POLITICAL TENSIONS INTENSIFY WHILE HUMANITY SUFFERS
“GLOBAL growth appears to be stabilising, and is generally projected to pick up moderately later this year and into 2020. However, growth remains low and risks remain tilted to the downside.”
This was the blanket statement from the recent G20 summit in Osaka, Japan where the leaders of the 20 richest economies gathered to consult on the challenges faced by the world and to be unified in resolving them.
At the very outset, their responsibility is to candidly face the global problems and commit to solutions in a frank and open dialogue. Yet behind the scenes, trade and geopolitical tensions have intensified – making all governments nervous noting that they will continue to address the risks and stand ready to take further action. Not very comforting words at all.
On the positive side, they said they would work together to foster global economic growth, with a specific focus on technological innovation as the effects of the 4th Industrial Revolution become more apparent. As digitalisation is transforming every aspect of our economies and societies, the leaders recognise the critical role played by effective use of data, as an enabler of economic growth, development and social wellbeing. Their aim is to promote international policy discussions to harness the full potential of data.
Yet, core to the G20 summit, the climate debate continues to be a lingering issue, with 19 out of the 20 countries agreeing to sign the Paris agreement. It seems one country is still not convinced that committing to contributing to a better planet for the next generation is the right thing to do.
Sadly, these leaders omitted to look at humanity and its continued suffering as they debate tariffs and trade – reinforcing the continued focus on the materialists’ crusade to build the growth paradigm that makes consumption our way of life, and converts the buying and use of goods into rituals and ego satisfactions.
Change is so challenging, since many of us are probably unaware of the paradigms that shape the culture in which we are immersed. While the poor need to increase consumption, the 1.2 billion established consumers account for 70 per cent of consumer spending, and could easily reduce their consumption by 65 per cent. The 26 richest people have more wealth than the poorest half of the world population (3.8 billion people). And we are told, that our ecological footprint must be reduced by 60 per cent, notwithstanding the 50 per cent increase in population by 2100, for our planet to continue to prosper. Given the suffering of humanity today, and the deterioration of society, the change needed is immediate by all leaders of the world uniting in one common goal.
This can be achieved by reducing personal consumption of the rich, demilitarisation, and removing perverse subsidies, among other things. There are small signs of a widespread gradual, but inexorable rise in global consciousness. However, we need to increase our moral capacity so we can choose between self-interest and the public good.