I listened with interest to the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, talking about how the financial sector could 'green' the economy and thereby save us from damnation and again I wonder why, or how, he would ignore the ever growing challenge of global population.
The common and constant theme promoted by people talking about climate change is that humankind's inherent intelligence will come up with an answer (to climate change), the implication being that we can carry on as before albeit in a greener manner. But no-one seems willing to discuss whether or not global resources are capable of sustaining current population long-term. Everything that I have read suggests that the answer is NO but there would seem to be an entrenched denial or at least a refusal to consider that issue. In this light, climate change denial might not be seen as the exclusive territory of Trump supporters or radical christians.
Maybe dealing with climate change would be easier if everyone started to at least consider that humankind's tenure on this planet might be relatively short and that having children might not be such good idea, in the long term.
Of course, considering this possibility may lead a lot of people to feel hopeless and hopelessness is entirely contrary to the capitalist model of growth and profit at all cost. Yet facing up to reality might help us come to terms with the situation that we face.
Global climate is, I am certain, very much like a supertanker, taking a very long time to change and humankind, unknowingly, has been causing it to change since the start of the industrial revolution, over 200 years ago. What is disappointing is having to recognise that, an equally long time ago, some scientists recognised the possibility that human activity would lead to climate modification but, given the opportunity (for profit) presented by the industrial revolution, that potential problem was ignored.
So, 200+ years have passed and we are only just beginning to see the consequences of our actions. Soits important to recognise that current climate change is only the beginning because it takes the climate supertanker a long long time to change course.
Mark Carney is a smart guy but he serves a hard taskmaster, capitalism, and the idea that growth/greed/capitalism might be the root cause of our warming climate might not be the best message to promote. Instead we must blindly follow our basest instincts and charge headlong to self-imolation.