Climate Change, Science and Capitalism: Critical Reflections from the Back of History

Abstract

The essay reflects about the current dominant discourse concerning the “fight against climate change”, from the perspective which is called here the underside of history. Its aim is to point out certain problematic aspects of such a discourse which must be carefully examined by the “small countries” of the world (the non-industrialized countries), in order to safeguard the future of the “insignificants” of the planet. Those problematic aspects are related to statements that make the “fight against climate change” as a purely scientific (natural science) and undisputed technical issue. Against this narrative, it is argued that in the fight against climate change the other sciences (social and human sciences) must and can contribute to the unveiling of those aspects not seen or explained by the natural science and the technology that accompanies it. The goal, then, is to help avoid optimisms and naiveties in the so-called “fourth industrial revolution.”