Dr. Mayer Hillman, the influential social scientist known for producing research that has successfully led to policy changes to improve road safety, has declared humanity “doomed” due to its reliance on the burning of fossil fuels and the capitalist economic system that ensures that dependence will continue.
“We’re doomed,” Hillman told the Guardian in a recent interview. “The outcome is death, and it’s the end of most life on the planet because we’re so dependent on the burning of fossil fuels. There are no means of reversing the process which is melting the polar ice caps. And very few appear to be prepared to say so.”
While green campaigners and some politicians call for a reduced dependence on fossil fuels and a shift to sustainable energy, like wind or solar power, Hillman warned that such contributions by individual governments are essentially “minute.”
“So many aspects of life depend on fossil fuels, except for music and love and education and happiness. These things, which hardly use fossil fuels, are what we must focus on.” —Dr. Mayer Hillman”Even if the government were to go to zero carbon it would make almost no difference,” Hillman said.
According to the Guardian, the only solution is moving “to zero emissions across agriculture, air travel, shipping, heating homes—every aspect of our economy—and [reducing] our human population too.”
But Hillman expressed grave doubts that this hope would be realized, as global leaders are unable or unwilling to lead a movement away from fossil fuels.
“I don’t think they can because society isn’t organized to enable them to do so,” Hillman said. “Political parties’ focus is on jobs and GDP, depending on the burning of fossil fuels.”
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