Abstract

PICKEL, Andreas. The problem of climate change from a systemic perspective. Cultura representaciones soc [online]. 2016, vol.11, n.21, pp.29-54. ISSN 2007-8110.

Human-induced changes in the world’s climate systems are on a trajectory to civilizational catastrophe. Only fundamental changes in the “logic” of political and economic systems in the near future will make it possible to move to a sustainable economy based on renewable energy sources. Employing a systemic perspective based on Mario Bunge’s philosophy of science, this paper tries to show how key social systems and their basic mechanisms are currently working in order to explain why in spite of the knowledge on climate change made available by the natural sciences, effective political responses to the problem are simply not forthcoming. The analysis identifies those political, economic, and cultural systems that play a key role in climate change, specifically in obstructing the adoption of progressive policies. It also identifies the systems and mechanisms through which the growing alternative climate change movement is preparing the ground for crossing a threshold of growing individual consciousness and willingness for action that has the potential to upset the dominant political and economic systems.

Keywords : climate change; systemism; scientific knowledge; popular consciousness; global capitalism; democracy; cultural hegemony; social movements.

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