One of the more ominous predictions made recently about climate change that has been made recently is that we need to reduce atmospheric CO2 (or equivalent) to 350 parts per million in order to avoid dramatic climate change. Previous estimates have been 450, or 550 ppm. Current levels? 383 ppm. In other words, we are already in overshoot, and despite 700 million new cars being put on Indian and Chinese roads in the coming years, we’ve got to drastically cut emissions. Is the new prediction sound? I don’t know. But it could be. And it has scary ramifications. (You can read the latest IPCC report for some of those).

While many ardent upper-middle-class North American environmentalists may like to believe that it’s possible to affect significant enough change through personal actions and buying decisions, in reality, no amount of consumerism can produce the scope of change required, in the amount of time required. There have been a shocking number of sustainable businesses that have sprung up in hopes of stimulating the market - some have thrived, others have failed - but it’s difficult to affect significant change without massive investment, and beyond that, without a massive marketing budget to convince people to do things that are largely in opposition to well-established interests.

It is infinitely frustrating that government intervention is almost surely required to produce the changes necessary in time, and yet because those same established interests hold so much sway in the policy-making process, it will probably never happen. Given the bullshit being bandied around in opposition at Bali this year, despite no binding language whatsoever, it will be interesting to see if there’s enough global will to pull our fat out of the fryer in time.