Epistemic pluralism and climate change

This event is based on a recently published book Climate Change Isn’t Everything by Professor Mike Hulme. In this talk, Professor Hulme will discuss “climatism”, an ideology that reduces politics and society to the singular goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by a given date. Accordingly, this event seeks to broaden the conversation. Hulme critiques climate reductionism, which frames contemporary problems exclusively through the lens of climate science and which overemphasizes the role of climate in shaping the future. Instead, he advocates for a more holistic approach that acknowledges the complexities and indeterminancies of social, political, and ecological systems. Through this lens of epistemic pluralism, he will argue that multiple forms of knowledge, inquiry and judgement can help liberal democracies better address the intertwined challenges of climate change, social justice, and political freedom. 

Meet our speakers and chair

Mike Hulme is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Cambridge, and Geography Director of Studies at Pembroke College. His work examines the epistemic, cultural, and historical construction of climate change and its material and discursive effects. Hulme has contributed extensively to the field through interdisciplinary research, including as the Founding Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and Editor-in-Chief of WIREs Climate Change. He is recognized globally for his efforts, including his contribution to the UN IPCC’s Nobel Peace Prize-winning work.

Elizabeth Robinson (@profejzrobinson) is Professor of Environmental Economics and Acting Dean of LSE’s Global School of Sustainability. Elizabeth is an environmental economist working primarily on climate change and health, with a focus on food security and undernutrition, heat and worker rights, and the design of policies and institutions to reduce climate change emissions, protect the environment, and improve the livelihoods of resource-dependent communities.

Tim Forsyth is Professor of Environment and Development and is a specialist on the politics of environment and development, with a focus on understanding contested science and risk within environmental governance. His work analyses two themes: the politics and policy processes of contested environmental debates in rapidly developing countries; and the evolution of new multi-actor, multi-level forms of governance such as cross-sector partnerships or deliberative forums. He has written on climate change governance; forest policies in Asia; and social movements and local governance.

Find out more in the LSE Events pages.