An interesting first article of Yassin. I am still reflecting on it. As an economic historian, I believe that structural economic factors within the capitalist society are the main causes of the climate crisis, but for sure Yassin's article is good food for thought!
I agree, of course, that the immediate cause of climate change are business activities. However, politics has the power to change the economic incentives businesses face to incorporate the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions. The constraining factor here is the political will to change incentives accordingly (e.g. by levying a sufficient carbon tax), which is to a large extent the voters' will (at least when it comes to a highly visible issue such as climate change). Consumers can also make a difference with their consumption choices. More rational/ socially aware individuals could be better voters and consumers.
And there are other great risks apart from climate change whose immediate cause are not economic activities, for example the risk arising from the malicious use of biotechnology and the risk of a nuclear war (although in the latter case I might be a bit harder to argue that a better educated population would be a solution).
An interesting first article of Yassin. I am still reflecting on it. As an economic historian, I believe that structural economic factors within the capitalist society are the main causes of the climate crisis, but for sure Yassin's article is good food for thought!
I agree, of course, that the immediate cause of climate change are business activities. However, politics has the power to change the economic incentives businesses face to incorporate the social cost of greenhouse gas emissions. The constraining factor here is the political will to change incentives accordingly (e.g. by levying a sufficient carbon tax), which is to a large extent the voters' will (at least when it comes to a highly visible issue such as climate change). Consumers can also make a difference with their consumption choices. More rational/ socially aware individuals could be better voters and consumers.
And there are other great risks apart from climate change whose immediate cause are not economic activities, for example the risk arising from the malicious use of biotechnology and the risk of a nuclear war (although in the latter case I might be a bit harder to argue that a better educated population would be a solution).