Growth Will Kill Us All, If The Hamster Doesn't Get Us First

The new economics foundation (nef) has released a report title Growth Isn’t Possible, which is available for free download (pdf here) or purchase in a bound copy. The low-down is simple: in order to maintain the international goal of avoiding an increase of 2°C in global temperatures from carbon emissions we must stop economic growth. Basically, economic growth will kill us if we don’t “change our economy to live within its environmental budget.”

nef figures that with a growth rate of only 3%, the global economics “carbon intensity” would need to decrease by 95% by 2050 from 2002 levels. This requires an average annual reduction of 6.5%, which is even optimistically impossible in the best of circumstances. All of the “magic bullets” in the public discourse: carbon capture, nuclear, geo-engineering, et cetera are “dangerous distractions from more human-scale solutions.”

Sure, our carbon intensity has nearly flatlined in the last few years, but we need to reverse this trend not flatten out or encourage growth. Technological efficiencies can help, but physical laws limit the amount of efficiency you can pump out of any system. Worse yet, we’ll never match growth in efficiency with even mild economic growth that our system has been designed to need. It’s simple mathematics, which neoclassical economists have never been good at in the first place.

A broader support for community-scale projects like decentralized energy systems are needed over the pipe dreams currently getting all the political attention and funding. nef’s research shows that in order to prevent runaway climate change we need to change. An economy that took into account environmental thresholds will be more likely able to not only avoid runaway climate change but provide improved human well-being in the future.

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We Hold the Future in Our Hands

You may have noticed that in spite of all my posts about climate change I have been silent on the subject during these past weeks. Whilst the Copenhagen Climate Conference has been filling the media, blogs and my spare time I have decided to keep my blog free of yet another Copenhagen report. If you would like to learn about the (mostly) disappointing results of the conference I suggest you go elsewhere.

The alternative for me is to discuss solutions instead of pointing fingers. This is a pivotal time in the history of our species – not our nation or group of nations, the whole world – all of humanity is at stake here. Time is short for positive action.

There are so many solutions out there – many that will work, many that will not. We should be conservative and aim for strong goals with multiple redundancies. It would be rash to place all our eggs in one basket. The worst thing that happens if we are over conservative in our efforts is we have less climate change harm and a more sustainable society. The worst thing that happens if we are not conservative enough is (besides wasted efforts) runaway climate destabilization that kills millions, threatens billions more and irreversibly alters the very face of human society on Earth (not to mention the planet itself).

I have done some research, as much as I can, and written about possible solutions for adverting climate destabilization. Ultimately I can talk all I want about what needs to be done, but by this point you have probably heard more than a few ideas of solutions. In truth, what our governments do is incredibly important if we want to transform our societies into sustainable versions. However, the people are likely to do the changes and prepare for the shift regardless of the talking heads in the state house.

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Today is a Global Day of Action on Climate Change. Today we make a stand and show our governments that we want strong, binding, decisive climate action at Copenhagen in December. Today I am taking the second day of testing for my professional engineering license (not easy stuff, nor much fun), so my 350 action was limited to: (1) wearing a 350 T-Shirt to the exam, (2) putting 350 bumper stickers in public places, and (3) posting here. All three are now accomplished!

Here is a short video from 350.org about our need for climate change policy now:

I wish the timing was better for me, as I would have much rather been in a larger form of activism today instead of taking an 8-hour exam. I hope you are getting involved in this movement of civil disobedience, activism, and political change!

There are two days left until October 24th – the Day of Action. We must stand united to show world leaders that we, the people of this planet, will no longer wait for change – Copenhagen must bring it! I will be taking my civil engineering professional license exam on the Day of Action, unfortunately. I will be wearing a 350.org t-shirt and posting here, but I will be unable to join in the activism on the actual day.

I ask that you step up where I cannot and join an action near you!

Copenhagen Needs Some Help

The countdown is on with now just under 55 days until the much anxiously awaited Copenhagen Climate Conference where world leaders (we hope it’s the leaders, not delegates) will work on drafting a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012 (and a serious agreement is needed).

Nations know that there is no excuse for waiting, binding action must be taken at Copenhagen. Not only to maintain a decent standard of living and healthy planet for ourselves, but for our children. However, in order to realize this green dream we must recognize the inherent problems with our current system. Otherwise, we will continue to feed the growth machine without making ourselves happier and while making the world worse for our children.

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Impact Climate Action

We’ve been in the process of moving and I have also ramped up my studying for the professional engineers exam (taking in 3 weeks), so the posting will be a little light for the next few weeks. We did manage to break away last Friday to see Colin Beavan’s book signing at our local bookstore. It was quite illuminating, here are my thoughts on his book No Impact Man.

It is pretty easy to fall into habits that we know are bad – but we do them anyway. Maybe yours is coffee or alcohol or TV. It doesn’t really matter, in the end these things provide escape from “the daily grind” or the all-consuming weight of things (e.g., “real life”). What happens when our life becomes just the means of escape? When do we stop to face it and all the questions it has for us?

When the end comes and the final breathe leaves my lips I hope my last thought is not about stuff I wish I had in my life. When I make that final thought I hope it’s not a worry that I could have gotten a better score on a video game. I hope my last thought is of the life I lived, the love I was blessed with, and the difference I made for the better in the world.

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Tomorrow is the worldwide release the much talked about climate change drama/documentary staring Pete Postlethwaite “as a man living alone in the devastated future world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?” The Guardian calls it “the first successful dramatisation of climate change to reach the big screen.”

There are tons of evens coinciding with the premier around the world, from Thom Yorke playing at a premier to Greenpeace live at the Himalayans. Check out the preview if you haven’t hear of it:

The same people who bring you this great film also helped to start the 10:10 campaign and run the climate-change action site Not Stupid. Please take time from you busy schedule to go see this movie tomorrow (or Tuesday, depending on where you are – look for screenings here).

I know I promised my next post would be back on the topic of the Steady State Economy, but I have another word on climate change first. Seriously, this is important stuff – survival of life on Earth sort of stuff. Creating a sustainable economy is crucial to stopping runaway climate destabilization. They go hand-in-hand, as you will see in Leo’s last point about growth in this video…

I’ll be short and sweet: WATCH THIS VIDEO. Please also support the Age of Stupid by watching the film (when it debuts in the US) and above all being Not Stupid. It is high time we Wake Up and Freak Out:

Wake Up, Freak Out – then Get a Grip from Leo Murray on Vimeo.