Climate Change Issues
Updated: 12/28/2009
This page presents the concerns and discussion of members of the Metro DC chapter
of the Committees of Correspondence, on approaching catastrophic
climate changes
and what must be done if we are to successfully prevent the devastation we
face.
- Presentation on Ecosocialism or Ecocatastrophe? at SALSA-IPS on Oct. 12th, 2009
- See the resolution on climate change adopted by CCDS.
While the last several years have seen the growth of a world
wide environmental awareness
and movement, the response is still inadequate and conflicted about both
how much time
we have and what can or should be done. Resistance to a comprehensive and
committed
approach to obtaining a sustainable environment comes
from the economic and
national conflicts and self-interest of global corporate powers.
The primary resistance to a successful environmental program
will come from the nuclear military industrial fossil fuel complex ("MIC" for
short) that President Dwight Eisenhower identified 60 years ago as the
great burden on humanity. Therefore avoidance of C3 
requires
the end of oil and fossil fuel addiction, giving up the nuclear option
and a rapid conversion to a high efficiency solar energy infrastructure.
Since the major obstacle to this path is MIC, especially its U.S. component,
this complex and its imperial agenda must be confronted, isolated, and
finally eliminated as the biggest threat to human survival. More precisely,
its material infrastructure should be solarized, with containment of its
huge legacy of chemical and nuclear waste. A solarized and demilitarized
world, a formidable challenge to say the least! Achievable only with a
socialized or socialist approach. (See Schwartzman, Ecosocialism
or Ecocatastrophe)
The Climate Change arguments of this page can be describe as:
- The scientific community has concluded that climate change is real, threatening our ecosystem and is significantly excellerated by human activity.
- Even the more conservative estimates of the rate and extent of climate change predict that if not significantly reduced in the next few years, we face catastrophic and irreparable threats as ecosystem tipping points are breached.
- Current efforts to organize a world wide response capable of slowing and preventing catastrophic climate change remain conflicted, insufficient and unlikely to succeed.
- Given the global scope and difficulties of stopping, much less reversing the factors causing climate change, any plan that is compromised by national and economic interests is likely to be inadequate and fatally late.
- In essence, a socialist approach to climate change is necessary if we are to succeed. It would be based on three primary positions; first that any climate change prevention plan must be based on the best science available, second that all people's needs be considered, based on their vulnerability to climate change and not citizenship or economic status and third that no political, military or economic interference be allowed to sabotage the success of the plan.
The importance and substance of this argument for a socialist based plan are further argued in the following documents. Clarifications and additions welcomed.
CCDS - Documents, discussion and resources:
- Prevent Climate Change Catastrophe Earlier position paper from 12/06/2006 on CCDS web site. Additional sources and links.
- Marxism Ecology and Globalization Writings on Eco-Socialism by David Schwartzman.
- Why [is there] No Call to PREVENT coming Catastrophic Climate Change? Questions from 11/7/06 and updated 8/6/08 by W. Teague. Additional sources and links.
- Leadership in the face of Catastrophic Climate Change? A draft comparing the failure of leadership around Katrina and the challenge of preventing catastrophic climate change. PDF version
- Why Eco-socialism? This introduction to David Schwartzman's article Ecosocialism or Ecocatastrophe? was presented at the CCDS Southern Regional Conference in Charleston, SC on 3/21/09.
- “The Crisis of Climate Change” Workshop Panel at the CCDS National Convention July 24, 2009.
- Proposal on a call for leadership This proposal on the need for an Eco-socialist perspective and leadership to prevent Catastrophic Climate Change was adopted at the CCDS National Convention on 7/24/09.
- Rethinking our Strategy is Imperative - Comment on the UN Climate Change Science Compendium 2009
- Metro DC Presents Eco-Socialism on 10-12-09. The slide show for this presentation in PDF SALSA.pdf
- Why Eco-socialism? Update of leaflet used with David Schwartzman's presentations.
- RSA Report.Sydney Royal Arts Society in October this year, asked “is it too late to prevent Catastrophic Climate Change?” and detailed what must be done to give us the best chance to survive, an essentially eco-socialist approach.
- Fight Climate Change, Not Wars Davis Schwartzman's 12/11/09 posting on this subject.