THIS year has seen the continuing march of climate change and environmental devastation, in the wildfires in southern Europe and the US, the storms across the world, the flooding in Libya and the Indian subcontinent, drought in east Africa, the shrinking of the Antarctic ice field, collapsing Atlantic Ocean circulation, thawing tundra, record temperatures in the oceans and on land. 

The human cost is to put millions of lives at risk from extreme temperatures, flooding or failing food production and supply.

Billions will fall out of the “climate niche” in which humanity has lived for millennia and those who survive will have no option other than to try to find somewhere else to live.

In many parts of the world global capitalism, having once paid lip service to undeniable environmental concerns, is now scrambling to protect its ability to make profit.  

A recent Morning Star article warned us that “Maga” Republicans plan to eliminate and reverse green energy transition in the US.

In Germany politicians, like others elsewhere, use the war in Ukraine as an excuse to reverse reductions in the production and use of fossil fuel.

The new cold war is used to crack down on the import of solar panels and electric vehicles from China.

In Britain, the government is legally bound to deliver reductions in carbon emissions of 68 per cent by 2030, leading to net zero by 2050 and yet we have seen over recent months the government announce a new coalmine in Cumbria, it has granted licences for gas and oil exploration in the North Sea and it has conducted a bidding war for offshore wind energy which attracted not a single bid because of pricing.

Following their unexpected victory in the Uxbridge by-election — attributed by the winning candidate to a vote against measures to improve air quality in London — the Tories have scented votes in opposing carbon emission reduction and clean air measures. 

Having announced his opposition to “hair shirt” climate policies and posturing as a champion of hard-working families trying to survive the capitalist-made cost of living crisis, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a wide-ranging rowback on Tory climate policies and commitments. 

It is typical Tory double-speak, to play off one policy against another in order to attract the votes they think they need to retain power.

Nor can we look to Labour, which refuses to confirm whether it will reinstate Britain’s climate commitments and has recently abandoned its own £28 billion green prosperity plan.

Shadow energy secretary Jonathan Reynolds says: “Labour isn’t going to put people’s bills up,” adopting the Tory agenda that the cost of climate action will be borne by working people.

Britain’s communists take their place in the struggle alongside other environmental activists. The executive committee resolution to 57th congress calls for more active campaigning locally, nationally and internationally, and there is an urgent need for information on, not only the effects of the environmental crisis, but also on how the world got to where it is. 

Marxism provides clear analysis and solutions; from Marx and Engels’ theory of metabolic rift to the degrowth communism of Bellamy Foster, Saito and others, we can both learn how accumulative capitalism and the constant demand for growth have poisoned the environment and consider how things could be different.

We call for:

• An end to fossil fuel production and use

• Transition to clean and renewable energy sources

• Government funding for people to be able to make changes to the way they live

• End green profiteering — eg: on electric vehicles, heat pumps, natural food etc

• No promotion of “greenwash” solutions such as carbon capture and storage or off-setting, • designed to allow the continuation of business as usual

• Widescale home retro-fitting

• Transport improvement and integration

• A transition to green industry and jobs

• Reform in agriculture and food production and supply

• Nationalised public utilities and services

• Land and water management for people not profit

In the end however we must change the system which brought the climate and environmental disaster now unfolding before our eyes.

As we have seen over recent months and weeks, we cannot expect those who have so much invested in keeping things the way they are to make the changes our world and our country need to save them for ourselves and future generations.

On climate and the environment, capitalism has failed — it has to be socialism or extinction.