A GOOD WAR

A GOOD WAR – learning from the past on Remembrance Day

Nov. 11, 2021

While it seems like an oxymoron, I’m struck by the hope that reading this work by Seth Klein can inspire.  A ‘Good War’ is a war between all of humanity against the business as destruction of our planet.  It draws on the incredible efforts to mobilize the nation for WW2, to develop a model for how we can mobilize for to make the tremendous course correction needed to live within the planet’s ecological ceiling (as discussed in ‘Doughnut Economics’ below).  It demonstrates how we CAN do this – we’ve done it before!

 Seth Klein, of course, includes the need to undertake comprehensive energy retrofits on the majority of existing buildings as well as requiring all new buildings to be net-zero.  He provides a framework to accomplish this which includes regulation to be off fossil fuels by targeted dates and mass mobilization through a new Crown Corporation that would direct implementation and assist with funding in the sectors that need it.  The details on how to retrofit the buildings are not discussed, but left up to the experts (as it should be).  I see here a need for industry professionals to join forces with these government policy makers to guide the process and push it in the right direction – such as introducing programs like the Energiesprong one out of the Netherlands (below).

 Remembering, and hoping that we can rally and put up a good fight!