An Ecosocialist Perspective on Gaia 2.0: The Other World That is Still Possible^*

* This paper is updated and expanded from my presentation on Panel 2: “How Can We Create Positive Change (towards Gaia 2.0)?” James Lovelock Centenary, The Future of Global Systems Thinking, Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, July 31, 2019.

ABSTRACT

Lenton and Latour proposed there is now a new phase of Gaian history, Gaia 2.0, where humanity is challenged to collectively manage the biosphere in its own interests as well as those of the rest of life on our planet. Here is an ecosocialist perspective on Gaia 2.0. There are three critical requirements for still having a chance, if rapidly diminishing, of keep global warming below the IPCC goal of 1.5°C, namely, demilitarization of the global economy, global solarization of energy supplies coupled with rapid phase out of fossil fuels, and the transformation of agriculture to agroecologies. Degrowth proposals for the global energy supply would not provide the energy capacity for climate mitigation and adaptation, and would fall short of creating equity between the global South and North, in particular by keeping most of humanity in a state of energy poverty. The only feasible way to avoid climate catastrophe are radical changes in both the physical and political economies, notably the degrowth and rapid dissolution of the Military Industrial Complex (MIC) and implementation of a Global Green New Deal as a pathway for global ecosocialist transition.

KEYWORDS:

• Ecosocialism
• Gaia
• military industrial complex

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID

David Schwartzman http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4723-9177

Notes

* This paper is updated and expanded from my presentation on Panel 2: “How Can We Create Positive Change (towards Gaia 2.0)?” James Lovelock Centenary, The Future of Global Systems Thinking, Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter, July 31, 2019.