The actions of environmental activists around the world have helped put climate change firmly on the political agenda. However, there has been little, if any, serious action on the part of any political parties or governments. The date for reducing climate change-causing emissions to zero is so far in the future as to be meaningless. Basically, governments do not want to do anything that will hamper capitalism and as capitalism is the source of the problem, we cannot expect them to act. The current Labour government shows this clearly: proclaiming how green they are while their actions show the opposite. So, if we want to save the planet, and ourselves, it is up to us.Capitalism, and the consumer culture on which it depends, needs continual growth. And, those who control and use most of the worlds' resources will fight to keep their wealth. Capitalism and its pursuit of growth at any cost is the root of the problem and therefore cannot be part of the solution.Any commitment by governments will come up against those who are at the root of the climate crisis- the corporations (industrial, agribusiness and extractive) and the financial institutions that support them. These will not listen to reason or emotional pleas. They will do all in their considerable power to make sure that the government does nothing more than tinker and make superficial reforms. The essential capitalist system will not be changed as it is the basis of their profits and their wealth.Therefore, if we are to have any hope of halting the rapid advance of climate change we must deal with the root of the problem, capitalism itself. We describe how we can develop the environmental movement and substitute social change for climate change.
