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23 comments on Europe Forum Lucerne: Energy – A Conflict Area, Trends and Horizons

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Johannes on May 4, 2009 - 5:52am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top

'The Swiss are the universal masters of ostrichdom'

So are the Belgians!

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Will Stewart on May 4, 2009 - 9:02am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Francois, your articles are always information-rich and highly informative. I appreciate the 'look behind the curtain' aspects of your analysis where you identify the motivations of the speakers as a context by which to deconstruct their position statements.

Like many other subjects, cornucopians don't have to convince people of their position, they merely have to infuse doubt, confusion, or false hope into the public debate in order to derail efforts to mitigate societal risks. How do those who are energy-resource aware actually educate people without coming across as alarmists?

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lengould on May 4, 2009 - 9:45am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

How do those who are energy-resource aware actually educate people without coming across as alarmists?

I think, by definition, there is no way. In other words, I think we need to become alarmists. I suppose the problem with that is the built-in level of uncertainty. None of us wants to look the fool by raising an alarm only to find it was not needed.

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Francois Cellier on May 4, 2009 - 10:13am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

True enough ... and I am fully aware that, here at TOD, I am only reaching those of my Swiss compatriots who are already "energy-resource aware." I'll also make a short (20 minutes) presentation at the next general assembly of ASPO Switzerland this fall, but there again, I'll be talking to people who are already sensitized to the issue.

Furthermore, I do know how to talk to Swiss politicians. This is actually quite easy. Here in Switzerland, we have a fairly flat organizational hierarchy, and our politicians are quite reachable, and usually even quite well informed.

What I haven't figured out yet is how to reach the Swiss public at large.

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Francois Cellier on May 4, 2009 - 10:15am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Thanks, Will, for your kind words.

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23 comments on Europe Forum Lucerne: Energy – A Conflict Area, Trends and Horizons

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