Shared pretenses for collective inaction: the economic growth imperative, COVID-19, and climate change

ABSTRACT

This paper examines how the economic growth imperative not only drives climate change and created the conditions for the development and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic but is also the context for climate change inaction and ineffective responses to the pandemic. Focusing on the United States, the paper identifies pretenses for collective inaction on COVID-19 that are similar in content to familiar justifications for delay in climate action: (1) denialism, (2) individualism, and (3) techno-optimism. These justifications must be identified as strategies to maintain the status-quo and benefit the wealthy few while allowing avoidable human suffering and loss. Adequately addressing climate change and future pandemics requires overcoming these false narratives and transitioning to social conditions that are resilient, healthy, and sustainable – specifically conditions where social and ecological well-being are prioritized over economic growth for the sake of profit maximization.

KEYWORDS:

• Climate change
• COVID-19
• economic growth
• inaction
• capitalism

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diana Stuart

Diana Stuart, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Sustainable Communities Program in the School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability at Northern Arizona University. Her research examines environmental and social issues in industrial agriculture and how to transition to a more sustainable food system. Her work has explored ways to increase wild biodiversity, reduce fertilizer pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and support animal welfare.

Brian Petersen

Brian Petersen, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography, Planning and Recreation at Northern Arizona University. His research and published work focuses on climate change adaptation and landscape level conservation. His work draws on both social and natural science perspectives to interrogate contemporary natural resource and environmental challenges.

Ryan Gunderson

Ryan Gunderson, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Sociology and Social Justice Studies in the Department of Sociology and Gerontology at Miami University. His current research projects concern the potential effectiveness of proposed solutions to environmental problems; the social dimensions and environmental impacts of technology; and the renewal of classical and mid-twentieth century sociological theory.