The politics of global warming: Tipping points, sustainable capitalism, and an anonymous death in China

Abstract

Planet Earth is now warmer than it has been for the great majority (over 80%) of the last 2.5 million years. Its temperature is soaring, thanks to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. Humanity is contributing immensely to this, primarily through burning fossil fuels and deforestation, also urbanisation. The problem has been recognised but little is being done about it. Despite Kyoto, CO2 emissions are rising, as is the share of fossil fuels in global energy production. According to The United States Climate Action Report, “the administration’s climate policy will result in emissions growing 11 percent in 2012 from 2002.” In the previous decade, emissions grew at 11.6 percent. In Britain since Tony Blair entered office, CO2 emissions have risen while ‘green taxes’, as a proportion of the overall tax take, have fallen.