Scientists warn: “The real reasons for the environmental crisis? Overconsumption’ – Radar

The report by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia, which was Nature Communications, headlines “Scientists warn against abundance”.

They analyzed previous scientific studies that examined the relationship between wealth, economics and their impact on various social phenomena. Their conclusion is clear: technology will go a long way, but only if we are willing to change our current lifestyle and economic system far.

Growth-oriented economies

“Recently, scientists have done an excellent job of describing the dangers facing our natural world from climate, biodiversity and food crises, to name a few,” said lead author Tommy Wiedmann of UNSW Engineering.

To protect ourselves from the worsening climate crisis, we need to reduce inequality

Julia Steinberger (University of Leeds)

“None of their warnings, however, explicitly mentions the role of growth-oriented economies and the continuing quest for greater prosperity. In the warning of our scientists, we identify the underlying forces of excessive consumption and describe the measures needed to counter the paradigm of economic growth.” It is a gap that the research group wanted to fill in relation to the work already done.

Lifestyle adjustment

“The main conclusion of our analysis is that we cannot rely solely on technology to solve existential environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Our lifestyle, which is based on abundance, has to change,” says Wiedmann. “Technology can help us consume more efficiently, for example through energy or raw material savings, but these innovative improvements cannot keep pace with our ever-increasing consumption,” he says.

We must put our obsession with economic growth behind us

Tommy Wiedmann (UNSW Engineering)

Co-author Julia Steinberger, from the University of Leeds, says wealth is often portrayed as something to aspire to. “But our newspaper has shown that it is actually dangerous and leads to destruction on a planetary scale. To protect ourselves from the worsening climate crisis, we need to reduce inequality and look at the idea that wealth is inherently good.”

Refusal

The researchers argue that it is the wealthy citizens of the world who are responsible for most of the environmental damage. They also believe that they are at the heart of the solution to a safer future. “Consumption of wealthy families worldwide is by far the strongest determinant and the main driver of global environmental problems and their social impact,” said co-author Lorenz Keysser of ETH Zurich.

Solutions include an ecotax, green investment, the redistribution of wealth through taxes and maximum income, a basic income and shorter working hours.

“I am often asked to talk about it in meetings. I usually say that what we see or associate with our current environmental problems, cars, electricity and airplanes, for example, is just the tip of our personal iceberg,” Keysser says. “It’s all we consume and the destruction of the environment to make the stuff that forms the sunken part of the iceberg. Unfortunately, once we understand this, the consequences for our personal lifestyle are often so confrontational that denial comes into effect.”

Green growth is a myth

The scientists point out that the responsibility for the necessary change lies not only with the individual, but requires a broad and structural approach. “We need to put our obsession with economic growth behind us,” Wiedmann says. “We need to start managing our economies in a way that protects our climate and our natural resources, even if that means less, no, or even negative growth.” Finally, researchers are also interested in concepts such as green or sustainable growth, which they call a “myth”.

Population growth

“As long as there is growth both economically and in terms of population, technology can no longer limit its impact. The overall impact on the environment will only increase,” says Wiedmann. Ways to push through lifestyle changes include reducing overconsumption by the super-rich, including through adjusted tax policies.

“Proponents of Degrowth Go one step further and propose a radical social change that will take us away from capitalism to other forms of economic and social governance,” says Wiedmann. “Politics can include things like ecotax, green investment, redistribution of wealth through taxes and a maximum income, a basic income and shorter working hours.” (Ips)

The report by the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia, published today in Nature Communications, is titled “Scientists warn of abundance.” They analyzed previous scientific studies that examined the relationship between wealth, economics and their impact on various social phenomena. Their conclusion is clear: technology will go a long way, but only if we are willing to change our current lifestyle and economic system.” Recently, scientists have done an excellent job of describing the dangers facing our natural world from climate, biodiversity and food crises, to name a few,” says lead author Tommy Wiedmann of UNSW Engineering. “None of their warnings, however, explicitly mentions the role of growth-oriented economies,” says lead author Tommy Wiedmann of UNSW Engineering. and the constant pursuit of greater prosperity. In the warning of our scientists, we identify the underlying forces of excessive consumption and describe the measures needed to counter the paradigm of economic growth.” It is a gap that the research group wanted to fill in the work that has already been done so far.” The most important conclusion in our analysis is that we cannot rely solely on technology to solve existential environmental problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Our lifestyle, which is based on abundance, has to change,” says Wiedmann. “Technology can help us consume more efficiently, for example through energy or raw material savings, but these innovative improvements cannot keep pace with our ever-increasing consumption,” he says. Co-author Julia Steinberger, from the University of Leeds, says wealth is often portrayed as something to aspire to. “But our newspaper has shown that it is actually dangerous and leads to destruction on a planetary scale. To protect ourselves from the worsening climate crisis, we need to reduce inequality and change the idea that wealth is inherently good.” The researchers argue that it is the wealthy citizens of the world who are responsible for most of the environmental damage. They also believe that they are at the heart of the solution to a safer future. “Consumption of wealthy families worldwide is by far the strongest determinant and the main driver of global environmental problems and their social impact,” says co-author Lorenz Keysser of ETH Zurich. I usually say that what we see or associate with our current environmental problems, cars, electricity and airplanes, for example, is just the tip of our personal iceberg,” Keysser says. “It’s all we consume and the destruction of the environment to make the stuff that forms the sunken part of the iceberg. Unfortunately, once we understand this, the consequences for our personal lifestyle are often so confrontational that denial comes into effect.” The scientists point out that the responsibility for the necessary change lies not only with the individual, but requires a broad and structural approach. “We need to put our obsession with economic growth behind us,” Wiedmann says. “We need to start managing our economies in a way that protects our climate and our natural resources, even if that means less, no, or even negative growth.” Finally, researchers are also interested in concepts such as green or sustainable growth, which they call a “myth”. As long as there is growth, both economically and in population, technology can no longer limit its impact. The overall impact on the environment will only increase,” says Wiedmann. Ways to achieve lifestyle changes include reducing overconsumption of the super-rich, including through an adjusted sexpensive policy. “The proponents of growth go a step further and propose a radical social change that leads us away from capitalism to other forms of economic and social governance,” says Wiedmann. “Politics can do things like ecotax, green investment, wealth redistribution through taxation and maximum income, reduced working hours.” (IPS)