The World Bank’s Shocking, Cautionary Tale on Climate Change

“Like the Ghost of Christmas Future, the World Bank has just provided us with a frightening glimpse into our world-to-be if, unlike Scrooge, we fail to change our ways.” (Source: Huffington Post)

The new World Bank report "Turn down the heat: why a 4°C warmer world must be avoided" stands in stark contrast to all fossil-fuel friendly policies of this and other international and national governance bodies. And the silence in the media about the coming Doha summit on climate change is deafening.

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A Modest Proposal from Berlin: End Democracy in the European Union

"The Fiscal Pact mandates that all national governments in the European Union should achieve a “structural deficit” of no more than 0.5 percent of gross domestic product. I shall not again demonstrate that this concept is nonsense and, even were it not, 0.5 percent would be absurd, implying continuously deflationary fiscal policy. If the Pact is foolish, combining it with a “fiscal czar” (Merkel’s term, not mine) is authoritarian madness. It would abandon the pretense of electoral democracy within the European Union." (Source: Social Europe Journal)

Good critical analysis by John Weeks of recent developments in European governance structure. Pro-Europeans who welcome this as "more Europe" are either terribly naive or have a hidden agenda.

Building a civil economy

"The current crisis of global capitalism provides a unique opportunity to chart an alternative to the complicit collusion of central states and free markets that characterise liberal political economy. From this perspective, the proposed shift of focus from a self-interested pursuit of power or wealth (or both at once) to the quest for the common good opens the way for transforming modern economics. The alternative that this essay has outlined is a ‘civil economy’ whereby markets and states are embedded in the social relations and civic bonds that constitute society." (Source: OpenDemocracy)

At OpenDemocracy, Adrian Pabst sketches the contours of an alternative economy beyond free market and state, beyond austerity and neo-Keynesianism.

“The notion of ‘civil economy’ raises fundamental questions about the complex links between markets, states and civil society. Worldwide protests since 2011 reflect an implicit, inchoate awareness that ‘big government’ and ‘big business’ have colluded at the expense of the people. Both central bureaucratic states and unbridled free markets are largely disembodied from the mediating institutions of civil society, which in turn are subordinated to the global ‘market-state’.”

Manifestos for economic sense and global democracy : good diagnosis–weak remedies

"Politics lags behind the facts. We live in an era of deep technological and economic change that has not been matched by a similar development of public institutions responsible for its regulation. The economy has been globalised but political institutions and democracy have not kept pace. In spite of their many peculiarities, differences and limitations, the protests that are growing all over the world show an increasing discontent with the decision-making system, the existing forms of political representation and their lack of capacity for defending common goods. They express a demand for more and better democracy."

This week saw the publication of two interesting manifestos. A “Manifesto for Economic Sense” by Krugman and Layard on the economic crisis and this one in Open Democracy by David Hayes on the need for global democracy. Both manifestos are correct diagnoses of two aspects of the "great disruption" but both also are very disappointing in terms of alternatives.  New 21st century Keynesianism and a World Parliament are solutions which are still seriously chained to the failing capitalist paradigm.

The future we really want: Survival 2100

"In a more rational world, political leaders might come together in a special forum to acknowledge the nature and severity of the crisis and to establish the institutional and procedural basis for a worldwide “Survival 2100” project." (Source: Solutions)

Author William Rees is the co-father of the ecological footprint. His absolute must-read "Project Survival 2100" article in Solutions is surely one of the best efforts to define the contours of a blueprint for the real sustainability revolution humanity needs. It is way more realistic than the superficial and unambitious gobbledegook of the Future we want Rio+20 final declaration.

"Purpose beyond Power"

“Liberal democracies in the West today are struggling to avoid – and in doing so are exacerbating – a crisis of identity, which puts the existing social contract at risk and threatens their implosion.” (Source: Project Syndicate)

Excellent analysis by Wolfgang Reinicke at Project Syndicate about the erosion of our liberal democracy as a result of shifted power structures due to globalisation.

UN climate talks reconvene against background of mistrust

“Negotiators at odds over how to extend Kyoto Protocol, raise up to $100 billion a year for poor nations and share burden of future emissions cuts…”  (Source: AlertNet)

Global climate circus travels on but the world will not notice. And maybe that’s a good thing. Time to re-invent climate policies as policies of radical economic transformation.

Just last week, an innovative University of Michigan Study concluded that there are only two options to stem global warming: Slow down economic growth or dramatically change how global economies operate.

What qualities do future leaders need to meet the challenges of the 21st century?

“Members of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Future Leaders team respond to the video below and tell us what they think makes a 21st century leader…” (Source The Guardian Sustainable Business Blog)

A few wise words, loads and loads of empty platitudes and nobody mentioning "the capacity to accept limits" as the number one feature of the required transition leadership. When even the WBCSD does not get it, how bleak is the future?

A small step forward for Earth – is it really? Small thinking will not help

“In an election year, any progress on environmental regulation is cause for celebration. So when the Obama administration on Tuesday released its long-delayed proposal to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, there was reason for anyone concerned about public health or the looming climate menace to cheer — even though it won’t shut down a single existing coal-fired plant.” (Source: LA Times)

A small step maybe for Obama but with little relief for the planet. History will judge political leaders who lack the courage to free themselves from the shackles of "political realism".

Effective World Government Will Be Needed to Stave Off Climate Catastrophe

Not technological innovation but fundamental social engineering and a radical revamping of global governance insitutions are needed to deal with the world’s unsustainability crisis.

Gary Stix asks the right questions in this Scientific American blog article building on a scientific article (“Navigating the Anthropocene: Improving Earth System Governance”) which appeared this week in the journal Science.

For a good summary of the Science article, read Science Daily: “Fundamental Steps Needed Now in Global Redesign of Earth System Governance, Experts Say”.