“Saving civilization is not a spectator sport” is Lester Brown’s — president of the Earth Policy Institute — battle cry. He was invited last month by the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the sustainability network 3plusX to speak to over 100 interested participants in Berlin. Brown’s talk echoed the latest edition of his Institute’s well-regarded book 'Plan B 3.0—Mobilizing to Save Civilization’, which critiques the unsustainable outcomes of a 'business-as-usual’ mentality. Early warning signs of a global civilization collapse are reflected in natural systems degradation — such as the net worldwide forest loss of over 7 million hectares per year, or the unsustainable use of more than 75 percent of global fisheries.



Current CO2 reduction goals often aim too far in the future to fit the political arena’s nearsighted vision. On the other hand, Plan B’s short-term, ambitious goal of 80 percent CO2 emission reductions by 2020 is more to the liking of many environmental professionals. But how will that goal be achieved? Members of 3plusX and others asked where the necessary incentives, leadership, and financial resources would come from. Brown stressed that rising levels of awareness and expanding grassroots mobilization are key to driving change where it is needed most — at the leadership level. His main action plan, however, is tax reform, a system of equally lowering income taxes and raising carbon taxes familiar to Europe in general, and Germany in particular.



Good examples of what individual countries, states, investors or leaders have accomplished in the climate and energy sectors abounded in Brown’s speech. However, a clear description of how the massive and speedy economic reform necessary for the reduction goals would be achieved, as described in his book, was lacking. Comparisons to the tremendous feats of the US manufacturing sector during WWII were made in reference to the kind of 'wartime speed’ mobilization needed to reduce global climate change. Yet, it remains doubtful whether or not triggers are obvious enough for society to undertake such immediate efforts. Nevertheless, Brown pleaded a strong case that is anything but escapist: Just last year New Zealand’s Prime Minister Helen Clarke took a radical step in announcing total carbon neutrality as a central policy goal – that sets a good example for the way to saving civilization. (Irina Comardicea)



For a podcast summary of Lester Brown's lecture at the GTZ please see http://www.gtz.de/en/aktuell/24829.htm



For complete access to Lester Brown's book (in PDF format) please see http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/PB3/Contents.htm

Published in: ECC-Newsletter, October 2008