3 ms·

How do you answer the "Doing things about climate change is pointless when $COUNTRY and $CORPORATION won't do anything" tort?

faeriechangling 4y ago
Mostly that we can start off with modest legislative measures targeting corporations which aren't really enough to stop climate change, but will at least establish a legislation precedent to allow for more expedient changes to the law if the political climate changes, prevent people in other areas from claiming that WE'RE the ones causing the problem and thus they cannot pass similar legislation, and which will have a minor impact on everyday people. Once every major player internationally is generally on board with the idea of such measures, we can look at ramping things up a bit, as much as is politically feasible anyways. Even if we can't stop climate change even slowing it should have a measurable benefit. I would also stress what climate change is going to mean and connect it to contemporary politics. Economic migration is for the most part a very controversial thing especially among the type of people also against reforms regarding limiting ghg emissions etc. Realistically some of this is ALREADY caused by climate change, but we're going to see a LOT more of it caused by climate change, so if people don't want it to happen in the first place and also want to plausibly convince the general electorate they have no ethical obligation to take in migrants, than doing something about climate change early is expedient. This is not just international migration it will also be national migration and yuppies fleeing coastal cities which will get much more expensive generally leading to scarcity and inflation. Climate change it likely is going to have a rather adverse effect on purchasing power, notably for food, and we're only seeing the beginnings of high food prices if not outright famine due to both production and distribution constraints. Due to these legions of practical issues, not only should people support such reforms, the political will for different countries to impose measures against powerful corporations will pick up steam.

faeriechangling 4y ago

Mostly that we can start off with modest legislative measures targeting corporations which aren't really enough to stop climate change, but will at least establish a legislation precedent to allow for more expedient changes to the law if the political climate changes, prevent people in other areas from claiming that WE'RE the ones causing the problem and thus they cannot pass similar legislation, and which will have a minor impact on everyday people. Once every major player internationally is generally on board with the idea of such measures, we can look at ramping things up a bit, as much as is politically feasible anyways. Even if we can't stop climate change even slowing it should have a measurable benefit. I would also stress what climate change is going to mean and connect it to contemporary politics. Economic migration is for the most part a very controversial thing especially among the type of people also against reforms regarding limiting ghg emissions etc. Realistically some of this is ALREADY caused by climate change, but we're going to see a LOT more of it caused by climate change, so if people don't want it to happen in the first place and also want to plausibly convince the general electorate they have no ethical obligation to take in migrants, than doing something about climate change early is expedient. This is not just international migration it will also be national migration and yuppies fleeing coastal cities which will get much more expensive generally leading to scarcity and inflation. Climate change it likely is going to have a rather adverse effect on purchasing power, notably for food, and we're only seeing the beginnings of high food prices if not outright famine due to both production and distribution constraints. Due to these legions of practical issues, not only should people support such reforms, the political will for different countries to impose measures against powerful corporations will pick up steam.