Bristol University Press
Conclusion: Creating a New Development Model
-
Anne Hessel
Abstract
The scenario of collapse is easy to imagine: a financial crisis that causes a surge of unemployment and insecurity; populists come to power in many countries; Europe falls apart; and the fight against climate deregulation is postponed – until it is too late! This scenario is entirely plausible. It is even most likely, alas, given the inertia of our leaders over recent decades and the COVID-19 crisis. Fortunately, the story is never written in advance.
Stéphane Hessel is no longer with us, but he supported this Climate Finance Pact. Stéphane always said that we must refuse to be discouraged. On all continents, we have seen situations that seemed completely hopeless, but in a few months, the will of the citizens changed the situation radically: ‘We experienced apartheid and the end of apartheid’, he said: ‘We had the Berlin wall and saw the end of the wall…. It’s up to us, the citizens, to decide on our future.’
Yes, it is up to us to decide. It is time to wake up. It is time to raise our heads. It is time to pull together. It is time to convince our fellow citizens to come together, to push our leaders to be brave. What if this climate crisis gave humanity a great opportunity? It is indeed the first time that the whole of humanity is facing a major challenge together – pick up the gauntlet or die – and to meet this challenge, we must radically change our way of living together. Our solidarity must be expressed at all levels: from our neighbourhood, our work colleagues and our family to the universal, and from our region to our continent. All humans are concerned.
Abstract
The scenario of collapse is easy to imagine: a financial crisis that causes a surge of unemployment and insecurity; populists come to power in many countries; Europe falls apart; and the fight against climate deregulation is postponed – until it is too late! This scenario is entirely plausible. It is even most likely, alas, given the inertia of our leaders over recent decades and the COVID-19 crisis. Fortunately, the story is never written in advance.
Stéphane Hessel is no longer with us, but he supported this Climate Finance Pact. Stéphane always said that we must refuse to be discouraged. On all continents, we have seen situations that seemed completely hopeless, but in a few months, the will of the citizens changed the situation radically: ‘We experienced apartheid and the end of apartheid’, he said: ‘We had the Berlin wall and saw the end of the wall…. It’s up to us, the citizens, to decide on our future.’
Yes, it is up to us to decide. It is time to wake up. It is time to raise our heads. It is time to pull together. It is time to convince our fellow citizens to come together, to push our leaders to be brave. What if this climate crisis gave humanity a great opportunity? It is indeed the first time that the whole of humanity is facing a major challenge together – pick up the gauntlet or die – and to meet this challenge, we must radically change our way of living together. Our solidarity must be expressed at all levels: from our neighbourhood, our work colleagues and our family to the universal, and from our region to our continent. All humans are concerned.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of Tables, Figures and Boxes v
- Acknowledgements: The English Translation viii
- How We Can Win the Battle by Nicolas Hulot ix
- 2020: A Warning Shot by Anne Hessel x
- Foreword xiii
- ‘Our Home Is Burning and We Are Looking Elsewhere’ 1
- Global Warming: The Essential Cause Is Our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 14
- ‘Soon It Will Be Too Late…’, Say 15,000 Scientists 24
- The UN Environment Programme Denounces ‘This Catastrophic Climate Gap’ between the Reductions Needed and the National Pledges 35
- Zero Net Carbon Emissions? Yes, It Is Possible 40
- Can We Make a Colossal Development Programme Work? We Can Do It! 50
- ‘€1,000 Billion for the Climate?’ If It Is Really Needed, Yes, We Can Do It! 56
- Putting Finance Back at the Service of the Common Good: The European Climate Finance Pact 78
- Save the Climate and Save Europe? It Is Now or Never! 97
- Conclusion: Creating a New Development Model 110
- Notes 112
- Index 119
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of Tables, Figures and Boxes v
- Acknowledgements: The English Translation viii
- How We Can Win the Battle by Nicolas Hulot ix
- 2020: A Warning Shot by Anne Hessel x
- Foreword xiii
- ‘Our Home Is Burning and We Are Looking Elsewhere’ 1
- Global Warming: The Essential Cause Is Our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 14
- ‘Soon It Will Be Too Late…’, Say 15,000 Scientists 24
- The UN Environment Programme Denounces ‘This Catastrophic Climate Gap’ between the Reductions Needed and the National Pledges 35
- Zero Net Carbon Emissions? Yes, It Is Possible 40
- Can We Make a Colossal Development Programme Work? We Can Do It! 50
- ‘€1,000 Billion for the Climate?’ If It Is Really Needed, Yes, We Can Do It! 56
- Putting Finance Back at the Service of the Common Good: The European Climate Finance Pact 78
- Save the Climate and Save Europe? It Is Now or Never! 97
- Conclusion: Creating a New Development Model 110
- Notes 112
- Index 119
