The idea of reducing human carbon emissions is to reduce greenhouse effect and thereby reduce the temperature of the biosphere.
There are two ways to reduce human emissions. Stop producing them, or get energy from non-carbon sources.
The main problem with getting energy from non-carbon sources is that there is nothing about them that curbs growth. And as long as there is growth in human activity, there will be more heat. That heat will release stored natural carbon and generate more emissions, undoing all efforts.
We can address heat directly, and reduce human emissions at the same time by reversing growth, degrowth.
There is some low-hanging fruit for degrowth. The auto and sprawl system is very wasteful. It could be quickly and severely tightened up by abolishing the private auto. Along with this, comprehensive health care and education would accelerate falling birth rates.
There are two ways to reduce human emissions. Stop producing them, or get energy from non-carbon sources.
The main problem with getting energy from non-carbon sources is that there is nothing about them that curbs growth. And as long as there is growth in human activity, there will be more heat. That heat will release stored natural carbon and generate more emissions, undoing all efforts.
We can address heat directly, and reduce human emissions at the same time by reversing growth, degrowth.
There is some low-hanging fruit for degrowth. The auto and sprawl system is very wasteful. It could be quickly and severely tightened up by abolishing the private auto. Along with this, comprehensive health care and education would accelerate falling birth rates.
