Article by Aqeel Alharbi

Photo by Joseph Vary on Unsplash

Is climate change a mythlike issue we just hear about? Unfortunately not; it’s an urgent crisis with current tangible implications. Although melting ice caps and rising sea levels get most of the media attention, it’s as essential to understand the societal causes of climate change.

Capitalism, a system that encourages continuous growth and consumption, is a major cause of this issue, according to scholars like Andreas Malm and John Urry. Even though capitalism is one of the major causes of economic growth that improved the general quality of life, it’s responsible for excessive consumption, resource exploitation, and increased greenhouse gas emissions, which reverse capitalism’s positive effects. Therefore, significant societal changes are needed to address climate change than just technological solutions.

The Capitalist Challenge

Let us imagine capitalism as a magician casting spells to grow the economy. According to sociologist John Urry, the growth and profit-reliant capitalist system has put us in a chokehold of high emissions and environmental harm, likening the effects to a “sorcerer who can no longer control their spells”. He also points out a major problem, relying on international trade and transportation,  the “mobility complex” as a contributing factor. From this, we can comprehend that as long as economic growth is prioritized, it will have a U-turn effect. Hence, sustainability should be the critical focus where the magician regains control over the spells of growth contributing to climate crisis before it’s too late.

Are We Living in the “Sociocene”?

An Anthropocene problem, something climate change is often associated with, where human activity is the cause of environmental impact. However, some believe it’s not humanity as a whole to blame but certain socioeconomic practices. This is argued by Andreas Malm and Alf Hornberg where the term “Sociocene” implies climate change arose from human behaviors within the capitalist economy (Malm &Hornberg, 2014). An example is industrialized countries emitting more than others and wealthier groups are disproportionately responsible. The richest 10% of the earth’s population contributes almost half of all emissions, while the poorest 50% contribute less than 10%​. The “Sociocene” is backed by the sharp divide in the data which shows climate change isn’t a universal issue but one rooted in socioeconomic inequalities.

Climate Change and Social Inequality

While widespread, climate change effects aren’t distributed equally. Communities and countries with the least resources and lowest carbon emissions are frequently the most at risk from climate-driven migration, food shortages, and extreme weather. Richer, high-emission countries, which can make big changes, often ignore this inequity. Instead, they favor economic expansion over global climate responsibilities. Even though they contribute very little to global emissions, the UN says poorer nations are the most at risk. The moral need for systemic change is demonstrated by the fact that richer countries can protect themselves from the effects of climate change while vulnerable ones are left to suffer the most. Continuing with “business as usual” keeps this imbalance ongoing and reinforces the need for high-emission countries to lead in meaningful climate action.

Can Capitalism Be Sustainable?

A growing trend advocates “green growth,” a modified form of capitalism to maintain environmental sustainability, poverty reduction, and social inclusivity. Advocates of the ecological modernization theory, such as Fredrick Buttel, argue that capitalism should aim for “sustainable growth”. This would consist of reorganizing industries and promoting new environmentally friendly technologies. However, critics say that green capitalism doesn’t address the core issue, the capitalist drive for expansion itself. According to Urry and Beck, more than technical solutions are needed to address climate change because they frequently increase consumption rather than decrease it. Electric cars, for instance, may cut emissions, but they also require a lot of lithium mining, which has environmental implications.  They contend that our economic institutions must be restructured to prioritize ecological health over profit to achieve true sustainability.

Climate Change as a “Risk Society”

Ulrich Beck’s “risk society” theory helps us comprehend how we deal with modernity’s unexpected effects. As a result of technical progress, new types of hazards, such as nuclear disasters and climate change, appear in a risk society. These contemporary hazards are frequently worldwide, persistent, and uncontrollable, in contrast to conventional threats. He advocates changing the structures which these dangers arise from, referred to as “reflexive modernization”.

Economic priorities redefined

We as a society need to evaluate our connection with the environment to maintain a sustainable, healthy planet, which is the core that economic growth cannot exist without. There must be a departure from capitalism’s “growth at all costs” philosophy as it is self-destructive; just like a bodybuilder on testosterone, the initial results are impressive until the side effects arise, depriving the body of certain vital functions. Earth must be maintained as it’s the economy’s existential core and main limiting factor. We need to be an aware society that acts as the controlling hand of the “sorcerer’s wand” by holding companies responsible for their carbon footprint and pressuring governments to apply climate change legislation.

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