Open letter to the editors-in-chief of DIE ZEIT - On the role of the media in the climate crisis
22.9.2024 Donald Jacob
Dear Mr. Ulrich,
Dear Editor-in-Chief
In your article “The Great Silence”, you ask why the climate crisis is not a central issue in the election campaign and why we as a society seem to remain inactive. In response, I would like to share some thoughts with you that, in my opinion, go right to the heart of the problem: The way the crisis is being covered in the media.
It starts with the classification of the problem: it is not just a crisis, but a global ecological catastrophe. Bringing this fact into focus is crucial, and the media play a central role here. Two years ago, I sent you my book “A Constitution for the Earth” (Oekom Verlag), which presents a holistic approach to solving this catastrophe, but unfortunately no response. In addition, almost two years ago we symbolically founded A Constitution for the Earth ( www.constitutionofearth.org), which now brings together several hundred participants worldwide. Our aim is to present factual and sensible solutions, without loud protests or radical actions, which include in-depth analyses of the causes of the catastrophe. However, the media have not yet reported on this.
I sent hundreds of letters to scientists, the media and other relevant institutions. I received a reply from the editor-in-chief of a renowned German journal:
“The issue is too big.”
However, this silence could be one of the reasons why sustainable, effective solutions to the disaster are barely present in public discourse. If the media do not take up the issue, how can a profound social debate take place?
I cannot go into all the details in this letter, but you have already received all the necessary documents. I have written to DIE ZEIT several times, but have never received a reply. This leads me to wonder whether the lack of media coverage is perhaps one of the reasons why we are in this catastrophe. The focus is often placed on big names and institutions rather than on factual content and solutions.
Unfortunately, the ZEIT is no exception.
The reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provide alarming evidence that the window of opportunity to limit global warming to 1.5 °C is rapidly closing. The climate catastrophe is no longer a looming threat of the future, but is already a reality, as the increase in extreme weather events worldwide makes clear.
Furthermore, there is a clear scientific consensus: 97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is man-made.
The recent extreme weather events - heatwaves, floods, droughts and forest fires - are just a foretaste of what awaits us if action is not taken immediately. These events lead not only to ecological damage, but also to significant social and economic consequences, from crop failures to the displacement of millions of people.
A study by Oxford University shows that media coverage is crucial to how the public perceives the climate crisis. Underrepresentation in the media means that the social and political response lags well behind what is needed. This form of “silence” undermines the necessary urgency and delays action.
Scientists also warn that our global carbon budget - the amount of CO2 we are still allowed to emit in order to meet climate targets - is almost exhausted. Without immediate drastic cuts, global warming will cause irreversible damage. The question is therefore no longer whether action needs to be taken, but how quickly and comprehensively this can be done.
The selection of which topics are printed and which people are portrayed has a significant influence on the formation of public opinion and the visibility of ideas and solutions. In order to understand a catastrophe like this, it is essential to analyze the various causes in depth - which I have explained in detail in my book. However, this is beyond the scope of this letter.
I would like to emphasize one last point: There are areas where party politics and even democracy are reaching their limits. The biosphere - the basis of our existence - is beyond national, party political or other interests. It is the basic prerequisite for life for all people equally. Therefore, the protection of the biosphere should not be a negotiable issue in political discourse, but a non-negotiable necessity for our survival.
We must become aware of the obvious that we all take for granted, namely the biosphere as the basis of our existence, and recognize that the protection of the biosphere is beyond national, party-political or other interests. The protection of the basis of our existence is non-negotiable, as it is the basic prerequisite for life on this planet. It is not a political issue that should be debated between different camps - it is a necessity for the survival of all human beings. To emphasize the immeasurable value of nature, I proposed to the Nobel Prize Committee that the Nobel Prize be symbolically awarded to water, air and photosynthesis - which are, after all, the foundations of our existence.
I have been waiting for an answer for two years.
Conclusion:
The media play a decisive role in whether and how topics such as the climate catastrophe are present in public discourse. The lack of reporting and the absence of in-depth analyses contribute to the fact that the necessary urgency is not recognized and acted upon. The climate catastrophe is a challenge that transcends national and political interests. We are faced with the task of protecting the biosphere - the basis of our existence - and this requires a change in thinking, which can be communicated through the media.
In this context, I would like to invite you once again to read my book A Constitution for the Earth (Oekom Verlag), which deals intensively with these issues. A visit to the website www.constitutionofearth.org could also provide you with valuable insights.
Yours sincerely,
Donald Jacob
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