I have yet so see any argument why this should be ineffective or even highly so. Or why this should be any less effective than anything else that has been tried.

With regards to your article: I think the authors answers his own questions: These are serious scientists. They told everybody in the whole world that we are all going to die (I'm paraphrasing, but you get it) in the most adult and sophisticated way possible: Highly prestigious peer reviewed journals, conferences and so on for several decades. Nobody listed. THAT was highly ineffective. Now it seems like time for a change in strategy.

And given how very well it worked for the yellow vests and their infantile demands it looks like a good strategy.