Controlling the world economy at the nub of mitigating, adapting to climate change

-      Robert McLean.

Understanding and marshalling the world economy (controlling it) is at the nub of mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Yes, until we can rein back the world’s prolific spending, driven by the idea that unbridled consumption as cherished by the prevailing market economy will resolve the ills of the world’s climate system, our future will be delicate, difficult and disruptive in ways we yet don’t fully appreciate.

The world economy has colonized the climate change conversation and many have fallen in with the idea that it is a dynamic from which profits can be made, rather than work to preserve life on earth.

The United Nations has said that “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”, which appears to contradict much of what is presently happening.

The idea that we can invest sustainably will be discussed at a forum later this year in New York City, read about it here - “Sustainable Investment Forum.”

Executive Director, UNFCCC, Christiana Figueres, has said ”The finance sector will make the difference... you cannot build what you do not finance- you are the architects of the future”.

The forum organizers said, on their website, “The Paris agreement has now been signed, uniting 193 countries in a binding agreement to limit global warming to under 2C.

“Global governments are now charged with moving further and faster than ever before to tackle climate change, creating an unstoppable transition to a low carbon economy that will ensure the end of the fossil fuel age. $100 billion has been committed to financing such climate action in developing countries, creating new opportunities for sustainable innovation and collaboration.”

The mention of $100 billion excites many for rather rude and brutal mercenary reasons as they see only the chance of immediate personal wealth, rather than being part of a process that ensures the preservation, as much as possible, of our existing way of life.