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Capitalism, Climate Change and the Transition to Sustainability: Alternative Scenarios for the US, China and the World
Author(s) -
Li Minqi
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
development and change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1467-7660
pISSN - 0012-155X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7660.2009.01611.x
Subject(s) - geopolitics , climate change , pace , china , sustainability , economics , capitalism , political economy of climate change , capital (architecture) , economic system , politics , natural resource economics , neoclassical economics , political science , ecology , geography , biology , geodesy , archaeology , law
This contribution evaluates the geopolitical and technical issues involved in climate stabilization and discusses alternative technical paths towards the required emission reductions in the US, China and the world. There are no plausible scenarios in which climate stabilization is compatible with a pace of capital accumulation required for economic and political stability under a capitalist system. Meaningful and effective actions towards climate stabilization presuppose and require fundamental social change.