I think the thing to stress regarding the Survival Manifesto is that it is an attempt to suggest a vision of 'where we need to go' in the long run. It is an objective to strive towards. If the goals and strategies we follow currently, or over the next few years, do not lead in that direction, then we should be questioning what we are about. Clearly, the four main things being outlined (no-growth steady-state economies; smaller populations; reduced consumerism; material equivalence in living standards) are not likely to happen soon. While some within the climate change movement will not agree that these four elements are necessary for safe mitigation of climate change, there should be no disagreement that they are worthy goals to aspire to, and that the world would be a better place if they could be accomplished. So, this is the context in which the Manifesto should be understood. More ...
A common, or shared, standard of living for all people is basic to social justice. Without material equivalence in a living standard social justice is at best limited, at worst a farce.
The 20th century preoccupation with growth, both economic and in populations, will be increasingly unadaptive for humans in the 21st century. There will be major social, economic and political upheavals in coming decades and, while they will be disruptive and destructive, they will also present humans with opportunities to re-organise their social, economic and political affairs. It can only be hoped that such re-organisation will result in a fairer, more just and equitable distribution of resources that will encompass a socially and environmentally sustainable world.More...
