Green jobs are, of course, important for sustainability. Better technology that can reduce human impact will always be an improvement over the status quo technology. In this respect, Friedman is correct that America is lagging behind other countries, such as China, in our progress. But that is not the whole story.
The assumption that green jobs will be the key to preventing climate change, which seems to be Friedman's main focus in his article, is not accurate. That does not mean that they are unimportant or that it is ok that America is stalling the effort to move towards green jobs. But we should not put all our faith in technology. Technology cannot solve an environmental problem in its entirety. It can merely delay the issue and postpone the limits of the planet. This is something that we need so we have more time to find the solution, but we should not confuse it for the solution itself.
As an example, in the 1970s, ozone depletion became recognized as a serious issue. There were no 'clean' CFCs that solved the problem. The only solution available was an international agreement. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (which entered into force on January 1, 1989) bound nations to make substantial changes in policy to ban CFCs and other ozone depleting substances. These substances are now under more control, and the levels of many of these substances are decreasing. Ozone levels are expected to stabilize by mid-century. This internationally binding agreement is what is ultimately required to achieve sustainability. While green jobs and competition between nations may help set us on the right track, we will need more to make a significant difference.
Source: ozone.unep.org
No comments:
Post a Comment