To maintain economic wealth (roads, hospitals, power
lines, etc.) power needs to be consumed. The same applies to economic activity,
since any activity requires the consumption of energy. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the burning
of fossil fuels was responsible for 79 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
in 2010. So whilst economic
activity takes place fossil fuels will be burned and CO2 emissions are
unavoidable - unless we use exclusively renewable energy resources, which is
not likely to occur very soon. However, the increasing CO2 concentrations in
the atmosphere will have negative consequences, such droughts, floods, crop
failures, etc. These effects represent limits to economic growth. The CLD
illustrates some of the more prominent negative feedback loops that act as a
break on economic growth and wealth. As the negative feedback loops (B1-B4) get stronger, an interesting question is, 'will a sharp reduction
in economic wealth and unavoidable recession lead to wide-spread food riots and disturbances?'
To maintain economic wealth (roads, hospitals, power
lines, etc.) power needs to be consumed. The same applies to economic activity,
since any activity requires the consumption of energy. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the burning
of fossil fuels was responsible for 79 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
in 2010. So whilst economic
activity takes place fossil fuels will be burned and CO2 emissions are
unavoidable - unless we use exclusively renewable energy resources, which is
not likely to occur very soon. However, the increasing CO2 concentrations in
the atmosphere will have negative consequences, such droughts, floods, crop
failures, etc. These effects represent limits to economic growth. The CLD
illustrates some of the more prominent negative feedback loops that act as a
break on economic growth and wealth. As the negative feedback loops (B1-B4) get stronger, an interesting question is, 'will a sharp reduction
in economic wealth and unavoidable recession lead to wide-spread food riots and disturbances?'
Social
movements have a major role to play in forcing politicians to act on climate
change. This opinion has been clearly expressed by Pope Francis in his encyclical
on climate change and, amongst others, also by Naomi Klein in her book 'This
changes Everything'. The CLD suggests the need to strengthen the reinforcing
loops R1 and R2 representing the activities of environmental movements and also to disrupt
the reinforcing loop R3 representing climate change deniers. The most effective way in my opinion to
strengthen R1 and R2 is to weaken R3. This could be done by countering false arguments
by pointing out on all occasions that the debate on climate change is over:
climate scientists, by an overwhelming consensus, have established that anthropogenic
global warming is a scientific fact. It could also be done by educating the public.
The urgency of the situation suggests that the most effective way of doing this
could be by closing negative feedback loops, for example, by linking extreme
weather events, supported by graphic images, to global warming. Global warming
can also be linked to inequality, poverty, larger forest fires, coral reef bleaching, etc. The Pope has started
the work by establishing these links in his encyclical. Of course, these are
merely suggestions. Looking at the CLD carefully might well reveal other
effective points of intervention
To maintain economic wealth (roads, hospitals, power
lines, etc.) power needs to be consumed. The same applies to economic activity,
since any activity requires the consumption of energy. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the burning
of fossil fuels was responsible for 79 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
in 2010. So whilst economic
activity takes place fossil fuels will be burned and CO2 emissions are
unavoidable - unless we use exclusively renewable energy resources, which is
not likely to occur very soon. However, the increasing CO2 concentrations in
the atmosphere will have negative consequences, such droughts, floods, crop
failures, etc. These effects represent limits to economic growth. The CLD
illustrates some of the more prominent negative feedback loops that act as a
break on economic growth and wealth. As the negative feedback loops (B1-B4) get stronger, an interesting question is, 'will a sharp reduction
in economic wealth and unavoidable recession lead to wide-spread food riots and disturbances?'
To maintain economic wealth (roads, hospitals, power
lines, etc.) power needs to be consumed. The same applies to economic activity,
since any activity requires the consumption of energy. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the burning
of fossil fuels was responsible for 79 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions
in 2010. So whilst economic
activity takes place fossil fuels will be burned and CO2 emissions are
unavoidable - unless we use exclusively renewable energy resources, which is
not likely to occur very soon. However, the increasing CO2 concentrations in
the atmosphere will have negative consequences, such droughts, floods, crop
failures, etc. These effects represent limits to economic growth. The CLD
illustrates some of the more prominent negative feedback loops that act as a
break on economic growth and wealth. As the negative feedback loops (B1-B4) get stronger, an interesting question is, 'will a sharp reduction
in economic wealth and unavoidable recession lead to wide-spread food riots and disturbances?'
Social
movements have a major role to play in forcing politicians to act on climate
change. This opinion has been clearly expressed by Pope Francis in his encyclical
on climate change and, amongst others, also by Naomi Klein in her book 'This
changes Everything'. The CLD suggests the need to strengthen the reinforcing
loops R1 and R2 representing the activities of environmental movements and also to disrupt
the reinforcing loop R3 representing climate change deniers. The most effective way in my opinion to
strengthen R1 and R2 is to weaken R3. This could be done by countering false arguments
by pointing out on all occasions that the debate on climate change is over:
climate scientists, by an overwhelming consensus, have established that anthropogenic
global warming is a scientific fact. It could also be done by educating the public.
The urgency of the situation suggests that the most effective way of doing this
could be by closing negative feedback loops, for example, by linking extreme
weather events, supported by graphic images, to global warming. Global warming
can also be linked to inequality, poverty, larger forest fires, coral reef bleaching, etc. The Pope has started
the work by establishing these links in his encyclical. Of course, these are
merely suggestions. Looking at the CLD carefully might well reveal other
effective points of intervention
