Socialism and Climate Change

This will only be a quick post, as various bits-and-bobs of work-to-do are keeping the Wombats out of the mischief we relish so much.

Firstly, via the blog ClimateAndCapitalism, we draw readers' attention to the impending international conference of Eco-socialists in Paris this October. This is a matter on which a longer post will shortly be forthcoming, and is one to which our minds ought to be bent rather sharply, as it re-opens some interesting doors that were closed over a decade ago.

Relatedly, although the links are there to your left, we though we might remind readers to check out the similar, but more local, Green Lefts : Left Greens blog.

Finally, and leading more directly into the next post, and the looming federal election, at least one socialist organisation has produced a comprehensive response to the climate crisis - and what a response!

The Socialist Alliance Climate Change Charter (which the Wombats have now had the opportunity to view in printed format (and it's in colours!)) is an outstanding example of a simultaneously politicial and practical approach to the catastrophe that capitalism threatens to wreak on our planet. An online version is available here.

VoteClimate.org has voted the Socialist Alliance policy on the issue the best of all of the parties. Not being entirely clear of the methodology for the decision, it might be possible for some to dismiss this as a bunch of unrealistic far-left nonsense. However, the VoteClimate site has a number of clear criteria for their measurement that make it worth taking a look at.

More importantly, having read the Socialist Alliance's charter on Climate Change, it is precisely the right balance of socialist policies (of the transitional sort necessary) which balance the otherwise competing interests of "jobs" and "the environment", and place the solution firmly in a democratic framework. Very impressive.

It's the kind of document that Greens members should be asking "why can't we produce something like this"?