AIRE Seminar organized by the stream « In Transition »

In this talk I will first present results from the Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change, commissioned by the Austrian Panel on Climate Change (APCC). This national report was a joint undertaking of around 200 researchers which assessed research on climate change in Austria, based on the methodology of the IPCC. In chapter 8 on “Transformation Pathways” different net zero mitigation scenarios were assessed, and qualitative transformation pathways were synthesized. Climate-friendly transformation pathways go beyond decarbonization scenarios aiming at a good life for all within planetary boundaries. Such a broad objective invites us to strive for more-than climate transformations by aiming at mitigation but also at adaptation, at ecological objectives but also social ones. Assessing the literature, two ideal-typical pathways were identified: an “ecomodernist” and a “system change” pathway. Both are grounded in specific epistemic communities. As they are also only supported by restricted socio-cultural milieus climate-friendly transformation pathways have two integrate both ideal types. If this integration is based on a focus on everyday benefits for citizens, like access to public infrastructures or measures that reduce costs of living, they can facilitate alliance building for democratic climate policymaking.

In a second part, based on activities of the International Karl Polanyi Society, especially its new blog on “Fascism and Liberalism: Yesterday and Today”, I will discuss the powerful neoliberal thinktanks like the Mont Pelerin Society as the most powerful enemies of climate-friendly transformation pathways. These organizations, backed for long by billionaires, have been preparing the current climate backlash for long. However, this specific backlash has to be linked to a broader politico-cultural attempt to destroy not only liberal democracies but also a civilizational model based on equality, universal values of human dignity and international cooperation. Fighting climate backlash cannot be disconnected from fighting the underlying supremacist ideology of the reactionary far-right movements which aim at a good life only for the select few.

Speaker

Andreas Novy is associate professor and head of the Institute of Spatial and Social-Ecological Transformations at Vienna University of Economics and Business, president of the International Karl Polanyi Society and Coordinating Lead Author of Chapter 8 on “Transformation Pathways” of the Second Austrian Assessment Report on Climate Change.