Climate Change/Mass Extinction Megathread

[Valmy]

But I suppose consistency is not a human strong point. The Guardian often praises Norway for its sovereign wealth fund for example; you know, the one that is creating a rentier state on the back of massive fossil fuel production 

What's wrong with a rentier state? It sounds perfect to me.

It is the sort of thing the Guardian is normally against.

[Admiral Yi]

It is the sort of thing the Guardian is normally against.

Why would a leftist, pro labor, anti capitalist whatever paper be against turning the entire population into trustifarians?  Because it deprives people of the joy of confiscating wealth?

[Baron von Schtinkenbutt]

Why would a leftist, pro labor, anti capitalist whatever paper be against turning the entire population into trustifarians?  Because it deprives people of the joy of confiscating wealth?

In the (consistent) leftist view, rentiers are always bad because they require the exploitation of someone in order to derive their income.  That the rentier is a government doesn't (or rather, shouldn't) matter.

[crazy canuck]

Why would a leftist, pro labor, anti capitalist whatever paper be against turning the entire population into trustifarians?  Because it deprives people of the joy of confiscating wealth?

In the (consistent) leftist view, rentiers are always bad because they require the exploitation of someone in order to derive their income.  That the rentier is a government doesn't (or rather, shouldn't) matter.

This

[Admiral Yi]

In the (consistent) leftist view, rentiers are always bad because they require the exploitation of someone in order to derive their income.  That the rentier is a government doesn't (or rather, shouldn't) matter.

Would the same apply if Norway's portfolio consisted only of bonds?  Only of sovereign bonds?

[Sheilbh]

From a leftist perspective, I don't think it makes any difference. Rentier income is parasitical.

It's one of the big criticisms of many modern left thinkers like Piketty that we're in an era of rentier capitalism which lacks even the progressive, creative power of early forms of capitalism.

Edit: Having said that - the Guardian isn't really lefty or rigorous. It's just vibes

[Admiral Yi]

From a leftist perspective, I don't think it makes any difference. Rentier income is parasitical.

It's one of the big criticisms of many modern left thinkers like Piketty that we're in an era of rentier capitalism which lacks even the progressive, creative power of early forms of capitalism.

Edit: Having said that - the Guardian isn't really lefty or rigorous. It's just vibes

Then what is the leftist perspective on countries issuing bonds, i.e. incurring debt?  Victims of something?

Of consumer debt?

[Sheilbh]

On my shelf is David Graeber's Debt: The First 5000 Years, but I haven't read it. So I'll never know until I get there

I think the focus on debt, like rentier capitalism and financialisation is relatively recent (last 30-40 years), because it's such an important feature of the economic model we're living in, but I could be wrong.

[crazy canuck]

On my shelf is David Graeber's Debt: The First 5000 Years, but I haven't read it. So I'll never know until I get there

I think the focus on debt, like rentier capitalism and financialisation is relatively recent (last 30-40 years), because it's such an important feature of the economic model we're living in, but I could be wrong.

As I understand Piketty's argument it is that government should not enrich rentiers by borrowing money from them through bonds but should instead tax them.

As you will recall he uses characters from works like Pride and Prejudice to make his point.

[Legbiter]

In the South of Iceland the average summer temp has been around 12 degrees


Please send help. We're about to suffocate.

[Zanza]

China has basically reached parity between cars with a plug and those without in new sales.

Most Western nations far behind. And when you see the EU legislation on PHEV, that will be killed here soon despite being an alternative to ICE cars, not to BEV cars. 

[Josquius]

Electric cars though important to support are fundamentally a big distraction when it comes to doing away with ice vehicles.
The focus should be on making whether to own a car or not an actual choice for more people.

[Syt]

That only works if you massively overhaul urban and rural planning and infrastructure in pretty much every western country. And I don't see any country having the political will (or corporate backed lobbying which might be more important) to do so.

[Syt]

Then again, I guess some companies that are affected by climate change and mass extinctions are starting to raise their voice.

https://www.reuters.com/business/trillion-dollar-group-urges-government-action-stop-nature-loss-2024-07-15/

Trillion-dollar group urges government action to stop nature loss

LONDON/SAO PAULO, July 16 (Reuters) - More than 100 companies, including Unilever (ULVR.L), opens new tab, L'Occitane (0973.HK), opens new tab and Iberdrola (IBE.MC), opens new tab, have called on governments to enact tougher policies to reach a U.N. goal on halting nature loss by the end of the decade.

With more than 1 million species on the brink of extinction, the world agreed to a landmark deal in 2022 to protect biodiversity, including a pledge to protect 30% of the world's natural ecosystems.

Countries will convene at the COP16 biodiversity summit in October in Colombia to work out the details of implementing the pledge.

In a letter shared exclusively with Reuters ahead of the talks, 132 companies with combined revenues of $1.1 trillion demanded stronger action.

Other companies that signed the call for action - on measures ranging from subsidy reform to water use and farming practices - include miner Teck Resources (TECKb.TO), opens new tab, food group Danone, energy company RWE (RWEG.DE), opens new tab and cement maker Holcim (HOLN.S), opens new tab.

Humans are decimating wildlife by destroying native ecosystems, polluting nature and driving climate change.

Whatever the financial cost of preventative measures, some of those backing the letter have said the much bigger cost would be from lost species as food production relies on dwindling numbers of pollinators, for instance, and disrupted water systems that depend on vulnerable ecosystems.

"If we don't focus on nature, if we don't focus on biodiversity, the business that we operate may not even exist in years to come," said Rishi Kalra, executive director and group chief financial officer of Olam Food Ingredients (ofi), one of the world's biggest suppliers of food and beverage ingredients.

For example, the company relies on bees to pollinate its almond farms, Kalra said in an interview.

"Food may not be available. People may not have a livelihood if nature is not protected."

Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, for example, has reduced rainfall and shifted weather patterns in critical farming areas that supply a major portion of the world's soybeans and beef.

"Without nature, without water, it's impossible to have human life, not even thriving, but just existing," Nestle Latin America CEO Laurent Freixe said.

Because nature-friendly strategies may increase costs in the shorter term, some companies have been reluctant to act unless governments set market-wide rules or offer the incentives needed to compel action.

Voluntary corporate action would not be enough alone, said the letter, coordinated by advocacy group Business For Nature, which has drawn up policy recommendations.

Governments, the letter said, needed to ensure businesses and financial actors protect and restore nature.

Further action must include ensuring sustainable resource use, valuing and embedding nature in decision-making and disclosure and stronger global agreements to address nature loss.

It would be very cyberpunk dystopian if the major conflicts of the 21st century ended up being between corporate coalitions that have different vested interests in how to exploit the planet's resources.

[Josquius]

That only works if you massively overhaul urban and rural planning and infrastructure in pretty much every western country. And I don't see any country having the political will (or corporate backed lobbying which might be more important) to do so.

Be wary of falling into the nirvana fallacy.
We aren't talking about banning cars here. Simply making not having a car viable for more people.
A few small tweaks that really wouldn't cost too much (especially factoring in the enhanced economy off the back) could make for a lot of easy wins.
Urban areas having decent bus services with a focus on the big picture rather than ticket profits for instance.