Wim Carton, an expert in climate politics, and Andreas Malm, a human ecology academic, delve into the urgent challenges posed by climate change. They critique the ineffective global response to rising temperatures and discuss the controversial 'overshoot' strategy. The duo calls for revolutionary changes to address fossil fuel reliance while examining the limitations of established climate policies. With a focus on the socio-political dynamics, they advocate for genuine action against fossil fuels to prevent catastrophic outcomes.
Despite countless climate conferences, inaction persists as global emissions continue to rise, underscoring failed international commitments.
The concept of 'overshoot' suggests exceeding critical temperature limits is permissible, promoting complacency in the fight against climate change.
Profit motives in the fossil fuel industry create significant barriers to climate action, hindering investments in sustainable energy solutions.
Deep dives
The Failures of Climate Mitigation
Despite numerous international efforts to address climate change, significant inaction persists, evidenced by the continued rise in global emissions. Historical meetings, including the 28 COP conferences, have yielded minimal tangible results, with leaders often failing to implement the necessary changes despite acknowledging the impending climate crisis. The urgency of limiting temperature increases to below 1.5 degrees has been overshadowed by a reluctance to undertake drastic measures, leading many to believe that this goal may be unattainable. This growing despair in climate politics is compounded by an increase in fossil fuel consumption, raising questions about the effectiveness and commitment of global leaders to combat climate change.
Understanding Overshoot Thinking
Overshoot thinking promotes the idea that exceeding critical temperature limits is acceptable as long as technological solutions can later rectify the situation. This concept, rooted in a belief that humanity can rebound from environmental crises, suggests that it is feasible to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming and subsequently implement carbon capture technologies to mitigate the effects. Such an ideology not only reflects a lack of urgency but also signals a defeatist attitude towards meaningful emissions reductions, leading to complacency in climate policies. This approach endangers ecosystems and human populations alike, particularly those already experiencing the adverse effects of climate change, and raises moral and ethical concerns regarding the exploitation of future generations.
The Interplay Between Climate Models and Policy
Climate models often dictate policy decisions, setting boundaries based on economic viability rather than environmental necessity. These models, shaped by capitalist interests, typically project a gradual shift away from fossil fuels, postponing necessary emissions cuts in favor of maintaining current investments. They promote the rhetoric of overshoot as a strategy that permits transgression of limits, effectively creating a false sense of security about future climate policies. As a result, policymakers are guided by these projections, which may enable detrimental fossil fuel investments to continue, exacerbating the climate crisis rather than addressing its urgent needs.
The Dangers of Profit-Centric Climate Solutions
The focus on profit within the fossil fuel industry creates significant barriers to meaningful climate action, as capitalists prioritize immediate financial returns over long-term sustainability. Renewable energy technologies, while increasingly viable, struggle to compete with the profit rates seen in fossil fuels, leading to a reluctance to transition away from traditional energy sources. This profit-driven mentality results in greenwashing and underinvestment in genuine ecological solutions, ultimately perpetuating reliance on fossil fuel infrastructure. The capital locked into fossil fuels not only sidelines green initiatives but also cultivates an inertia against transitioning toward sustainable energy forms.
Geopolitical Implications of Climate Change
The intersection of climate change and geopolitical tensions emphasizes the fragility of international agreements and the escalation of conflicts related to resource scarcity. As climate effects worsen, the potential for political violence and instability increases, further complicating global cooperation on climate initiatives. Historical patterns of colonialism and resource exploitation continue to manifest in crisis situations, as regions already vulnerable to climate impacts face additional challenges from geopolitical strife. This dual threat necessitates a reevaluation of climate politics, calling for robust strategies that can withstand and address crises in a world increasingly defined by unpredictability and conflict.
On this week’s episode of The Verso Podcast we’re back to our typical format - our host, Eleanor Penny, is joined by Wim Carton and Andreas Malm to discuss their new book Overshoot: How the World Surrendered to Climate Breakdown (BUY HERE: https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3131-overshoot). We’re still working on bringing you more of these roundtable discussions with our wonderful Verso authors in our upcoming fourth series of The Verso Podcast, but in the meantime we hope you enjoy this fascinating conversation with two of key thinkers on the politics of climate breakdown. And don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for more inter-season programming in the run up to season 4!
We’re well into the third decade of the twenty-first century and we have still failed to save the world. Twenty-eight COP conferences on climate change have been and gone - and whilst there’s been plenty of mud wrestling over tipping points and temperatures rises, nothing ever really happens. In fact, the further we creep towards unliveable global temperature rises, the more fossil fuels get burned.
In response, an attitude has taken hold in some parts of climate politics that the fight to keep temperature rises below 1.5 degrees is a lost cause. Some people claim that instead of mitigating emissions now, we should instead be looking at strategies to tactically ‘overshoot’ warming targets, before using carbon capture and removal to turn the heat back down again. If you’ve just invested in a new oil pipeline, that attitude might look very appealing. Less so if you are living in parts of the world already burning, starving or drowning in a new age of heatwaves.
In this in-depth discussion, Wim Carton and Andreas Malm chart the embrace of this ‘overshoot’ thinking in environmental circles, in business, and in politics - asking what it means for the delicate life systems on this planet, and what we might be able to do about it.
Wim Carton is Associate Professor of Sustainability Science at Lund University, Sweden. He's the author of over twenty academic articles and book chapters on climate politics. His work has appeared in top journals such as Nature Climate Change, WIRES Climate Change and Antipode.
Andreas Malm teaches human ecology at Lund University, Sweden. He is the author of, among other books, Fossil Capital: The Rise of Steam Power and the Roots of Global Warming, and How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Learning to Fight in a World on Fire.
And don’t forget - be sure to subscribe to the show so you can be the first to know when season four drops - and so that you don’t miss any of the bonus content coming your way between now and then.
If you enjoy The Verso Podcast please consider leaving a rating or review wherever you get your podcasts - it really helps us out!
Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts
Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
