We need socialist change to fight climate change
Alasdair Cook, Dorset Socialist Party
If you were hoping for action on climate change to come out of the UN’s 29th Conference of Parties (COP) meeting, the history of past conferences are not a reason for optimism. COP 29, as the name suggests, is the latest of almost 30 attempts to halt climate change, so what progress has been made?
The first COP happened in 1995. At that point there were 23.52 billion metric tonnes of global emissions. In 2023, that has risen to 37.55 billion metric tonnes, according to Statista. Given this dramatic increase in emissions, the COP meetings have been a dramatic failure. But why is this? Surely a body that seeks to meet with representatives of 197 governments would have the capacity to combat such a catastrophic threat to humanity?
Deals on emissions that get systematically ignored, appeals for big business to invest in combating climate change that amount to nothing – the ‘attempts’ at COP show despite the pressure on politicians attending COPs, they are unable to take the action necessary to combat climate change. The capitalist system and its representatives are incapable of overcoming the limits of the nation state and to allow for the genuine international cooperation needed to stop environmental destruction.
The estimated costs of fixing climate change range from $300 billion to $50 trillion over the next two decades. But national governments exist to represent the dominant interests of the capitalist class in a given country. These capitalist nation states are in competition with other nation states to maximise profits and access markets. None are interested in doling out the amount of money needed to fix climate change, as it would leave them at a competitive disadvantage.
Protectionism
A further illustration of the competitive nature of capitalism is the protectionist measures that US President Joe Biden implemented in 2022 on solar cell production. With China leading on the production of solar cells due to lower labour, materials and electricity costs, Biden’s administration set high tariffs on imported cells to protect the profits of American capitalists. When Barack Obama imposed tariffs for solar cells for the same reason, demand fell by 17% as costs dramatically increased.
The situation isn’t set to improve as Donald Trump is even more vehemently protectionist. He has stated he wants to implement a 60% tax on Chinese imports. This will further push costs up and reduce the number of solar cell installations.
Trump is also an ardent climate change denier, referring to it as a “mystical hoax”. Clearly this is not a man who will take a green transition seriously. Especially given how in the election he had the backing of oil and gas giants, and tech companies reliant on cheaper energy, regardless of the pollution supplying it creates.
Wars – the antithesis to international cooperation – are also dramatically increasing. How can climate change be solved while the dash for short-term profits and increased conflicts means there is so much instability?
As if COP 29 wasn’t already going to be a fruitless venture, leaders from multiple key economies including European countries, Brazil and most likely the USA will not be attending this year.
Climate change is not something that can be ignored. The justified fear and concerns that many people have are not being taken seriously by world leaders. No number of COPs will save us.
Capitalism will always put profit over the long-term habitability of this planet. It’s clear this system is not fit for purpose. The world and future generations need socialism, with the working class across the world taking the wealth and resources of society into our hands. By nationalising big businesses and the banks, and placing them under the democratic control and management of workers, we could plan production for what we need not what makes a profit. Only then can genuine cooperation be used to repair the damage done to our ecosystems.
Workers and young people are looking towards COP29 in despair as, once again, pro-capitalist politicians and CEOs fail to take action to prevent climate change.
The COP chief executive of the host country, Azerbaijan, might leave the conference with a sunnier outlook. Elnur Soltanov, who is also the deputy energy minister and sits on the board of the state-owned oil and gas company Socar, was secretly filmed trying to set up talks for new oil and gas deals with COP attendees.
So while a deal which protects the planet and makes the bosses pay to solve the issue of climate change is unlikely – there might be some new fossil fuel deals coming out of it at least!
