Rapidly reducing carbon emissions impossible with rising militarism and military spendingRapidly reducing carbon emissions impossible with rising militarism and military spending
Earlier this month, the 29 leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) went to London to celebrate their alliance’s anniversary but snubbed the opening of United Nations climate conference, where the other 164 world leaders and their delegations were meeting in Madrid.
Environmental destruction isn’t driven by human nature or mistaken ideas. It is an inevitable consequence of a system built on capital accumulation.
Climate & Capitalism editor Ian Angus spoke at an educational conference organized by Socialist Action in Toronto, on November 16, 2019. His talk has been edited for publication.
These sentences are from a recent report on the consequences of climate change:
Inspired by the Swedish student, Greta Thunberg, the student strikers and Naomi Klein's new book "On Fire: The Burning Case for the Green New Deal," I have decided to upend my life, leave my comfort zone and move to Washington, D.C. for four months to focus on climate change. As Greta said, "This is a crisis. We have to act like our house is on fire, because it is.”
While many Canadians are looking to the October 21st federal election for solutions to global climate disruption, the climate plans from the four major parties offer none.
Any genuine solution will require reining in an economic system that demands eternal growth in a finite ecosystem, mitigating or adapting to multiplying environmental and social disasters, and drastically reducing consumption. Deadline: yesterday!
