Capitalism on Green Life-Support

 

In an open letter, 21 leading U.S. scientists urged Biden and federal lawmakers to "go big on climate action and to do so now."

They say, "As our nation reels from extreme heatwaves, drought, wildfires, and abnormally warm ocean waters fueled an early start to a projected more active than normal Atlantic hurricane season, we are reminded that climate change is here and already exerting a fearsome toll on people, critical ecosystems, and our economy."

The letter, organized by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), emphasizes how "science shows that we must take immediate action to sharply reduce heat-trapping emissions to limit the worst climate change impacts, protect public health and lives, and limit economic harms. We also have a tremendous opportunity to invest in a climate-resilient economy, powered by clean energy, which can bring benefits to all communities in a just and equitable way." 

Once more the sentiments are sincere but the solutions indicated short-sighted. They point to Biden's initial American Jobs Plan as a way forward and call for a wishlist of policies.

● Implementing a program to achieve robust power sector emissions reductions

 ● Fully funding clean energy tax incentives 

● Bolstering transmission development and grid modernization 

● Facilitating the replacement of polluting resources with clean alternatives 

● Supporting a fair transition for fossil fuel workers and communities 

● Improving the efficiency of our energy use, for example through funding low-income home energy and weatherization assistance programs. 

● Helping transit agencies and school districts buy electric buses 

● Incentivizing electric vehicle (EV) purchases 

 ● Electrifying medium- and heavy-duty vehicles 

 ● Deploying EV charging infrastructure

But as this blog often says, if wishes were horses, all beggars would ride. Even if these by some degree of miracle do get enacted, the fundamental problem of the economic law of capital accumulation and market expansion to achieve ever-greater profits remain untouched.