The Guardian: ‘It’s a crisis, not a change’: the six Guardian language changes on climate matters.
Important and valuable notes from the Guardian on their editorial choices, which is also highly relevant to the language that we all use when addressing the climate crisis.
Here are a couple of examples:
“climate science denier” or “climate denier” to be used instead of “climate sceptic”
The OED defines a sceptic as “a seeker of the truth; an inquirer who has not yet arrived at definite conclusions”. Most “climate sceptics”, in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence, deny climate change is happening, or is caused by human activity, so ‘denier’ is more accurate.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/16/guardian-language-changes-climate-environment
and another one…
Use “fish populations” instead of “fish stocks”
This change emphasises that fish do not exist solely to be harvested by humans – they play a vital role in the natural health of the oceans.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/16/guardian-language-changes-climate-environment
And, by extension, the same thing applies to other aspects of nature. Creation care, and a liveable climate, requires a change in how we view nature – from yet another consumable, to something that we genuinely are trying our best to care for in a sustainable manner.
I think that language plays an important role in how we frame the world, and our choices within our local and global context. Accurate representation is even more important when we are dealing with a crisis, and hard choices are required of all of us.
Thanks to the Guardian for their excellent journalism – on this and other issues. 🙂
