Climate Leviathon

If emissions continue unabated throughout the 21st century, the climate of North American urban areas will become, on average, most like the contemporary climate of locations about 500 miles away and mainly to the south.

The original New Deal of the 1930s was not a single program or piece of legislation – it was a whole era of turmoil in which contesting forces tried to meet a devastating crisis and shape the future of American society.
Jeremy Brecher Labor for Sustainability

Lots of policy wonks out there trying to put meat on the bones of the Green New Deal. After wandering in the wilderness for so long, focusing on the COP gatherings, going to TED talks by Al Gore, dragging through divestment campaigns and forming climate non-profits, they finally get a spark of tangible activity to glom on to. An actual Resolution put forward by actual elected officials. A charismatic champion gaining celebrity status. And so a thousand proposals bloom explaining how the government "should" create new agencies, "should" fund massive projects, "should" employ everyone with high paying jobs. However, one senses a bit of irrational exuberance considering the actual "political" landscape.

This government everyone is suddenly so confident about, how is it imagined into being? Lots of people voting for the good guys? There is just a sudden, willful, collective historical amnesia infecting "progressives"; write a position paper and will it into existence. Hope for Change and start fundraising.

Or techno-engineering optimism like this from Albert Bates, a scientist: "In this moment of crisis, we are blessed with emerging technologies, cognitive sciences and holistic management practices that open previously undisturbed system dynamics to our thoughtful, meticulous, deliberate consideration."

Thoughtful consideration? Really? Is he talking about human governance or the thing scientists do (research and writing)? Where we find the most interesting, nervous analysis is the business press. This is an example from The Economist:

"But recurrent droughts, floods, heatwaves and storms can all hurt—particularly in a world of complex, just-in-time supply chains readily thrown out of whack."