Research into media coverage of climate change shows a shift from climate denial to "whataboutism".
There's less skepticism that climate change is happening but more "solution aversion" - specifically:
1. Solutions are worse than problems, so do nothing.
2. It costs too much to do anything, so do nothing.
3. It's too late. We're doomed, so do nothing.
#1 is common in the EV space (what about mineral mining? What about production emissions? etc.).
Climate change isn't solved by EV adoption. We don't solve problems caused by consumption by consuming more.
However, if a new vehicle has to be added to the fleet, it's better that it's a low polluting one than a high polluting one.
The costs (financial, human, environmental) of continuing to do little or nothing will increasingly outweigh the costs of making change.
We have solutions right here, right now. We have e-bikes, electric scooters, and electric cars in the transport sector. We have rooftop solar and wind turbines.
These solutions are neither perfect nor particularly impactful by themselves.
But put together, over time, the world could actually become a better place—one where 9-year-old girls don't die from air pollution.
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