In democracies we have the belief that it is basically the people who are making the laws. Either by electing politicians who will then introduce new laws or - as it is in the case of Switzerland - new laws can be created by the people directly. However, in the case of climate change that process can be particularly challenging because the transition to a green economy may be connected with temporary loss of prosperity. Example: Until electric cars are produced in the same numbers (mass production usually leads to cheaper prices) they are more expensive. And until the infrastructure for charging stations is completed, a person is (from a short term point of view) better off buying a fossil fueled car. So the democratically elected leaders might have to make decisions that appear inconvenient to the people at first sight (for example by prohibiting cheaper fossil fueled cars). And most democratically elected politicians are afraid of disappointing their electors because their job depends on being popular. That's why they have to come up with new laws that will make the transition as painless as possible.
And in less democratic countries like China, it is important that leaders know exactly what they are deciding because there is no real interaction between the people and the leaders. For example it is important that the leaders keep on listening to science on their own. So far I think China is doing a very good job in that regard.
Another issue that we have in our modern society is that money, in a manner, has become the one religion that has replaced nearly all other values. So for example instead of asking about happiness and health we got used to only ask about the economy. Everything is just about GDP and economic growth. But GDP is not equal happiness (anymore). A fair distribution of wealth is starting to be more important than society's overall wealth. What's also important for all humans is to feel useful and realized. But a persons amount of money is by far not the only means to achieve that.
A life without too much stress at work and enough time for "quality time" at home can for example could lead to a happier life than earning twice as much money (=higher GDP) but constantly being stressed-out. The thing is that after two centuries of industrialisation and technologization the overall production rate of goods has reached such a good (high) level that there is simply no need anymore to increase it even further. Otherwise we will start to invent stupid things just to increase the GDP number.
Companies have already started to intentionally produce electric devices in lower qualities so they would break faster and so they can keep on producing and selling more. Because otherwise its workers won't have a job and therefore won't receive money and therefore won't be able to buy food and survive. That's why our current economy system and ideology that is solely based on increasing production needs to get updated with additional policies.
Progressive ideas like Universal Basic Income could be the answer. The fact that we start to discuss a four - day week is a step into the right direction as well. In connection with such advanced ideas we also need to start to not define ourselves solely by our (paid) job. But increasingly by things like being a kind and useful or helpful citizen, a good parent etc. There are many ways to make the world a slightly better place beside constant economical growth. And trying to make the world (at least) a slightly better place is - in my opinion - what is giving us fulfillment.
Producing and consuming has in the Western world become a lifestyle instead of an utility. Economical growth has become the new religion. A robust economy that is able to produce enough necessary and useful goods for everybody is important. But we have started to produce more goods than we need and invent things just to produce. And as long those things can not be produced with 0 CO2 and no pollution we should ask ourselves if we really need the newest I phone each year or a completely new wardrobe every year. Do we really have to go shopping or shouldn't we rather start a new hobby like playing soccer or Tennis or why not play cards with friends at home instread. There are a lot of fun things to do beside shopping things we don't really need and working 8-5 as many days as possible.
While this website´s owner is in favor of a universal basic income to allow people not to be forced into doing pointless and counterproductive jobs - before robots will take over completely - there will still be important things and real work to do. So the question is: How can we still reward people who are doing imortant and useful jobs? The best thing I can come up to is.. surprise surprise.. money once again. But how can we avoid awarding people for good things and destructive things at the same time which is currently the case?
Answer: By separating the old economic system from a new 100% circular net zero economical system. How can we do that? - By creating a new ecological, net zero, 100% circular economy currency. With that currency, only sustainable products can be bought. And only sustainable products can be sold. That´s it. A completely separated, isolated second economy.
Just like it is the case with the current economy, authorities would make sure that only sustainably produced goods can enter that system. We could make this currency in a digital form (green cryptocurrency) so it would be easier to keep track of the production chain and keep its goods 100% sustainable and separated from the current economy.
We should gently grow this ecological currency side by side with the old economy. We could make some exceptions at the beginning (for example allow transport by fossil fueled trains etc.) and as this new green economy grows, steadily getting more strict. The goal would be that the new green economy based on that currency will surpass the existing non ecological economy within 10-50 years until the old economy will become obsolete.
At the end of the transition period all the former currencies and valuables could be exchanged into this new ecological currency. Because it will be possible to fuel every existing car with renevable energy, every house will be possible to be heated with renevables, every hamburger, bread or milk will be produced in a 100% sustainable way. No one that got wealthy in the old economy would have to be afraid to lose its wealth. It will simply be transferred to the new economy.
From that moment on (after 10-50 years transition time) it could be like the old days and even purely selfish business people will be able to do business in their ecological suits and drive their ecological fancy cars. Because all parts of the economy will be perfectly sustainable and circular.
Every country could either create its own ecological currency. We just would have to agree on the same standards so the currencies can be exchanged among themselves. Or we create one universal ecological currency for the whole world.
Coming back to the Universal Basic Income (UBI): Since goods created within that green economy aren´t harming the world (and therefore human society) and since the amount of useful jobs is constantly shrinking, governments should start giving free money for that new green circular economy. Governments should introduce a UBI in form of that new green currency. Starting by giving each citizen enough free green currency to afford food that was grown in a sustainable way. And at the same time taking measures to reduce foodwaste. As society will start to get comfortable with the sustainable mindset and a less ego-driven culture with less pressure on the individual and more emphasizing on the good for the society as a whole, governments could steadily increase the amount of green UBI money until all the basics (food, shelter, health) are covered for everyone.
We would shift from a strictly ego driven economic system that is exploiting earth´s resources and destroying earth as we know it to a society and an economic system that is just as much rewarding efforts for sustainability and a healthy community. Side by side with ego driven motivations (wealth, power) that will always be part of our nature, too.
PS. I was searching the web for already existing literature regarding my concept but to my surprise couldn´t find any. Which is why I decided to not add any links. Some concepts and initiatives that I found go into the same direction though.
This post is about tree sponsorship in the very meaning. But also tree sponsorship like I encountered it lately in my hometown. Tree sponsorship in cities usually are initiatives where citizens of a city can either "adopt" a tree that is already planted in public space. Or you can donate money so a tree can be planted. Or how it seems to be possible in LA, order a tree for free that will be planted on your property. Win-win for everyone. In my hometown of Basel for example a "tree sponsorship" means that you can register to take care of the little space surrounding the tree yourself. Which means you are allowed to plant the plants that you like on a selected spot in public space. Which is pretty cool. Probably you have to pick flowers from a designated list. It would be cool though if you could also plant fruits and vegetables. Having some fun gardening and also contributing a little bit to the global food production. image: cityplants
Consumer products such as electronics or electric devices or often built in a way that people at home can not repair it on their own. Or built in a way they cannot be repaired at all. Basically to force people to throw the old products away and buy new. The European Union is trying to tackle that by introducing a new law that forces companies to built their products in a way they can easily be repaired.