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A protester holds a sign reading 'Pro climat - anti capitalisme' (Pro climate - anti capitalism) as he takes part in the 'March of The Century' (La Marche du Siecle) to demand answers to climate change on March 16, 2019 in Paris, France. Several thousand people demonstrated in Paris to denounce the government's inaction on climate. (Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images)
To Save Humanity and Planet, Says Climate Activist, 'We Must Go Straight to the Heart of Capitalism and Overthrow It'
"We have to overthrow this system which is eating the planet with perpetual growth. I mean since when was GDP a sensible measure of human welfare?"
Apr 22, 2019
While comedian and television host James Corden described the clip as "brilliant" when it first surfaced earlier this month, the salient message from author and activist George Monbiot about the need to radically upend and intensify the response to the climate crisis remains central to those around the world who have long recognized how the rapacious drive of capitalism has been a key accelerator of human-caused global warming.
"What we have to do is big structural, political economic stuff," Monbiot answered during his recent appearance on "Frankie Boyle's New World Order," a humorous news show in the UK, when asked what must be done to address the problem of a rapidly warming planet.
According to Monbiot--who has recently championed the idea of harnessing nature's power to not only stop but reverse the impacts of carbon pollution--ideas like getting consumers to change their light bulbs or end use of certain kinds of ear cleaners is not going to cut it.
"We have to overthrow this system which is eating the planet with perpetual growth," Monbiot explained. "I mean since when was GDP a sensible measure of human welfare?"
In conclusion, he says, there is simply no longer room for half measures or weak-kneed responses to the existential crisis of the climate emergency.
"We've got to start ramping down all fossil fuel production and leave fossil fuels in the ground," he declared. "There's time, but we can't do it by just pissing around at the margins. We've got to go straight to the heart of capitalism and overthrow it."
Watch:
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While comedian and television host James Corden described the clip as "brilliant" when it first surfaced earlier this month, the salient message from author and activist George Monbiot about the need to radically upend and intensify the response to the climate crisis remains central to those around the world who have long recognized how the rapacious drive of capitalism has been a key accelerator of human-caused global warming.
"What we have to do is big structural, political economic stuff," Monbiot answered during his recent appearance on "Frankie Boyle's New World Order," a humorous news show in the UK, when asked what must be done to address the problem of a rapidly warming planet.
According to Monbiot--who has recently championed the idea of harnessing nature's power to not only stop but reverse the impacts of carbon pollution--ideas like getting consumers to change their light bulbs or end use of certain kinds of ear cleaners is not going to cut it.
"We have to overthrow this system which is eating the planet with perpetual growth," Monbiot explained. "I mean since when was GDP a sensible measure of human welfare?"
In conclusion, he says, there is simply no longer room for half measures or weak-kneed responses to the existential crisis of the climate emergency.
"We've got to start ramping down all fossil fuel production and leave fossil fuels in the ground," he declared. "There's time, but we can't do it by just pissing around at the margins. We've got to go straight to the heart of capitalism and overthrow it."
Watch:
While comedian and television host James Corden described the clip as "brilliant" when it first surfaced earlier this month, the salient message from author and activist George Monbiot about the need to radically upend and intensify the response to the climate crisis remains central to those around the world who have long recognized how the rapacious drive of capitalism has been a key accelerator of human-caused global warming.
"What we have to do is big structural, political economic stuff," Monbiot answered during his recent appearance on "Frankie Boyle's New World Order," a humorous news show in the UK, when asked what must be done to address the problem of a rapidly warming planet.
According to Monbiot--who has recently championed the idea of harnessing nature's power to not only stop but reverse the impacts of carbon pollution--ideas like getting consumers to change their light bulbs or end use of certain kinds of ear cleaners is not going to cut it.
"We have to overthrow this system which is eating the planet with perpetual growth," Monbiot explained. "I mean since when was GDP a sensible measure of human welfare?"
In conclusion, he says, there is simply no longer room for half measures or weak-kneed responses to the existential crisis of the climate emergency.
"We've got to start ramping down all fossil fuel production and leave fossil fuels in the ground," he declared. "There's time, but we can't do it by just pissing around at the margins. We've got to go straight to the heart of capitalism and overthrow it."
Watch:
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