The mitigation we seek is NOT about improving our economy

by Robert McLean

Many ideas for mitigating circumstances that are warming our planet have been suggested.

Victoria's Premier,
Dr Denis Napthine.

Few, however, appear sweeping enough in context to address the major issues – there is simply too many of us; we consume too much; we waste too much; we are emotionally immature and so ethically uncertain about our response and subsequently procrastinate endlessly; and we have a serious intergenerational difficulty in that in that we pride ourselves on our successes, cling to them and discount the importance of those to come.

Beyond and within all that it seems we are not prepared to make the necessary sacrifices today that will enable generations to come to live lives in reasonable safety and security with access to some quality of life.

Whatever we might think, our attitude is fundamentally selfish.

Almost every day the various news outlets how this or that problem will be resolved just as soon as we can return to economic growth.

Therein is a substantial part of the trouble for we live in a society in which economic growth underpins, underlines and gives reason to almost all we do and it seems we are unable to understand that such idolization of growth is the very thing causing the troubles we face.

Just today (March 11) The Age editorialized about our “Sick economy needs Dr Napthine’s attention”, but rather than devoting time and energy to the State’s economy, the Premier needs to concentrate on creating community; communities that are resilient; communities that are localized in every way possible; communities that reduce their reliance on motor vehicles; communities that understand and implement the use of human muscle to invigorate their resourcefulness; communities that are about sharing; and communities that survival in a rather different future is founded on helping your neighbour.

A localized economy may not be as grand as that promised by the collapsing paradigm, but in a warming climate in what was will not be, it is critically important that we shift from financially enriching just a few to socially enriching everyone.