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Stopping Climate Change: Policies for Real Zero by Paul Ekins

Book review by Dr Alan Morton, part 2

The MHSG Green Book Club is a thriving group that meets every month to discuss a book that tackles climate change and sustainability from every angle: fictional and factual. If you are interested in more information or in joining the group, please contact us at info@mhsgroup.org

Kicking off a new series of book reviews, founder member of MHSG, Dr Alan Morton, has done the hard work for us by ploughing through 400 important, dense pages to report on Paul Ekins’ Stopping Climate Change: Policies for Real Zero. This is the second of two reviews here, analysing the social justice issues tackled by the book.

Stopping Climate Change: Policies for Real Zero

by Paul Ekins

London: Routledge 2024

My previous note outlined some of the technical issues Paul Ekins covers in his book. But the technical is political! Now I want to comment on some political issues Paul mentions, the linkages between climate change and social inequality. First two quotes:

  • “Practically every aspect of climate change has a profound justice dimension: the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the energy transition away from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources, the adaptation to the changes that are taking place and will take place due to climate change, and who will pay for the losses and damages caused by climate change – all these issues raised fundamental questions about responsibility, fairness and compensation.” (p. 323)
  • “Considerable aid from developed to developing countries will be required to achieve this overarching objective of emissions reduction. Within countries, too, it may be found to be politically necessary, as well as just, to ease the transition away from fossil fuels to zero-carbon energy and low-GHG agriculture through well- targeted public interventions.
  • But to insist that a transformation of the scale required to get to zero emissions in 30 years can be achieved without losers and some injustices runs a real risk that the transformation itself will not be achieved. The world is not currently just, and it is inconceivable that the energy transition in itself will make it so. Doubtless it is desirable that, where there is a broad agreement about principles of climate justice and the just transition, moves to a zero-emission economy at least do not increase injustices, and preferably reduce them.” (p. 333)

No simple answers – I agree.

Climate change poses big questions about our society. Here in the UK we have a very unequal society and internationally the distribution of wealth is even more unequal. The ‘benefits’ of high carbon consumption and the disbenefits of climate change are very likely to exacerbate rather than reduce inequalities, not just in wealth, but also in health, education, life expectancy etc.

Carbon emissions correlate closely with wealth. Paul quotes the richest 10% of the global population in 1990 (average annual income of US$122,000 in 2021) were responsible for 50% of emissions, a share that has remained almost unchanged – 49% in 2015 (pp.367-8)

If we lived in a “Good-Enough” world, and the highest emitting 10% reduced their emissions to the level of the next 10%, (still a very high standard of living), this would allow the bottom 50% to double their emissions without raising global emissions at all. But in our “Real and Bad” world, where the emissions of the top 10% continue to rise, then more $200m superyachts, private jets etc, will become more common whilst others starve.

While that calculation is a nice idea, it is very unlikely to happen. Most economists agree that one mechanism which would get us closer is a global carbon tax. But as Paul points out (pp.397-8) such a tax does not even make it onto the agenda of the COPs, far less being applied.

As for the COPs, Paul points out (p.398) that the $100 bn promised for climate damage was less than half cost of World Cup in Qatar. But if the Global South does not have access to the funds it needs for green development, these countries are likely to use any reserves of fossil fuels they have in their own territories – not least at the urging of Big Oil who will rush to help.

But what are the other social and political mechanisms that could drive that kind of transition? Paul explains that a carbon tax or wealth tax could be doubly beneficial, both reducing overall emissions significantly whilst providing much needed investment for socially useful measures. To get anywhere near those ends will require quite radical social and political changes to our economic system.

But many current industrial developments are going in the opposite direction. For example, Paul mentions producing hydrogen from renewable sources at times when there is excess generation. But crypto miners have latched on to this excess renewable generation (even renewables awaiting grid connections) to get both cheap electricity and to claim they are reducing their own carbon emissions. At best this is greenwashing, at worst it is highjacking a climate friendly and socially useful outcome. Those extra renewables, rather than replacing fossil electricity generation, are being used to power with something quite socially useless – cryptocurrencies. But is this not characteristic of large sections of modern industrial society?

So can we promote both radical action and thinking that changes behaviour of our society so we drastically curtail GHG emissions? Rather than calculate our personal Carbon Footprints, a form of personal accounting shaped by industrial society, we should be thinking more of profound societal change. Only greater social justice – worldwide – will ensure a good life for all – a Good-Enough world where the destructive effects of carbon emissions – especially those produced during armed conflict – are minimised.

We need to promote happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives. Rather than endless consumption we pursue activities we value and should value more – education, health, caring for others, old and young. Nature – from gardening to walking in the countryside. All are low carbon and fulfilling activities.

Alan Morton

Alan Morton is one of the founder members of MHSG and en10ergy limited. His interest in energy and climate issues is long-standing from his upbringing in a coal-mining area in Fife, Scotland, to being Curator of Energy and Modern Physics at the Science Museum for many years. The PV panels in the background of his picture played a part in setting up MHSG.

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