In the communique the businesses “pledge to engage positively with governments to help develop the policies and measures that are needed internationally and nationally for the business sector to contribute effectively to building a low carbon economy.”

These words would become meaningful if the leaders would engage in halting economic growth and reducing and reducing resource consumption and carbon emissions by reduction of speed and transportation and by increasing longevity of products.

But no. They write themselves “we believe that tackling climate change is the pro-growth strategy”.

Factually the business leaders and the theoretical masters still follow the ideology of economic growth, which demonstrably always leads to an increase in the rate of resource consumption and environmental pollution (including greenhouse gases).

Humanity’s numbers and per capita consumption already poses a burden on the planet that is far higher than the earth’s carrying capacity. Thus, instead of growing we have to reduce and contract.

Neither the business leaders nor the politicians negociating climate change appear being aware of the overarching ecological principles. The communique transpires the illusion that technology and money will furnish solutions. But technology will not be able to replace nonrenewable resources and life that is gone for ever. Nor will it be able to mitigate the effects of climate change.

When resources and a normal climate are gone, money will be worthless, like the ancient King Midas who could not eat gold, we can’t eat the virtual bank accounts that will no longer represent physical goods.

Board members from SwissRe, Credit-Suisse and WBCSD have expressed publicly that we can and must continue to grow. The Intergovernational Panel on Climate Change claims that mitigation of climate change will only marginally reduce the growth rate of the economies. So even this IPCC believes the earth has no limits, one could conclude.

I believe negotions on climate change must take place between scientists, who can then inform the public and the members or the disciplines of economics and politics about the actions to be taken.

Helmut Lubbers
ecological psychologist and
environmental scientist

Frank