COP24 Climate Protesters Must Get Radical and Challenge Economic Growth

Conversation, December 10, 2018, Posted by Wayne Morgenthaler

Decoupling economic growth from resource extraction is an obvious necessity for a sustainable world.  It is also true that this is the most under-assessed element in the climate emergency debate. The Green New Deal for instance promises jobs, education, healthcare and a better life especially for marginallized communities.  Although we support the initiative, at its core GND is nationalist and hence insufficient to the international challenge.  Truth about growth will eventually immerge but it is indisputable that given our current system we should fully expect a serious lowering of standards of living especially in the first world countries if we are to reduce emissions radically over 5-10 years especially and if we do so in a fair handed way with regards to actually increasing standards of living in the third world.