ABSTRACT

This paper examines how the economic growth imperative not only drives climate change and created the conditions for the development and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic but is also the context for climate change inaction and ineffective responses to the pandemic. Focusing on the United States, the paper identifies pretenses for collective inaction on COVID-19 that are similar in content to familiar justifications for delay in climate action: (1) denialism, (2) individualism, and (3) techno-optimism. These justifications must be identified as strategies to maintain the status-quo and benefit the wealthy few while allowing avoidable human suffering and loss. Adequately addressing climate change and future pandemics requires overcoming these false narratives and transitioning to social conditions that are resilient, healthy, and sustainable – specifically conditions where social and ecological well-being are prioritized over economic growth for the sake of profit maximization.

摘要

本文探讨了经济增长的必要性如何不仅推动了气候变化并为 COVID-19 大流行的发展和传播创造了条件，而且也是气候变化不作为和对大流行应对不力的背景。该论文以美国为重点，确定了对 COVID-19 集体不作为的借口，其内容与推迟气候行动的常见理由相似：(1) 否认主义，(2) 个人主义，以及 (3) 技术乐观主义。这些理由必须被确定为维持现状和造福少数富人的战略，同时允许可避免的人类痛苦和损失。充分应对气候变化和未来的流行病需要克服这些错误的叙述，并过渡到有弹性、健康、