Slow boiling frogs in the climate change stew

31 08 2025 | 18:05Prof Dr Ioannis Tsipouridis, Strathmore University/ ESI AFRICA

A new study published in the reputable scientific journal Nature concludes that the way climate disasters are presented in the media makes climate change appear as a slow, gradual change of everyday weather. This, in turn, makes many people perceive the impacts of climate change as non-alarming, of little significance, and thus builds apathy—known as the “boiling frog effect”.

The boiling frog effect is a metaphor, an allegory if you like, that claims the following: If you place a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will immediately jump out. But if you place it in a pot of cold water and slowly heat it, the frog will not leap to safety—it will adapt to the rising temperature and remain until it eventually dies.

Personally, I fully agree.

It is incomprehensible how intelligent beings can ignore the endless warning signals of the past decades. And the frog allegory is truly fitting, because while scientific findings and warnings become grimmer and more alarming each year and although they are confirmed by the tragic and destructive climate events striking the entire planet, humanity ignores them and continues undeterred down the same destructive path, or if you prefer, remains in the slowly heating pot.

It should be acknowledged that a primary reason for this behaviour lies in the fact that there are conflicting messages about climate change, with many sources outright denying it.

Voices claiming that climate change does not exist are numerous and enjoy the highest possible representation globally, while many media but also, very significantly, social media are contributing to this confusion and resulting apathy about the fast-changing climate.

Climate change denial

The most prominent of these voices is, of course, the new tenant of the White House, who never misses an opportunity to proclaim his climate denial, through incoherent (usually) statements, negative comments about renewable energy (he particularly hates wind turbines [i]) and proclaiming his love for fossil fuels.

The worst part is that his scientifically unfounded beliefs are transformed into Executive Orders that weaken the protective legal framework built by previous presidents. The most notable are:

Withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement on climate change on the very first day (January 20) of his new term
On April 8, issued an executive order aimed at blocking the enforcement of state laws passed to reduce fossil fuel use, protect the environment, and combat climate change.
On July 29, proposed rescinding a scientific finding—established in 2009 in the US—that forms the basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. The new decision would revoke the directive that determined carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare.
You can see all the “ingenious” and scientifically objective Executive Orders here… so far.

Naturally, fossil fuel companies are rubbing their hands in delight, openly or discreetly, and are moving rapidly to capitalise in the new favourable business environment. For example, BP announced it would divest its Renewables portfolio to focus on fossil fuels [ii]. And, of course, the banks wouldn’t miss such an opportunity: HSBC and Barclays announced their withdrawal from the NET ZERO alliance [iii].

Don’t underestimate the significance of this renewed “pro-fossil fuel” environment, in the failure to reach an agreement on Plastics in Geneva [iv].

No need to elaborate on the part social media influencers are having, at the expense of climate science [v], flooding the platforms with false claims and fake “alternative facts”.

It’s all so confusing

So how can the average citizen not be relaxed and apathetic about climate change phenomena? The messages they receive are anything but clear, with some shouting “End fossil fuels” while others (the majority) chant “drill, baby, drill”?

And as the latter are clearly winning, we are taking steps backwards when we should be running at full speed forward. Unbelievable but true.

And is not for lack of clear scientific warnings and daily signs on our screens of the impending climate doom. Every year is worse than the year before. The news resembles horror movies. [vi], [vii], [viii], [ix] and [x]

We know the culprits and the brains responsible for these disasters.

What comes next?

So, what can we do? What happens now? And in the next years?

Climate change is finally here to stay, and it will worsen for many years and decades to come, before it starts slowly to return to the stable state it was before the Industrial Revolution. It cannot be undone by a technological or AI miracle. The length of the in-between period will be determined by the actions we take today and in the next few years.

For the moment, we have to learn to live with the new climate.

Because, as the climate changes, all living organisms will either adapt, migrate, or become extinct.

And by the way, it’s not only a climate crisis we are dealing with. It’s also a global pollution crisis and a biodiversity crisis. The triple planetary crisis brings life-threatening changes to the three elements our existence depends on: air, water and soil.

What we do now will affect not only us but many generations to come, and trust me, by the looks of it, they will not be proud that their ancestors just stood still in a boiling pot until they perished.

About the author

Prof Dr Ioannis Tsipouridis, a Senior Research Fellow at Strathmore University in Kenya. He is a Renewable Energy Consultant Engineer and Climate Action Advocate, Director at RECCReC (Renewable Energy & Climate Change Research Center at TUM) and Visiting Professor at the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM), Visiting Professor at Kisii University, Editor of the “Energy Matters to Climate Change” Emc2 portal, Member of Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty and Member of Loss and Damage Collaboration Group