Global Capitalism and Climate Change: The Need for an Alternative World System

By (author) Hans A. Baer

Publication date:

28 June 2012

Length of book:

366 pages

Publisher

AltaMira Press

ISBN-13: 9780759121324

Many progressive scholars, particularly in the social sciences, have increasingly come to acknowledge that anthropogenic climate change constitutes yet another contradiction of global capitalism. This book constitutes an effort to develop a critical social science of climate change, one that posits its roots in global capitalism with its emphasis on profit-making, a treadmill of production and consumption, heavy reliance on fossil fuels, and commitment to ongoing economic expansion. It explores the systemic changes necessary to create a more socially just and sustainable world system that would possibly start to move humanity toward a safer climate and discusses the role of a burgeoning climate movement in this effort.

Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Impact of Climate Change on the Environment and Human Societies
Chapter 2: The Capitalist World System and its Contradictions
Chapter 3: The Capitalist Treadmill of Production and Consumption as a Generator of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Chapter 4: The Inadequacies of Existing Climate Regimes for Mitigating Climate Change
Chapter 5: Why Green Capitalism is Insufficient to Mitigate Climate Change
Chapter 6: A Vision of an Alternative World System: Toward Global Democracy Based on Social Justice and Environmental Sustainability
Chapter 7: Toward an Ecological Revolution: Progressive Transitional Reforms
Chapter 8: Grass-roots Responses to the Climate Change: Internationally, Nationally, and Locally
Chapter 9: Conclusion
Resource Guide
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

This book should be read by every student and teacher, unionist and business leader, and grassroots activist and politician. It will convince even the most hardened climate denialist. Baer's vigorous transdisciplinary analysis of global warming spells out the science, amplifies our political options for the future, and makes it very clear that ‘green capitalism’ trading in credits for ‘hot air’ will certainly not be enough.