Sir, – The harrowing scenes from Valencia once again bring home the immediacy of the crisis humanity is facing (“Death toll rises to 205 as Valencia opens temporary morgue”, World, November 1st). That it happened in the same weeks as the under-reported UN Cop16 biodiversity conference in Colombia is telling, seeing as at that forum it has been highlighted once again that we are destroying the natural mechanisms which would help mitigate these extreme events. While we rightly focus on global emissions, with mixed results, we continue to burn forests, drain wetlands, pollute waterways, and spread a mist of microplastics globally.
In continuing to push an economy that requires a minimum of 3 per cent GDP growth, regardless of the consequences, we can expect to more events like Valencia and worse. Humanity needs a serious reboot of its priorities; we can now longer push a philosophy that sees the accumulation of wealth as a metric of freedom. Freedom is about ensuring that every human can reach their potential, with equal opportunity provided by a solid social fabric. Persisting on this growth-obsessed path of unnecessary consumption will lead ultimately to a breakdown of social cohesion and the awful consequences that will bring, particularly for the poor. Talks of technological solutions are a manifestation of the worst kind of hubris from a wealthy elite, with their deluded idea that they can control nature.
The events in Valencia should provide a sobering realisation that nature will not be controlled, and its forces are not to be underestimated. Only a collective effort with global solidarity will get us out of this, but the trend in recent elections across the globe does not bode well. Events in the US on Tuesday will have significant bearing on whether we can pivot and begin to refocus on creating a stable and sustainable planet. That it boils down to a relatively small number of voters in a dysfunctional and weakened democracy is worrying under the circumstances. – Yours, etc,
BARRY N WALSH,
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Blackrock,
Cork.