society failing in the fight against climate change ? What are the concrete consequences?
Jens Beckert, Professor of Sociology and Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne, put these questions to the audience.
The consequences of climate change – in the form of increasingly extreme weather events and the destabilisation of human livelihoods – are becoming more and more noticeable worldwide. Despite these visible consequences, our societies are failing to respond appropriately. Even after repeated dramatic wake-up calls, such as the ongoing fires in California, there has been no collective rethink or action that could prevent a global temperature increase of 2-3 °C this century.
A more realistic approach to climate change in politics and society
Jens Beckert argues in favour of a realistic view of climate change, free from wishful thinking and supposedly simple solutions. Despite the massive expansion of renewable energies in recent years, more than twice as many greenhouse gases are being emitted today than 40 years ago – in other words, during the very period in which awareness of climate change emerged.
“Climate change will not be stopped by expanding renewable energies, but by doing without and not burning fossil fuels,” – says Jens Beckert, but unfortunately this has not been successful. The consumption of fossil fuels has not decreased.
According to Beckert, economic growth – particularly in the Global South – fuelled by the use and sale of natural resources will make a significant contribution to exceeding the 2-3°C limit.
“It depends a lot on whether these countries that are now developing follow a fossil-fuelled path or a path of renewable energies in energy production.”
Humanity in the grip of capitalist power and incentive structures
“The existing power and incentive structures for business, politics and society prevent societies from responding appropriately to the challenges of climate change”.
As a social scientist, Jens Beckert analyses how the capitalist structures of the last 500 years have profoundly changed human societies and driven the need for growth. In addition to the economic changes, there has been a profound cultural transformation – particularly through the belief in progress and increasing individualisation. Since 1800, this dynamic has led to a massive increase in prosperity and energy consumption.
Beckert shows that the interactions between the economy, state and society form a system that only changes very slowly due to its structures. Power relations and increasing complexity play a decisive role, particularly at global level.
Instead of addressing the structural causes, responsibility for climate protection is often placed on the individual. Beckert emphasises that many lifestyles are not freely chosen, but are shaped by external constraints – be it material conditions (“Depending on where I live, I am dependent on a car”) or social values.
“We position ourselves through our consumption, in a status competition, with a logic of increase that has no fundamental end“
In this context, Jens Beckert’s statements on how people perceive change are fascinating. Social coexistence is limited by strict rules, whether at work, in interpersonal relationships or in politics. Consumption offers the opportunity to realise and express oneself without rigid rules. An intervention in consumer behaviour would therefore be perceived as particularly restrictive.
“So it is not a moral failure, but the structures themselves that lead to these high-energy lifestyles. It would only be by changing these structures that individual behaviour could adapt”.
These structures can be changed – but only in the long term.
Beckert criticises the idea of “green growth“, i.e. the hope of decoupling economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions. The change in our production and consumption patterns is happening too slowly and often leads to new ecological problems such as environmental pollution or species extinction.
Structural change through realism and better incentives
A realistic examination of climate change and its complex causes is necessary in order to identify effective options for action. However, Beckert emphasises that there are no simple solutions.
In addition to adapting infrastructure, societies must also deal with the losses caused by climate change, which will put the resilience of their systems to the test. Above all, effective climate protection requires attractive incentives for business, politics and society in order to enable a genuine transformation.
A crucial point for the acceptance of climate policy is the social balance: “Climate protection policy is often perceived as a policy that ultimately benefits the upper social classes – if they want to take advantage of subsidies for an electric car, they must first have enough money to buy one
The central question is therefore: How can socially disadvantaged households also benefit from climate protection – and how is climate policy communicated?
“It is the detailed empathy with the interests and incentive structures of different population groups that may lead to insights into how a climate policy can be designed that meets with less resistance”.
Jens Beckert cites the creation of positive incentives for the various levels of society as a solution:
- Society, especially economically weaker households: social compensation measures (“climate money”), communication that emphasises the benefits, e.g. new jobs;
- Economy : new business models, planning security, targeted or targeted subsidies ;
- Politics : The conscious creation of coalitions ;
14.02.2025