[DEBATE] : Re: (Fwd) Crit of new UK climate blahblah

[Patrick Bond]

Doug Henwood wrote:
> On Oct 30, 2006, at 10:29 AM, Patrick Bond wrote:
>> Rising Tide: UK Stern Report Sells Climate Short,
>> Paves Way to Global Warming Catastrophe
> Does the phrase "better than nothing" mean anything to the authors of 
> this "crit"? In the US, we can't even get our gov to admit that 
> anything's wrong. 

It's the classic problem, isn't it Doug, of adopting a reformist reform 
('better than nothing') when we know we need a non-reformist reform. In 
my understanding - of Gorz, Kagarlitsky, Saul - these 'reforms' actually 
strengthen the underlying logic of the system, and strengthen the 
system's existing institutions, and weaken the institutions of 
resistance. As Christian Aid put it yesterday, 'If we follow the 
report's conclusions, we may avert economic bankruptcy but we will still 
be teetering on the brink moral bankruptcy.'

***

Stern figures don't add up for world's poor say Christian Aid /30.10.06

Christian Aid today (Monday, 30 October) broadly welcomed the Stern 
Review on the Economics of Climate Change, but warned that its 
conclusions would still expose millions of poor people to an 
unacceptably high risk of disease, drought and famine.

'Sir Nicholas's report is of major international significance and should 
leave no-one in doubt about the need for immediate action on climate 
change,' said Andrew Pendleton, Christian Aid's senior climate change 
analyst.

However, Mr Pendleton cautioned: 'Talk of economic dangers is all very 
well but the real danger remains poor people in the developing world 
whose future depends on our willingness to act.

'If we follow the report's conclusions, we may avert economic bankruptcy 
but we will still be teetering on the brink moral bankruptcy.'

Mr Pendleton welcomed the report's main message that dealing with 
climate change was wiser than delaying, but said that Stern's benchmark 
of economic feasibility was incompatible with the urgent needs of poor 
people.

'We are concerned that the Stern Report has dismissed a level of CO2 and 
other equivalent greenhouse gases (CO2e) of 450 parts per million as too 
expensive. But in reality poor people are already struggling to cope 
with existing climate change as a result of an atmosphere polluted with 
430ppm of CO2e.

'At Stern's levels, large parts of the developing world would be exposed 
to a much greater risk of disaster and misery,' Pendleton said.

'Stern's figures means that the world's average temperature would almost 
certainly increase beyond the two degree mark that scientists agree is 
safe. This could condemn millions of poor people on the front line of 
climate change to death,' said Mr Pendleton.


Notes to editors:

Christian Aid, a leading member of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, is 
calling for:

• an annual, contracting carbon budget to limit the amount of greenhouse 
gases Britain produces each year. This must be commensurate with the 
science of remaining within a two degree increase in global average 
surface temperatures.

• incentives and penalties to significant industries, including 
transport and energy, to encourage emissions reductions
• an annual report on whether or not emissions are kept within the 
carbon budget.

• an independent audit commission to check emissions are being reduced 
in line with the carbon budget

• tax incentives to drive innovation in renewable energy and other clean 
technology

• public subsidies to support research and development.

For more information, contact Andrew Pendleton on 07789 997376 or John 
McGhie on 07812 352130.