The basic position of the “Club of Rome” think tank is this: climate change and the risk of “irreparable damage” to our planet cannot be addressed without extensive changes in various sectors of society.

One of the initiatives of the Club of Rome, Earth4All, is now coming to propose a series of practical solutions in Germany, which are tailored to the country, as explained by the Zadrine Dixon-Decleve and the Paul Srivastavapresidents of the Club of Rome.

In the relevant report entitled “Earth for All Deutschland” it is argued that economic progress must go hand in hand with environmental protection and social justice. “We hope that this report will be an occasion to take measures. Together we can build a future in which both we and our planet will prosper.”

About 50 years ago the Club of Rome published a report entitled “The Limits to Growth”, in which it warned that if the orientation of the world economy did not change, the standard of living, the environment, and the economy itself would collapse,

The 2022 “Earth for All” report was about the most important actions to be taken with an eye to the future: to put an end to poverty, to tackle inequality, to emancipate women, to shape a food system that takes into account both humans as well as ecosystems, but also to complete the transition to “clean” forms of energy.

Crises make the situation more difficult

Effectively further reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a complex political and social challenge, which is currently on the back burner due to various global crises and geopolitical tensions, the report says.

The book is about “radical change” – not an impossible utopia, but a vision. After all, as the past shows us, significant changes can be achieved within a very short period of time. “Already in 1993, German energy companies wrote in an advertisement that ‘even in the long term, renewable energy sources such as the sun, water and wind cannot cover more than 4% of our energy needs.’ Today, however, the share of renewable energy is already close to 60%, showing a constant upward trend,” the report reads.

The real challenge is yet to come

As for the energy transition, the real challenge is expected to come in the coming decades, especially in the transport and heating sectors, “because both sectors concern people’s daily lives”. Thus, any changes that occur in these industries are more noticeable.

According to the book, there are several positive trends today: among other things, the cost of renewable energy is falling, the green technology industry is growing, while the willingness of citizens and governments to switch to alternative energy sources, away from fossil fuels, is increasing.

The fight against inequality is a necessary condition

Adequate attention is often not paid to the issue of extreme inequality in global society, but neither to the stark contrasts between rich and poor.

Even the German political leadership is short-sighted about this issue – although in Germany, as in many other parts of the world, there is a huge gap between those who contribute the most to the environment and those who do not hardly at all, but they still suffer greatly from the results of these activities. “In simple words: that is, anyone who makes little money, does not have a car and does not make long trips, but lives in areas where the quality of the atmosphere is poor and there is intense noise pollution.”

There is concern that with the worsening of climate change, the effects on such households will be even worse.

The poor always at a disadvantage

This condition is not something new: “Historical evidence shows that already 200 years ago the mansions of the factory owners were built where the air came from and where the atmosphere was therefore clean (usually in the west), while the workers’ neighborhoods were built where the wind from the factory was directed (usually to the east)’.

In addition, people’s educational level is very often related to the level of education their children later reach. One of the main promises of the social market economy is that every person can manage to rise socially through personal effort. In Germany, however, social mobility is more limited than it is in most other rich countries. “Especially the lower economic strata have little chance of advancement and are currently being further degraded.”

Who is affected by poor quality public infrastructure?

Social justice also concerns investments in public infrastructure, such as schools, investments which have remained at a low level in Germany for years. These are infrastructures on which the poorest households primarily depend. “Anyone who can afford it sends their children to a private school, has their own swimming pool or can go anytime anywhere they want in their own car,” the report says. “Anyone who can’t pay for all of that depends on public schools, public pools and public transportation — in other words, an efficient state with good infrastructure.”

In government funding programs there are several negative examples – such as one for the purchase and installation of new technology charging stations for electric cars, which primarily benefits those who can afford to buy an electric vehicle. A financial investment made mainly by wealthy citizens thus became even more beneficial for them. And this is not uncommon: many government funding programs have the effect of favoring rich rather than poor households.

Rising inequality is driving the world to the Right

With growing inequality, the fear of change also intensifies “and the tolerance of many reaches, justified or not, its limits. Solidarity is declining and society is shifting to the right.”

Other chapters of the report are devoted to equality, education and nutrition, while further analyzing how the cost estimation of climate protection is often done in the very short term – it is often argued that tackling climate change costs a lot, without to be taken into account at the same time that inaction will ultimately result in far greater economic consequences.

“This book is for us the springboard for a longer road”, it states at the end. A big change towards a better future is possible in Germany, although it remains an ambitious undertaking. Even for all the people of the Earth to lead a good life, it is a big but achievable challenge. “With this book we simply suggest a direction. Charting a specific path is something we all have to find together.”

Edited by: Giorgos Passas