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I am reminded of Don Fitz's review of Ozzie Zehner's 'Green illusions: The dirty secrets of clean energy and the future of environmentalism', which was also published in LINKS here in Australia in 2014. http://links.org.au/node/3750 In it , Fitz wrote this, which I agree with: :"At several points the author (ie:Zehner) implies, but does not clearly state, what might be the fundamental theses for building an environmental society: 1. Reducing CO2 enough to avoid environmental catastrophe requires a massive (not a small) reduction in the use of fossil fuels. 2. Such a reduction in use of fossil fuels requires a large decrease in industrial production. 3. Current capitalist society is so permeated by the production of useless and destructive stuff that it is possible to decrease industrial production simultaneous with an increase in the quality of life globally." Fitz has pursued the perspective in other articles he has written...like this one: 'Should socialists support degrowth?' https://climateandcapitalism.com/2013/03/25/should-socialists-support-degrowth-2/ Don Fitz: “Rather than being dismissive toward ongoing struggles against growth, socialists should enthusiastically participate and point to their anti-capitalist essence.” Nonetheless, it seems to me, that what Fitz is arguing is a very long way from the politics advocated in 'Planet of the Humans'...even if we take into account the developments (significant changes in costs and efficiencies) in wind and solar technology over the past decade. I don't want to enter a debate about the film as there is plenty of that to go around. But de-growthing the economy has to be recognised as an ecosocialist essential and you can't do that without replacing capitalism otherwise you fall victim to populationist arguments. dave riley _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
