Larry Elliott, writing in the Guardian this morning, summarises exactly why human life on our planet faces an existential threat:
In their different ways, the cases of Flybe and HS2 tell us much about modern Britain. When it comes to making decisions, the short term triumphs over the long term every time, especially when a powerful corporate lobby gets to work. Ministers say they see no contradiction between a growing economy and protecting the environment, and proudly boast that they are pledged to make Britain a net zero-carbon economy.
But that happy day is not planned to arrive until 2050. If the rest of the world follows Britain's example, that will be a couple of decades too late.
There is really not a lot to add to that.
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I agree. Post modernism has left us so aware of multiple views … confusion reigns. Jobs and economics seem to be very important now but if there is no planet worth living on, it all looks very short-termist. Act local, grass roots campaigns, empower the young people who are our future. Check out Sustainable Food Cities website. Join in.
Why should there not be an alternative view. Why deny the capacity to question, to ask, to enquire.
I do not think that anyone on this planet desires it to be degraded to such an extent that it and themselves cannot survive but, and it is a big but, what quality of life should we adopt.
PS; I am currently wearing a 20 year old shirt
The real task is how you “clone” individuals like Richard Murphy who actually make the effort to do joined-up thinking!
I have a twin
We are very non-identical
In case most people hadn’t noticed one of the essential premises of the Green new Deal concept is that which extinguishes the false dichotomy between environmental sustainability and “jobs and economics”. The two are entirely compatible and any suggestion to the contrary is obsolete.
There is a new phase industrial revolution inherent within the GND and it carries a far greater potential for “jobs” and investment than the zombie economy that is slowly dying in our midst.
Agreed
Re: HS2 and more general rail affairs the Spanish train builder TALGO has recieved positive support for building a new factory on the soon to be levelled Longannet site on the shores of the Firth of Forth. Visitors to Spain will know of Talgo, a company not to be sniffed at, and should be good industrial news for Scotland.
Talgo sets its sights on HS2 but a quick look at their product line shows that deploying their technology round the existing Northern Powerhouse rail lines would at a stroke bring transport benefits. I daresay Scots rail infrastructure could be helped if deployment up here was begun.
Tinkering at the edges won’t cut it.
A GND or nothing, on a massive international scale…how likely?
Youngsters to the rescue!
We’ve not always been here, far from it, and we very probably won’t always be.
Just a blip of biology. We’ve messed up like no other life form on this planet.
Some of us will carry on wearing 20 yr old jumpers, most won’t.
I just hope XR and Greenpeace ‘terrorists’, among others, carry on disturbing the planet’s vandals so the next generation has a chance.