By: François PICARD|Alessandro XENOS|Juliette LAURAIN (france24.com)
Is it already too late? Is the great collapse already in motion? Even the ominous chants of Extinction Rebellion activists who shut down the heart of London in October sound overly optimistic to those who claim we’ve already passed the tipping point beyond which the overheating and overpolluting of the planet can only accelerate.
Their argument: instead of trying to save our way of life, policy makers need to prepare now for a world with higher sea levels, more extreme temperatures, fewer resources and fewer species. A world where politicians can no longer promise better jobs, higher wages, more stuff.
Then there are those who discard doomsday prophets, who insist you can go green and continue to grow. Their argument: it will be technology to the rescue. Already, we’re exceeding expectations when it comes to harnessing renewable energy. Save our way of life? Or prepare for the new normal? At least both sides agree that drastic action is needed, fast.
But how drastic? Will the surge of Green parties in Europe herald a new kind of bottom-up democratic resurgence? Or can only a top-down China-like authoritarian state impose the drastic measures needed for drastic times?
Produced by Alessandro Xenos, Juliette Laurain and Ariana Mozafari.