Even though there is consensus about the physical causes of climate change, the underlying economic drivers of greenhouse gas emissions are still matter of debate. This brief talk will illustrate some of those drivers using the examples of the global production and consumption patterns in clothing and cellphones. Only understanding the economic causes of the climate crisis will allow aiming at the necessary changes to avoid more catastrophic consequences.
Speaker: Vladimir D铆az-Cu茅llar is a PhD candidate in Geography and Political Economy.听He has been teaching a course on the socioeconomic drivers and historical origins of the climate crisis at 杏吧原创 University since 2020.听His research analyzes the recent process of expansion and generalization of capitalism in Bolivia, its main characteristics, and the impact of industrial activities on greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation in the country in the context of the Anthropocene. His inquiry takes place at the intersections of natural and social sciences.
Actions
- Participate in 鈥渂uy nothing鈥� groups on Facebook or other resale sites听
- Start a 鈥渟hare network鈥� by sharing items with people you know, and avoid donating items听
- Bring your broken items to the Repair Caf茅 hosted by Ottawa Tool Library听听
- Check out Odd Bunch, a food waste redistribution system 听听
Resource List
The following is a list of resources recommended by attendees at our event.
Scientific Articles and Journals:听
- International Panel of Climate Change recent report听听
- Textile Exchange Materials Market Report听听
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- International Energy Agency 鈥淎s their sales continue to rise, SUV鈥檚 global CO2 emissions are nearing 1 billion tonnes鈥澨�听听
- International Labour Organization 鈥淭he future of work in the automotive industry. The need to invest in peoples capabilities and decent and sustainable work鈥澨�听听
- The Automobile Industry Pocket Guide听听
- Gross national happiness in Bhutan: the big idea from a tiny state that could change the world听听
- The Natural Resource Indicators (NRI), Stats Canada听听
- Why Some of Our Clothes Are Over 200 Million Years Old, by Daphne Chouliaraki Milner听听
- Peters, G., Li, M. & Lenzen, M. The need to decelerate fast fashion in a hot climate – A global sustainability perspective on the garment industry. Journal of Cleaner Production 295, 126390 (2021).听
- Oguchi, M. & Fuse, M. Regional and Longitudinal Estimation of Product Lifespan Distribution: A Case Study for Automobiles and a Simplified Estimation Method. Environ. Sci. Technol. 49, 1738鈥�1743 (2015).听
- Chancel, L. Global carbon inequality over 1990鈥�2019. Nat Sustain 5, 931鈥�938 (2022).听
Books:听
- Energy and Civilization: A History, Valclav Smil听
- Grand transitions: How the Modern World Was Made, Valclav Smil听
- The Global Automotive Industry, Nieuwenhuis and Wells听听
- This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate, Naomi Klein听