Climate Change Concerns: Our growth has limits - Conclusion

Times are tough all over.

Individuals and countries are burdened with growing debt and the expectation to keep growing and spending or driving the economy to save themselves.

Because our philosophies related to lifestyles and economic matters have unsustainable growth factors attached, tougher times are coming.

Why? Growth in fact has limits.

The last post concluded with this statement from an essay entitled ‘A Letter to My Boys’ by H. Murray -Philipson and found in the book ‘Moral Ground.’

“We stand at the fork in the road when we must choose between sustainability and catastrophe.”

And I asked, will we stand at the fork alone?

In the following brief history lesson from Murray -Philipson’s essay, I think we find out answer.

“On current trends we may have ten years before we cross the point of no return on climate change. Our generation bears a unique responsibility to those who come after - unique, because this set of circumstances has never existed before.”


Now, about that history lesson. The writer continues:

re 1900 -

“The pace of change in one hundred years has been extraordinary.

“In 1900, the Wright brothers had not yet flown and the world’s population was 1.5 billion.

“The impact of man on the natural world was limited, and it still made sense to convert natural capital into manufacturing and financial capital to improve the human condition.”

re 1950 -

“Half a century later... the foundations (were laid) of the modern global economy.

“At that time, there was no mention of “sustainability” or “the environment.”

“The assumption was that nature could be taken for granted.

“There were plenty of warning signs, even then, that unrestricted exploitation of nature had unfortunate side effects - the near-extinction of the North American bison, the pollution of the Great Lakes, the smogs in London - but the notion of climate change was unheard-of, and the bounty of the planet was still considered unlimited.”

re 2000

“Global population quadrupled to 6 billion in the twentieth century, and the relationship between man and nature has been turned upside down in the process.

“Economic growth was achieved through burning fossil fuels... atmospheric levels of CO2 have risen from preindustrial levels of 280 parts per million (ppm) to 387 ppm. Despite increasing scientific alarm, they continue to rise by 3 ppm per year.

“The economic model off which the world is working came from an Age of Innocence and is not fit for our purpose in the twenty-first century - the Age of Consequences. The rules for 1 billion people cannot be the same for 6 billion...”

- re 2010 [population 6.7 billion]

“There has to be a global agreement on global sustainability... we are all in the same business, the business of survival. There is no point pursuing wealth for its own sake.”

And now, back to that fork in the road “when we must choose between sustainability and catastrophe.”

Will we stand alone?

No. All 6.7 billion people are crowded shoulder to shoulder in the same spot.


But, there appears to be no one to lead us toward sustainability.

If the recent Climate Change Conference in Cancun is any indication, major governments worldwide still stress economic growth at an unsustainable pace.

So, though we stand at the forks along with everyone else, we are without proper leadership and therefore stand as if alone.

How did I begin this set of posts several days ago?

“You’re on your own. If you want climate change concerns to be addressed in your lifetime you’ll have to address them by yourself.”

Sad but true?

I think so.

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Please read Our growth has limits PT 1 for more context.

Please read Our growth has limits PT 2 for more context.

Please read Our growth has limits PT 3 for more context.

Please read Our growth has limits PT 4 for more context.

Please read Our growth has limits PT 5 for more context.

Please read Our growth has limits PT 6 for more context.

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