This issue goes beyond our consumption. The entire worlds growth has to be regulated at this point to ensure stability.
That means Western countries need to accept a lower standard of living or find ways to become vastly more efficient so that developing nations can catch up and we can find an equilibrium in regards to standard of living globally.
This West/rest dichotomy seems a bit outdated. Is China the West? oil-rich Middle East? Both of those have high emissions per capita - in the case of the Middle East, some of the highest in the world.
Mostly I meant developed vs undeveloped. Those are Eastern countries who are still developing. I think the dichotomy fits just fine still.
Why does this sound familiar?
Well, look, I for one at least appreciate the honesty from many climate concerned types that the goal is really authoritarian socialism. It’s much better to be honest about that than the years previous where it was all “we can just solve it with a tax” which implied but didn’t come right out and say what it really is to some people.
Is the WTO authoritarianism? Is a speed limit authoritarianism?
NO. Those are just regulations, because as systems get more complex you need more rules to manage the scale.
Look all I'm talking about doing is creating a world climate organization rater than a world trade organization and you're trying to tell me I'm suggesting authoritarianism. It's ludicrous.