'The Economic System We Have Created Global Warming' SPIEGEL Interview with Naomi Klein Interview conducted by Klaus Brinkbaumer February 25, 2015
Can we still stop global warming? Only if we radically change our capitalist system, argues author Naomi Klein. In an interview with SPIEGEL, she explains why the time has come to abandon small steps for a radical new approach. [...] SPIEGEL: You seriously want to eliminate the free market in order to save the climate? Klein: I am not talking about eliminating markets, but we need much more strategy, steering and planning and a very different balance. The system in which we live is overly obsessed with growth -- it's one that sees all growth as good. But there are kinds of growth that are clearly not good. It's clear to me that my position is in direct conflict with neo-liberalism. Is it true that in Germany, although you have accelerated the shift to renewables, coal consumption is actually increasing? SPIEGEL: That was true from 2009 to 2013. Klein: To me that is an expression of this reluctance to decide on what is necessary. Germany is not going to meet its emissions targets in the coming years either. SPIEGEL: Is the Obama presidency the worst thing that could have happened to the climate? Klein: In a way. Not because Obama is worse than a Republican. He's not. But because these eight years were the biggest wasted opportunity of our lives. The right factors came together in a truly historic convergence: awareness, urgency, the mood, his political majority, the failure of the Big Three US automakers and even the possibility of addressing the failed unregulated financial world and climate change at the same time. But when he came to office, he didn't have the courage to do it. We will not win this battle unless we are willing to talk about why Obama viewed the fact that he had control over the banks and auto companies as more of a burden than as an opportunity. He was a prisoner of the system. He didn't want to change it. SPIEGEL: The US and China finally agreed on an initial climate deal in 2014. Klein: Which is, of course, a good thing. But anything in the deal that could become painful won't come into effect until Obama is out of office. Still, what has changed is that Obama said: "Our citizens are marching. We can't ignore that." The mass movements are important; they are having an impact. But to push our leaders to where they need to go, they need to grow even stronger. [...] full: http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/global-warming-interview-with-naomi-klein-a-1020007.htm The German edition of her "This Changes Everything" is due to published next week: http://www.naomiklein-buch.de/klein/ Democracy Lecture 2015: Naomi Klein – Die Entscheidung: Kapital versus Klima Berlin, March, 23, 2015 (sold out) http://www.hkw.de/de/programm/projekte/veranstaltung/p_113459.php https://www.blaetter.de/ _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
