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The Guardian
22-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Activate climate's ‘silent majority' to supercharge action, experts say
A huge 89% majority of the world's people want stronger action to fight the climate crisis but feel they are trapped in a self-fulfilling 'spiral of silence' because they mistakenly believe they are in a minority, research suggests. Making people aware that their pro-climate view is, in fact, by far the majority could unlock a social tipping point and push leaders into the climate action so urgently needed, experts say. The data comes from a global survey that interviewed 130,000 people across 125 countries and found 89% thought their national government 'should do more to fight global warming'. It also asked people if they would 'contribute 1% of their household income every month to fight global warming' and what proportion of their fellow citizens they thought would do the same. In almost all countries, people believed only a minority of their fellow citizens would be willing to contribute. In reality, the opposite was true: more than 50% of citizens were willing to contribute in all but a few nations. The global average of those willing to contribute was 69%. But the percentage that people thought would be willing was 43%. The gap between perception and reality was as high as 40 percentage points in some countries, from Greece to Gabon. Further analysis of the survey data for the Guardian showed that public backing for climate action was as strong among the G20 member countries as in the rest of the world. These states, including the US, China, Saudi Arabia, UK and Australia, are responsible for 77% of global carbon emissions. 'One of the most powerful forms of climate communication is just telling people that a majority of other people think climate change is happening, human-caused, a serious problem and a priority for action,' said Prof Anthony Leiserowitz at Yale University in the US. Prof Cynthia Frantz, at Oberlin College in the US, said. 'Currently, worrying about climate change is something people are largely doing in the privacy of their own minds – we are locked in a self-fulfilling spiral of silence.' Dr Niall McLoughlin, at the Climate Barometer research group in the UK, said: 'If you were to unlock the perception gaps, that could move us closer to a social tipping point amongst the public on climate issues.' The existence of a silent climate majority across the planet is supported by several separate analyses. Other studies demonstrate a clear global appetite for action, from citizens of rich nations strongly supporting financial support (pdf) for poorer vulnerable countries and even those in petrostates backing a phase-out of coal, oil and gas. A decades-long campaign of misinformation by the fossil fuel industry is a key reason the climate majority has been suppressed, researchers said. Prof Teodora Boneva, at the University of Bonn, Germany, who was part of the team behind the 125-nation survey, said: 'The world is united in its judgment about climate change and the need to act. Our results suggest a concerted effort to correct these misperceptions could be powerful intervention, yielding large, positive effects.' The 125 countries in the survey account for 96% of the world's carbon emissions, and the results were published in the journal Nature Climate Change. People in China, the world's biggest polluter, were among the most concerned, with 97% saying its government should do more to fight climate change and four out of five willing to give 1% of their income. Brazil, Portugal, and Sri Lanka also ranked highly. The world's second biggest polluter, the US, was near the bottom, but 74% of its citizens still said its government should do more, while 48% were willing to contribute. New Zealand, Norway and Russia were also relatively low-scoring. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion Research has also found that politicians suffer from serious misperceptions. In the UK, MPs vastly underestimated public support for onshore windfarms. In the US, almost 80% of congressional staffers underestimated people's support for limits on carbon emissions, sometimes by more than 50 percentage points. 'Perception gaps can have real consequences – they could mean that climate policies are not as ambitious as the public sentiment,' said McLoughlin. Substantial evidence exists that correcting mistaken beliefs about the views of others can change people's views on many subjects, from opinions on immigrants and violence against women, to environmental topics such as saving energy. This is because people are instinctively drawn to majority views and are also more likely to do something if they think others are doing it too. 'People deeply understand we are in a climate emergency,' said Cassie Flynn, at the UN Development Programme, whose People's Climate Vote in 2024 found 80% of people wanted stronger climate action from their countries. 'They want world leaders to be bold, because they are living it day to day. World leaders should look at this data as a resounding call for them to rise to the challenge.' This story is part of The 89 Percent Project, an initiative of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now
Axios
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Cleveland Orchestra celebrates the music of "Black Panther"
The Marvel Cinematic Universe invades Severance Music Center this weekend. The intrigue: The Cleveland Orchestra, led by world-renowned conductor Anthony Parnther, takes on the music of "Black Panther" for two performances. Composer Ludwig Göransson's score for the 2018 film won both an Academy Award and a Grammy. State of play: Friday's performance will feature a pre-concert talk with Chris Jenkins, a visiting assistant professor of musicology at Oberlin College. Saturday's performance will be preceded by a conversation with Derrick and Kevin Boseman, brothers of the late Chadwick Boseman, who played the iconic title role in "Black Panther." Between the lines: Visitors can also view costumes from the movie on display in Severance's Smith Lobby through April 6. The big picture: Movie scores have become all the rage for the Cleveland Orchestra. The ensemble has performed music from films like "Jurassic Park," "West Side Story," "The Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" franchise in recent years. 💭 Troy's thought bubble: Even compared to the orchestra's recent performances, "Black Panther" in concert feels special.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
In Honor of Black History Month, 30 Black History Facts You May Not Be Aware Of
From trailblazers to inventors, Olympians, and politicians, numerous Black historical figures have left their marks on American history for decades. Unfortunately, a lot of their accomplishments are unsung and under-acknowledged. Their achievements were silenced under the weight of slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws. Despite the ugly side of history and its racial divide, African Americans still managed to pave the way for historical landmark moments even today. From laying down the blueprint for safety measures that you use daily, like the elevator and traffic lights, to the diversity that we can now watch on television, Black history is rich in America. So, in honor of Black History Month, here are some well-known and little-known facts that you may not have known. Related: 1. Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as the "Father of Black History," started the first Negro History Week in 1926 to ensure students would learn Black history. It grew into Black History Month starting in 1976. 2. William Tucker was the first known Black person to be born in the 13 colonies. He was born near Jamestown, Virginia, in 1624. His parents were indentured servants, and part of the first group of Africans brought to colonial soil by Great Britain. In 1634, his parents participated in the establishment of Elizabeth City County, Virginia, which is now the city of Hampton. 3. In 1738, a group of newly freed men and women founded the town Gracia Real De Santa Teresa De Mose, Florida. There were an estimated 100 people in the town's population. Just two miles away from St. Augustine, it's considered to be the first-ever free Black settlement in the U.S. It was abandoned following the Seven Years' War in 1763. In 1994, it was designated a National Historic Landmark. 4. It's estimated that around 100,000 slaves escaped to the North via the Underground Railroad between 1810 and 1850. 5. On July 2, 1777, Vermont became the first colony to ban slavery. Vermont's legislature agreed to abolish slavery entirely, and it also moved to provide full voting rights for African American males. 6. Educator and abolitionist was the first Black woman to graduate from college. She completed a ladies' literary program and graduated from Oberlin College in 1850. Her commencement speech was an appeal for anti-slavery. 7. Allensworth is the first all-Black Californian township founded and financed by African Americans. Created by Lieutenant Colonel Allen Allensworth in 1908, the town was built with the intention of establishing a self-sufficient city where African Americans could live their lives free of prejudice. 8. Cathay Williams was the first and only known female Buffalo Soldier. Williams was born into slavery and worked for the Union Army during the Civil War. She posed as a man and enlisted as William Cathay in the 38th infantry in 1866 and was given a medical discharge in 1868. Related: 30 Black Historical Figures To Celebrate During Black History Month 9. George "Crum" Speck, a chef and restaurant owner, is said to have created the potato chip by accident during the summer of 1853. However, his sister, Kate, claimed she actually created the chip after a potato slice fell into a hot frying pan creating the famous Saratoga chips. Crum's chips remained a local delicacy in New York until the 1920s, when a salesman named Herman Lay (yes, of Lays chips) began traveling throughout the south and introducing potato chips to different communities. 10. Garrett Morgan's inventions continue to save lives. His take on the traffic signal, which he patented in 1922, was the first to offer a third "caution" signal, which is now known as the yellow light. Take his traffic signal, which he patented in 1922. In 1912, Morgan received a patent for his "Breathing Device," which was one of the earliest versions of a gas mask. He was also the first African American man to own a car in Cleveland, Ohio. 11. Alexander Miles's elevator design made riding on elevators safer. Previously, elevators were operated manually; people had to consciously open and close the doors of both the elevator and the shaft every time. In 1887, Miles obtained the patent for his invention, including a flexible belt attached to the elevator cage, allowing the doors to function automatically. He was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007. 12. Mary Beatrice Davidson Kenner patented the sanitary belt in 1957, even though she created it in the 1920s. The belt was adjustable and had a moisture-proof napkin pocket, which helped to hold pads in place from causing leakage. 13. Agricultural scientist George Carver was responsible for developing 300 new products made from peanuts, including milk, flour, ink, soap, medicinal oils and cosmetics. He created 118 products from sweet potatoes, including flour, vinegar, ink and postage stamp glue. 14. Computer scientist and engineer Mark Dean is a co-inventor of IBM's original personal computer and the PC color monitor, which changed the face of technology. He also co-created the technology that enables printers, keyboards, disk drives and monitors to be plugged directly into computers. 15. Founded in 1984, The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo is the only touring African American rodeo in the world. 16. In 2012, at the London Olympics, Gabby Douglas became the first Black gymnast to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics, as well as the first U.S. gymnast to win the all-around and team titles at the same Olympic Games. 17. On September 7, 1960, Wilma Rudolph made Olympic history by becoming the first woman (and the first African American woman) to win three gold medals. She became known as the fastest woman in the world. 18. In 1996, Sheryl Swoopes became the first player to sign with the WNBA, with the league debuting a year later. Related: 75 James Baldwin Quotes That Tell the Story of Black America 19. was assassinated on 's birthday, on April 4, 1968. Angelou stopped celebrating her birthday for years afterward, and sent flowers to King's widow, Coretta Scott King, for more than 30 years, until Coretta's death in 2006. 20. The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, performed in front of a televised audience in Boston the day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Brown is credited for preventing further riots with the performance. 21. was the first African American ever elected to the U.S. Senate. He represented the state of Mississippi from February 1870 to March 1871. 22. Before former President Barack Obama took office, George Edwin Taylor paved the way when he ran for president as a member of the National Negro Liberty Party in 1904. 23. African American fashion designer Ann Lowe designed the ivory silk taffeta wedding dress of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis when she married President John F. Kennedy. 24. Robert Johnson became the first African American billionaire when he sold the cable station he founded, Black Entertainment Television (BET), in 2001. Related: 42 Best Black Comedy Movies of All-Time 25. The cartoon character Betty Boop was based on Esther Jones, a Harlem-based jazz singer. Jones was known for her use of "boops" in her singing, which was called a child-like scat. 26. The Proud Family was Disney Channel's first original animated series about the life of a young Black girl, 14-year-old Penny Proud. 27. In 1940, Hattie McDaniel became the first Black person to win an Oscar for her supporting role in Gone With the Wind. 24 years later, Sidney Poitier became the first Black man to win an Oscar for his leading role in Lilies of the Field. 28. Hailed as "Hip-Hop's First Godmother," singer and music producer Sylvia Robinson produced the first-ever commercially successful rap record: "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang. She co-owned the first hip-hop label, Sugar Hill Records, with her husband. 29. Former President Barack Obama has won two Grammy Awards. He was first honored in 2005 for the audio version of his memoir, Dreams From My Father (best-spoken word album), and received his second Grammy (in the same category) in 2007 for his political work, The Audacity of Hope. In 2022, he was nominated for the audio version of his book A Promised Land. 30. The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) opened in 2021 and is the only museum dedicated to preserving the legacy and celebrating the accomplishments of the many music genres created, influenced or inspired by African Americans. Up Next:
