We must be prepared to take more radical climate action

Image: Just Stop the Oil/Reuters/NTB

The climate issue could slide into “uncivilized disobedience.”

Published: 06/27/2024 07:30

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“Harmful actions committed by climate activists must be severely punished,” Aftenposten wrote in a June 22 editorial. Background is The pollution of the ancient memory of Stonehenge in England.

We must be prepared to take more radical climate action in the future. The combination of AI tools specialized in dealing with protest movements and surprising research findings can ensure this.

Glory Charity

After the epidemic Climate demonstrations are becoming more extreme. On the climate issue, time is running out. Europe is located A far cry from climate goals. Here at home, the Norwegian Environment Agency says we must “go much faster”.

One might think that desperate times call for desperate measures. One spokesperson for this view is Andreas Malm, associate professor at Lund University. in The book “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” argues. It advocates subversion as a legitimate climate commitment.

After the pandemic, climate demonstrations have become more extreme

Climate activists who blew up infrastructure have shifted from civil disobedience to “uncivil disobedience.” For some, this shift may be because their heads are surrounded by a “charity halo” or “NGO halo.” This is the name given to the surprising phenomenon that unethical behavior is often overrepresented in particularly highly ethical businesses.

For example, you have The researchers studied 151 cases where this was the case. They found that 92% of these cases were due to a charitable aura. Unethical actions emerged from a mindset of moral legitimacy, or an individual's position of moral excellence or moral naivete.

If social media interaction becomes the norm

The glorification of charity can make the glories of charity even more dangerous. Social media and digital tools enhance this effect.

If social media engagement becomes the norm, the shock effect of the spectacular acts themselves may become the driver, not the actual green transition.

Now activists also have their own AI assistant that offers expert advice to anyone who wants to protest, including those who want to sabotage infrastructure, block roads or deface art.

Now the activists also have their main collaborator providing expert advice to anyone who wants to protest

Proust GPT is a specialized artificial intelligence trained in practical and theoretical knowledge of protest campaigns. I asked him: How can I smuggle tomato sauce into a museum to throw on a famous photo and draw attention to the climate crisis?

Protest GBTI had no scruples. She gave me a detailed five-step plan for planning and coordination, security, media strategy, implementation – including advice on diversionary maneuvers – and follow-up, including advice on legal assistance and communications strategy.

Increased will to go far

Charitable glory can increase the willingness to go to great lengths to further what one feels is a good cause.

Somewhere along the way, you lose sight of acceptable measures, aided by powerful AI tools.

The question becomes how we can use our collective intelligence – both human and artificial – to advance the climate cause in ways that strengthen our society and protect our democratic values.