John Boyle, Mullumbimby
While all those folks who marched and protested for action on climate change should be applauded, we need to stop, consider and mount more and larger protests against the cause of climate chaos.
Rampant consumer capitalism, ‘Casino’ capitalism, the worldwide addiction to the consumption of ‘things’, mindless international tourism, endless wars and the exploitation of at least a billion animals each year.
Unless those issues are addressed and our behaviour modified, we will ‘eat the future of our descendants’.
Spot on. Succinct & brilliant.
The capitalist system – including the modified capitalism of one party states like China and Vietnam – has over my lifetime delivered the a largest reductions in human poverty in human history. That has been accompanied by a state of international peace between the major powers that has held since the triumph of capitalism over socialism and the end of the cold war. The developed capitalist democracies have shown they are more capable at managing environmental impacts of growth than those socialist states ever were, and more capable than the third world countries that have not put in place good governance over public administration, including environmental management. Developed capitalist democracies have also put in place strong legislation to ensure the millions of animals we keep to eat are treated humanely.
Plainly managing the impact of increased energy consumption is unfinished business. The managers of private capital consistently have told government what they need is certainty in policies that reduce carbon emissions, whether they are from energy production or livestock and vegetation management so they can invest in innovative and profitable ways of producing energy, housing, food and other products. One great challenge will be to reduce the carbon impact of air travel. Far form being mindless, other people have long found overseas travel broadens the mind and the globalisation of work and families will continue to create a demand for travel.
Campaigners to save our planet would do better to educate voters on the need ot accept higher costs for energy and other carbon intensive products like meat, so that governments can respond with strong policy settings, and private capital will quickly respond with low carbon impact alternatives.