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.