Changing Perceptions of Global Warming

When I started examining climate change or global warming and its likely impact on the practice of Public Relations, I was thinking of the green policies being adopted by business and governments to offset their carbon emissions.

I set out to analyse these policies and wondered whether the action being taken by the above organisations was not similar to the Corporate Social Responsibilty programmes that took the corporate world "by storm" in the 1980's and 90's - a rebirth of CSR of sorts.

However, along the way, the debate appears to have taken a different turn. While a number of governments including the UK were drafting policies on climate change, some scientists were questioning whether global warming was really a result of human activity.

I also came across literature that alleged that some scientists and grass root organisations had been paid by some oil companies (or bribed) to maintain a certain position in the debate. This got me thinking about lobbying and the question of legitimacy when it comes to lobbying.

If those who claim that global warming is real are to be believed then the environmentalists appear to have succeeded in what can be described as a powerful public affairs campaign. Many governments, big corporations and individuals have finally agreed that global warming is the greatest threat facing mankind and they've started doing something about it. Any story that mentions global warming appears to be news headline material these days.

What I am still doubting however is the spirit in which these green policies aimed at offsetting carbon emissions are being taken. Are they really doing it genuinely or are they doing it in order to deflect public scrutiny like the CSR programmes? Some people refer to them as "greenwash". How would do you describe them?