 Think about climate change from several different points of view: an economist; an

ethicist; a biologist. Think about climate change from several different locations: the
far north, urban North America, the global south. How do these various perspectives
shape how you view climate change as a problem, and how you view possible
solutions to the global climate crisis?
 What is capitalism, what does it have to do with climate change, and what does it
have to do with climate change action?
 What does Purdy mean when he argues that “real environmental reform is a matter of
political economy?”

POST:
I think that it is extremely difficult to conciliate different perspectives on climate change. For example,
developing countries are still very reluctant to the effectiveness of international efforts on
environmental issues. As pointed out by Bjorn Lomborg, there is a need for cheap and reliable energy
resources in the developing world. For a considerable amount of people living in developing countries,
low-cost fossil fuels are the only option. The implementation of sustainable solutions (which is strongly
promoted by developed countries) is nearly impossible in this type of situation.
I believe that capitalism and climate change are profoundly related topics. Capitalism prioritizes short-
term individual profits over the long-term collective wellbeing. This shortsighted self-interest, as
exemplified by the tragedy of the commons, usually leads to disastrous long-term consequences for the
rest of society. Furthermore, capitalism promotes endless economic growth, which is unsustainable on
a planet with finite resources. The type of logic encouraged by the capitalist system is evident in the
behavior of multinational corporations that prioritizes profit over human beings.
As pointed out by Jedediah Purdy, climate change is mostly a political issue. The most significant
environmental reforms occur though political changes in economic infrastructure. The failure of modern
democracies to address sustainability issues (e.g. greenhouse-gas emissions and soil exhaustion) is the
main factor of the current environment failure. Changes in consciousness and culture are not enough to
achieve considerable results. Nonetheless, self-restraint is vital for the development of effective national
and global policies.
COMMENT:
I think it is extremely unfair to ask to developing countries to sacrifice their justified right to
economic growth and poverty alleviation in name of the global wellbeing. Justifiably, developing
countries are reluctant to the effectiveness of international efforts on environmental issues.
International agreements on environmental issues tend to align with the interest of developed nations.
For example, the COP21 Paris Climate Agreement has sidelined equity and responsibility
considerations (which were the foundations for the Kyoto Protocol) as the guiding principles for
international cooperation on climate change. Regarding of the considerable efforts of the Paris
agreement, it has let the developed world largely off the hook for its massive historic contribution of
greenhouse gasses emissions.