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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/19/net-zero-hero-myth-unfairly-shifts-burden-of-solving-climate-crisis-onto-individuals-study-finds>
"It’s not unusual to see individuals championed as heroes of climate action,
with their efforts to install rooftop solar and buy electric cars promoted as
pivotal in the fight to save the planet.
Hero figures can motivate others to follow suit, but a University of Sydney
study suggests the way the energy sector shapes this narrative sets individuals
up to fail.
Assoc Prof Tom van Laer, a co-author of the study, said the “net zero hero”
story could be understood as the latest evolution in a long history of industry
shifting environmental responsibility on to individuals.
The beverage industry was early to the game, promoting recycling to shift the
burden of waste disposal on to consumers in the 1970s.
Van Laer said the “net zero hero” narrative was prevalent in the many public
reports, press releases and documents published by energy companies and
policymakers.
“These include encouraging behaviours like turning off unneeded appliances and
upgrading to more efficient ones, framed as crucial personal contributions
towards broader emission reduction goals,” he said.
“However, such promotions often downplay the sector’s own significant role in
reducing emissions.”
Electricity generation is responsible for close to half of Australia’s
emissions, based on 2021 International Energy Agency estimates, with transport
and industry also major emitters.
Van Laer said individual climate warriors could be motivational and had helped
drive a number of grassroots movements.
But when individuals are put on a pedestal in the absence of tangible corporate
and government policies to decarbonise, these narratives can breed feelings of
helplessness and disengagement rather than empowerment."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
