The Politics of Climate Change

bristol | the environment | event notice Saturday October 03, 2009 09:02 by Dave - Socialist Workers Party

Individual solutions or radical transformation of society?

@ Hawks Gym, 11 Roman Rd, Easton, BS5 6DH

THIS IS A MEETING TO HELP BUILD TOWARDS THE NATIONAL CLIMATE MARCH IN LONDON ON 5TH DECEMBER, AND THE DEMONSTRATION IN COPENHAGEN ON 12TH DECEMBER AS PART OF THE GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION.

Climate change is threatening the future of the planet. Millions of people around the globe are already feeling the effects of environ­mental damage and are asking what we can do to stop it.

But many also believe that people themselves are a barrier to tackling climate change. We consume too much, they say, and produce so much waste that we are making the planet unsustainable for future generations.

So governments around the world are attempting to come up with strategies to deal with climate change. But they are based on individual or market solutions rather than looking at alternative ways of organising society.

This is because the dominant “common sense” argument is that individual behaviour is causing climate change, rather than anything systemic.

This meeting will consider how such ideas stand against daily evidence of the irrationality, inherent wastefullness and destructiveness of the economic and social system in which we live – capitalism.

For example, wind turbine manufacturer Vestas made £50 million in profit in the first quarter of 2009 but still announced the closure of its plant on the Isle of Wight – despite the desperate need for renewable energy – because it wasn’t sure that that level of profitability would continue.

At a time of economic and environmental crisis shouldn't workplaces and factories that face closure be retooled and redesigned to benefit the planet and the workers who face unemployment?

Come along and join in the discussion. Hosted by East Bristol SWP.