26/02/2025
Climate Solution: Green Growth and Decoupling
(Excerpt from, CLIMATE IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA, https://selar.com/511316?currency=USD)
"However, there have been claims of relative and even absolute decoupling in some national economies such as Britain and other Scandinavian countries. For instance, it has been reported that Britain has seen economic growth continuously for the past thirty years, while its emissions have continuously reduced. However, Britain’s economic growth has been centred on growth of service sector such as financial sector, IT, health, tourism, education sector, etc. On the other hand, there has been continuous de-industrialisation in the UK economy. Between 1970 and 2020, UK manufacturing share of GDP has fallen steadily from about 27% to 10%. Furthermore, UK import has risen steadily especially from developing countries. For instance, UK’s goods import from China has increased significantly in the last two decade, with China, at 13%, being UK’s main exporters of goods in 2022. Beyond these, many UK companies also operate in China, with oil and gas companies from UK making huge revenues from China. In fact, the de-industrialisation in the UK has nothing to do with green growth, but a product of unattractiveness of manufacturing in the UK, among other economic factors. Beyond this is the fact that UK, through its financial sector, has been supporting fossil fuel business globally. Therefore, the reduction of UK’s emissions, aside aligning with its de-industrialisation and import increase, does not also take into account UK’s role globally.
But beyond specific example is the fact that serious decoupling that can impact significantly on global emissions will need to be absolute, global and long-term. On the basis of operation of market, this definitely cannot be achieved. Absolute decoupling on a global scale will, at least, require major emitters who contribute at least more than 80% of global emissions to decouple on a long term basis. To achieve this will require a faster pace of decarbonising the economies through adoption of renewable energy, phasing out of fossil fuel and other high emission sectors, reduction of material and energy use through circular economy, transformation of industry and trade to sustainable systems. How can this be achieved in a fast and extensive manner that will meet set target for global warming scenarios, and at the same time ensure growth on the basis of market fundamentalism (primacy of profit) is a real imagination."
Pan African Climate Justice Alliance Oil Change International Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Greenpeace International Oxfam World Resources Institute Recourse Greenpeace Nederland Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA) Corporate Accountability Transnational Institute Friends of the Earth U.S. Environmental Justice Foundation Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung - New York Office Global Greengrants Fund Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Middle East and North Africa Greenpeace Africa Oxfam in Nigeria ActionAid Nigeria IndustriALL Global Union Oxfam Great Britain
This book, titled: Climate Imperialism in Africa: Critical Commentary on the Political Economy of Global Climate Change Regime, looks at the current state of global climate change policy and politics, and the place of Africa in it. This 200+ page book is a must-read for those seeking a new perspecti...
