Compiled by Dick Bennett. https://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/2024/05/omni-climate-memo-mondays-177-may-6-2024.html
Patrick Mazza on Convergences of Ecological Overshoot, Wars, Billionaires.
Friends Committee on National Legislation Knows the Connections and Responds.
Convergence of Climate Crisis, Overshoot of Ecological Boundaries, Concentration of Wealth, Expansion of Militarism, Wars.
PATRICK MAZZA. “A World Going in the Wrong Direction.“
COUNTERPUNCH (MARCH 28, 2024).
The converging crises facing our world today shout out the fact that their roots are systemic. Tinkering around the edges won’t solve these problems, because they are embedded in the systems logic itself. The climate crisis is the signature of this. While definite progress has been made in deploying low-carbon energy technologies, overall carbon pollution has continued to increase because of the systemic economic and political assumptions under which dominant institutions operate.
The same is true of the general crisis of ecological overshoot in which climate is a major factor but by no means the whole picture. Scientists led by the Stockholm Resilience Center have been looking at ecological boundaries which mark out the safe space for human civilization and the Earth as a whole. Last September they announced the results of the first-ever evaluation of all 9 processes that preserve stability and resilience. Six boundaries have already been breached including the condition of climate, land, water, and the biosphere, as well as overloading of phosphorus and nitrogen, and introduction of novel entities such as microplastics and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. This all suggests, scientists wrote, ‘that Earth is now well outside the safe operating space for humanity.’”
These facts underscore the necessity for transformative change in economic and political systems. Massive resources must be devoted to transforming the basic elements of human society, including how we gain energy and materials to produce goods and services, how we grow our food, how we get around, how we build our buildings, how we deal with waste products. That entails redirection in how we invest capital.
Two significant indicators that our world is not getting it are the dramatic accumulation of wealth upwards and record military spending. Over the past 4 years billionaire wealth in the U.S. alone has shot up 88%, from $2.9 trillion in 2020 to $5.5 trillion today. The top 10, led by Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, account for $1.4 trillion of that. Globally, as a 2022, the richest 1% owned 46% of world wealth. No doubt that percentage has increased since. Would the planet be going into ecological overshoot if these people were investing in a way that created a resilient future? Obviously, they’re not. Sure, some are putting money into low-carbon technologies and environmental philanthropy, but the overwhelming preponderance of their investments and businesses still propels overshoot. Whatever they are doing does not address the systemic roots of the crisis.
Meanwhile, world militaries gobbled a record $2.2 trillion in 2023, up 9% over 2022, and another record is expected in 2024, the International Institute for Strategic Studies reported. That no doubt is a lowball, since real spending by the largest military power, the U.S., was estimated at $1.5 trillion in 2022, double the nominal budget. All the while wars rage on in Europe, the Mideast and Africa, and direct conflict between great powers is predicted. The frightful words World War III are increasingly on people’s lips. . . . MORE click on title
Resistance, One of Our Best Peacemakers Responds: Friends Committee for National Legislation (FCNL) Series on connections among climate change, migration, and peacebuilding.
The most recent article in this series was written by Sofia Guerra, who supports our Nuclear Disarmament and Pentagon Spending Program, and Carla Montilla, who supports our climate work: https://www.fcnl.org/updates/2024-03/climate-change-drives-instability-military-responses-will-only-make-us-less-safe.
Susan Nahvi, Major Gifts Officer
snahvi@fcnl.org | 202-899-5189
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Tell Congress: Ceasefire Now! (As does FCNL’s sister Quaker org. AFSC).—
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