The GND promises a green future while perpetuating the capitalist paradigm and “green colonialism” which causes ecological disaster and entrenches exploitative working conditions.

The cause of climate breakdown is our economic system. Capitalism∂ relies for its functioning on a logic of infinite growth, fossil fuel∂ combustion, and colonial resource extraction abroad. The drive for∂ infinite economic growth exhausts the world’s finite resources and∂ creates increasing waste and pollutant by-products which necessarily∂ ends up crossing planetary boundaries and undermining the world’s∂ biosphere. The capitalist economy’s growth imperative relies on the∂ high efficiency of polluting fossil fuels to sustain itself,∂ manifested in the stark rise in carbon emissions and global warming∂ since the industrial revolution. The capitalist economy is∂ historically built on colonial resource extraction abroad and has only∂ survived by these same means. Still today, the fuels and resources for∂ the Global North are obtained by means of gross human rights∂ violations, exploitative work conditions, and localised ecological∂ degradation in the Global South. It is this system of infinite growth∂ that is currently driving the planet to climate breakdown and∂ ecological Armageddon.∂ However, without this increasing growth, the economy falters and even∂ collapses in recession, putting shops out of business, pushing∂ communities into unemployment, and creating grim economic hardship and∂ social fallout. This creates an impossible dilemma for those running∂ society’s political institutions – they are unable to keep the∂ economy afloat and tackle climate breakdown at the same time.∂ What is the Green New Deal’s answer to this dilemma? It refuses to∂ acknowledge the problem. Clearly, the Green New Deal is rhetorically∂ very strong on highlighting the injustices and ecological problems of∂ the current economic system, rightly arguing for the climate crisis to∂ be understood as a social justice and a class issue and outlining some∂ of the basic characteristics of an ecological society. It’s∂ educational role here is valuable. But its rhetoric is not matched by∂ a practical plan to transform the economic paradigms producing climate∂ change_._∂ The Green New Deal pivots on a central lie of continued growth,∂ promising this growth and employment whilst pretending it can magic∂ away the environmental and humanitarian consequences. The result of∂ this is that on all three counts – infinite growth, reliance on∂ fossil fuels, and colonial resource extraction – the Green New Deal∂ is unable to challenge the prevailing order. Instead, it _perpetuates∂ the capitalist paradigm and economic relationships_ and maintains the∂ system leading us towards total ecological collapse.∂ THE LIE OF INFINITE GROWTH∂ Continued economic growth is necessary for the Green New Deal to∂ fulfil its promise of jobs for all, which is only possible in a∂ growing economy. Where the Green New Deal plans dare to tackle the∂ question of growth, they promise to decouple economic growth from the∂ extraction of finite resources and environmental consequences. But∂ this is not possible. Economic growth has never been absolutely∂ decoupled on a global scale from growth in material and energy use,∂ and there is no credible empirical model to suggest it will ever be.∂ To make claims to the contrary is to deny the planet’s ecological∂ limits, and this is precisely the realm of ‘green growth’∂ narratives and a business class trying to find excuses for endless∂ profit in an era of climate breakdown.∂ The Green New Deal plans imagine that they can measure growth by more∂ ethical standards, but this ignores the harsh reality that jobs in∂ this economy are tied to the grow-or-die imperative of businesses.∂ Green New Dealers cannot use _qualitative_, ethical measures of value∂ to create the _quantitative_ economic growth that is necessary both to∂ create new jobs for the unemployed and replace the tens of millions of∂ current useless jobs. Indeed, millions of jobs in our existing economy∂ are socially-useless – by providing superfluous products and∂ services they exist merely to keep profits rolling and the economy∂ growing. Simply put, ethical considerations cannot penetrate the∂ capitalist economy.∂ A growing capitalist economy means environmental destruction. There is∂ no such thing as ‘green growth’.∂ THE LIMITS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY∂ Secondly, the Green New Deal ignores the realities of renewable∂ energy. Renewables are not a magic bullet. Like all technologies, they∂ have their limits. A capitalist economy powered by renewables would∂ still be ecologically damaging. Due to their lower energy density,∂ renewables require high land-use, and for current levels of growth∂ this land use would be at a scale which presents devastating∂ ecological consequences. To power Britain’s current level of energy∂ consumption solely on solar energy, around 30% of the UK’s available∂ land would be needed, 50% for the EU overall, and many countries would∂ need more land than they currently have available. This would not only∂ wipe out biodiversity buffers but the need for land would also entail∂ disastrous trade-offs between food and energy production. Beyond this,∂ there are important limitations of efficiency, land competence, and∂ mineral reserves. These technical limitations of renewables means that∂ we should not expect them to replace fossil fuels in a capitalist∂ system.∂ Fossil fuels have always been vital to the functioning of a capitalist∂ system, to the degree that capitalism cannot exist without them.∂ Fossil fuels, with high energy density, can be extracted, stored and∂ burnt for energy around the clock. Historically their storage provided∂ greater mobility than renewables and energy that wasn’t tied to a∂ particular river or windmill, and despite their continual fall in∂ efficiency, they would still have to play a huge part in a capitalist∂ economy. If the Green New Deal is to maintain a growing economy it∂ will inevitably end up relying on the final reserves of fossil fuels,∂ the incessant burning of which is the main driver of climate∂ breakdown.∂ COLONIAL RESOURCE EXTRACTION∂ Finally, the Green New Deal maintains imperialist relations between∂ Global North and Global South, by which countries in the Global South∂ are subjected to economic servitude. To build up its renewable∂ technologies, like solar, wind turbines and batteries, the Green New∂ Deal would require high inputs of earth minerals for its production,∂ such as lithium and cobalt, and would rely on kilotonnes of silver,∂ copper, and steel. These minerals are mined predominantly in the∂ Global South; from Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to∂ Chile, Argentina, and China. Vast increases in extraction and∂ appropriation of these resources would be needed to ‘green’ the∂ UK’s economy - the process of which would be deeply violent. These∂ mining industries are associated with some of the world’s most∂ appalling work conditions, human exploitation, and a host of tragic∂ health problems and ecological degradation for local populations - all∂ enmeshed in colonial economic relations to service the Global North.∂ UK journalists rightly warn of ‘green colonialism’. To demand∂ resource extraction at such increased levels would be maintain the∂ colonial relationships between Global North and South and would∂ intensify disaster for local populations. The climate justice rhetoric∂ of the Green New Deal would lie in tatters.