climateemergency

What is the Problem with People?

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Modern Lifestyle in the Face of Climate Emergency


What is the problem with people? Why, in the face of a looming climate disaster, do they fail to take action and persist in irresponsible behaviours? This question is crucial in contemporary society.

Any serious reflection on the fashion industry, which is our focus, must consider the big picture – human nature, psychology, economics, philosophy, and more. Setting priorities and reaching a consensus on that.

“People don’t want to see” – Rupert Read


“At the end of the day, the problem is not that the people aren’t smart enough to see; it is that they don’t want to see. These people don’t want to face reality. But reality is starting to bite us.” So stated Rupert Read, an academic, former spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, and current director of the Climate Majority Project, during a panel addressing climate emergency.

Investigating the reasons behind inaction in the face of an undeniably alarming reality, Rupert Read offers a sobering response. We seem to be heading toward the end of civilization.

However, these insights are crucial for any serious analysis of the fashion industry and the broader economic system. As we scrutinise the fashion system, revealing its outdated and irresponsible practices, we realise we are confronting a cultural issue. This issue is deeply embedded in our economic system and human nature.

For instance, consumer spending has skyrocketed because products are now designed to be disposable, necessitating continuous replacement. Despite the obvious unsustainability of this model, people seem unwilling to change their habits.

We chose to act now. That’s why we changed how we operate our fashion business: small, lean, independent, value-driven. We select a limited number of pieces – no packaging, no waste. But most don’t understand it’s an intentional radical choice. Good design, quality and fairly paid workers – therefore made-to-last products – don’t come at low prices.

Conclusion


In short, what is the problem with people? According to Rupert Read, it’s not that people don’t see; they prefer to deny reality. This denial allows them to maintain their lifestyle – shopping for cheap green-labelled garments, eating fast food, or taking frequent flights, yet opting for improbable sustainable hotels. So conscience is clear.

And you, what are you choosing to do?

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The Climate Joke

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COP28: Hypocrisy & Climate Change

If hypocrisy always accompanies the climate summit, this COP28 sounds like a joke.

Many traditional Italian jokes start like this: there is an Italian, a French and a German. Now add that they meet up in Dubai to talk about climate change. Okay, for real, COP28, the annual climate summit, is now held in Dubai. Whether you are Italian or not, you’ll laugh because it sounds like a joke!

By the way, we can expand this joke, including other countries. There are three British men who flew on three private jets to Dubai to attend a meeting led by an oil and gas CEO to talk about not using oil. And, of course, not killing the planet to satisfy their lifestyle!
In fact, according to The Independent, Sunak, Cameron and King Charles each take on private jets to travel to COP28. Three private jets to talk about cutting emissions! Surely, the right thing to do!

We could continue with the other countries in the world; the pattern doesn’t change. So, the joke gets shared.

The joke: a petro-state for climate change

Not only is COP “whatever the number,” the conference where world leaders gather to discuss climate change for about five days and then go back home with nothing done. Specifically, they postpone the change for the next 15 or 20 years, which is pure madness. It reveals a total lack of understanding of the climate emergency and a willingness to make change.
But, this year, it is even more absurd: they join in Dubai. Precisely, world leaders gather in a country whose only power relies on oil to talk about climate change. Conflict of interest? It doesn’t concern them! Private jets, helicopters, shopping in giant shopping malls – an energy-absorbing country whose energy and water consumption per capita is the highest in the world.

What are they talking about? Where are we heading?

To conclude, we share Mario Tozzi‘s words:


“There is little use in gathering at conferences like COP28, where it is more important not to step on the toes of a destructive economy than to worry about the health of the Earth. They can spare us the mockery.”


Enough with the climate joke! We cannot listen to politicians and billionaires who travel on private jets telling us how to consume! This hypocrisy is disturbing. We are fed up with it. Aren’t you?

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The climate time bomb

Economic growth, decoupling & fashion industry

The latest IPCC report, AR6 – Sixth Assessment Report, is a survival guide for humanity to defuse the climate time bomb. Will it awake people’s conscience?

The report & the climate time bomb

“Scientists from the authoritative UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), urged for immediate action that can be taken now, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change.”

The study – “Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report” – calls for urgent climate action to secure a liveable future for all. 
Antonio Guterres declared that the climate-time bomb is ticking, but we have the knowledge and resources to tackle the climate crisis. Only drastic action can avert irrevocable damage to the world. If we act now, we can ensure a livable planet for the future. 

The solution proposed by the IPCC is “climate resilient development,” which involves integrating measures to adapt to climate change with actions to reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions in ways that provide wider benefits.

In supporting sustainable development, the discussion is about the decoupling of production and emissions. 

Decoupling – what happens in the fashion industry?

Recently Kering Group launched a climate change adaptation strategy that uses a science-based framework. So, the group set the goal to cut emissions across their supply chain by 40% by 2035. In other words, Kering will keep growing while cutting climate impact.

But here is the point! Can developed countries achieve economic growth decoupled from environmental pressures?

The economist Timothée Parrique replies to that question by debunking this theory.
We quote the closing lines (but we suggest you read the full article here).

So, “the jury has reached a verdict,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres during the release of the report. For me, the AR6 is the last nail on the coffin of the green growth hypothesis, which I consider to be a broken promise, one of the “empty pledges that put us firmly on track towards an unliveable world,” as Guterres says. 
What if we could time travel to Galileo’s trial today? Which voice would we give credence to? I think the situation concerning decoupling is dramatically similar. Give a few years (hopefully less) for the smoke to disappear, and we’ll soon realise that, just like the Sun doesn’t revolve around the Earth, the continued pursuit of economic growth in rich nations is not compatible with a stable climate.”   

Timothée Parrique

The climate time bomb is ticking, but green growth is not the answer. Though a reduction of consumption may seem utopic, we are afraid it will be too late when we will realise that was our way out!

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Davos Forum: permacrisis and private jets

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World leaders, the luxury bubble that rules the world

These days, the planetary elite is gathering in Davos. And try to guess how they reach the World Economic Forum? On a private jet, of course!

Davos Forum: what is it?

Davos is a town located in the Switzerland Alps where, in January, the World Economic Forum takes place. Started in 1971, WEF is a Switzerland non-profit that holds a five-day conference annually. The delegates include political leaders and representatives from international companies, pharmaceuticals, tech, banks and academics.

Every year the leaders tackle a different topic. This year’s theme is: “Cooperation in a fragmented world.”
Since Europe is facing a persistent state of hardship, going from crisis to crisis, we entered the era of “permacrisis.” And there seems to be no end to this challenging time. Other than economics, leaders will touch on environmental and social issues too.

Greenpeace & Davos

Greenpeace published an analysis conducted by the Dutch CE Delft checking the CO2 emissions from the private flights to the Davos Forum:

“The analysis shows a substantial increase in private jet flights to and from Davos airports and an even more sizable increase in CO2 emissions during the week of the World Economic Forum 2022, compared to an average week. The number of private jet flights doubles and private jet emissions quadruple during the week of the World Economic Forum compared to an average week.”

About every second flight is attributed to the meeting. But, the distance travelled is striking:
53% of all private jet flights were short-haul flights under 750 km. 38% were ultra short flights (below 500 km) that could have easily been train or car trips. More than 6% of all private jet flights flew less than 100 km. The shortest flight recorded was 21 km.

Read the full report here.

Clearly, these leaders live in a luxury bubble. In order to address economics, the climate emergency and social injustice, they fly on private jets and go to five-star hotels. Nevertheless, they suggest a radical change in technology and sustainability. In short, they indicate solutions while they exacerbate the problems. Absurd. Isn’t it?

Of course, the idea that leaders travel on private jets to address pollution, causing more CO2, could make us laugh. Unfortunately, the climate emergency is here to stay, and there’s nothing to laugh about.

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COP 27: the climate show is on!

COP 27 is becoming more of an international show leaving people in doubt about its effectiveness. We hear world leaders urging us to worry about the climate emergency for about ten days. After that, no action follows, and things are only getting worse. So, do we really need it?

With more than 35 thousand people involved, the cost and impact are crazy! In the first two days, 40 private jets landed in the Egyptian desert. For a conference on climate change? It sounds like a joke!
However, most of the leaders participating in this summit are the same ones who contributed to creating the problems we face nowadays. And their strong connection with oil and corporations is at the heart of the matter.

So, a simple question arises, which doesn’t require rocket science but the common sense of humble people like us. Can those who caused a disaster help find solutions? It seems unlikely to happen.

Corporations are the face of capitalism. If asked to change, they will shift to green capitalism. But this will not reduce their impact on the planet because they will continue to overproduce goods. So, people and planet exploitation will continue. Just with a different colour!

Indeed, believing that corporations will be active in finding solutions to climate change is quite naive. Ethics and business aren’t good friends. Until the very last drop of oil is available, they will persist in exploitation and make money out of it. All the rest, COP 27 included, is just a facade. A kind of big greenwashing machine which has the effect of manipulating people. Or unnerving those who don’t buy it.

Capitalistic growth led to the destruction of the world. Making capitalism green will change its colour. But a new facade will not eradicate the element that caused the disaster: never-ending growth. Which is cancer to humanity and nature.

Our planet cannot bear it anymore. We need to question endless economic growth. If growth is life, overgrowth is death.

And so, we don’t need world leaders discussing the climate disaster for ten days, hand in hand with corporations. COP 27 is pointless. We need people who care 365 days a year!

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