Dear G20.

You’re meeting in London this week, and talk will be dominated by the world economic crisis. This is inevitable, and correct, but it needs to be seen in its broadest context; inextricably linked with both climate change and social justice.

As far as I’ve seen, the heads of each G20 country now recognise the reality of climate change and its human causes. The risk is that we trigger an irreversible melting of the polar ice caps which raises and acidifies the oceans, collapsing first our economic system then the very systems that keep us alive. Mass extinction, including humans, looms. Science, a discipline with scepticism at its very roots, speaks with virtually one voice on this, including that group of 2000 scientists which you tasked to get to the bottom of the issue. It’s time, and the world recession provides the perfect platform, to show leadership and to take the required leaps to tackle this imminent disaster. Sceptics should be told to trust science, in the same way as they do when they fly in a plane or visit their pharmacy. Anyone who extends climate change doubt to climate change sloth needs to be left at the side of the road. This includes sceptical businesses, electorates and commentators.

The solution is to take the carbon out of our power and transport systems, consume less of both, ideally building a carbon negative economy in very rapid order. The technology and required innovation culture are  both here now. We’ve got a green economy bursting to get out. It’s a cause that the developed world can rally to, given inspirational leadership.

The market won’t achieve this alone. Both the market and our current flavour of capitalism are flawed. It’s on the wrong track and only governments, acting in concert, can redirect it. The market developed in an age when environmental sustainability was a niche concern. Only those that fetishise free-market capitalism could fear changing it, in response to looming catastrophe.

The market undervalues the future. To quote Kim Stanley Robinson, writing for McKinsey’s What Matters project:

“Our commodities and our carbon burning are almost universally underpriced, so we charge less for them than they cost. When this is done deliberately to kill off an economic competitor, it’s called predatory dumping; you could say that the victims of our predation are the generations to come, which are at a decided disadvantage in any competition with the present.”

Just as importantly, the market is based on growth, consumption, aspiration and often (though not always) greed. But there’s a problem with this. The world’s ecology can’t afford for those aspiring to Western levels of consumption to ever get there. Half the world survives on less than $2 daily, living in conditions which should shame G20 leaders. The affluent other half consumes many multiples more resources than they do. Given that today’s status quo has brought us to the brink of environmental disaster, we shouldn’t pretend that we can afford for them to become like us. This sounds horribly paternalistic, but I can’t think of another way to put it.

It seems to me that the developing world is crying out for social justice, adequate healthcare, housing, women’s rights, representative government and so on. You owe it humanity to play your part in achieving this. Pursuit of consumption levels to match our own won’t work, that will lead to environmental disaster and an extension of the affluenza epidemic. We’re selling them a pup if we pretend they’ll be happy in a society like ours. What Oliver James calls selfish capitalism is toxic; it makes us depressed. It’s no coincidence that the world financial centres of London and New York are also amongst the most depressed cities on earth.

A word on the free market. In setting it free it has run amok. We elect governments to represent the people’s interests. It’s in the people’s interests to reign in the worst excesses of the free market. As an example let’s look at the oil industry. It isn’t evil, it’s searching for more oil, pursuing growth and profit in the way companies are supposed to. But the environment can’t handle it, and notions of social justice are put aside when protecting oil interests in countries such as Saudi Arabia. This is where governments need to intervene, developing policies which protect the greater good. This isn’t about left Vs right, little Vs big government. It’s about ensuring the species survives.  

So we need something else from you. A new capitalism, resting on the twin pillars of social justice in the developing world (and elsewhere where it’s lacking) and climate responsibility in the developed world. It’s difficult to describe what that might look like as we’ve barely even begun to acknowledge the need, but make no mistake: The future of humanity depends on your ability to deliver it.

You’re leaders, not saddled but gifted with the perfect storm of a world financial crisis. Lead us into a sustainable, civil civilisation. Start in London, now.

Richard