Friday, October 6, 2023

The Future of Consumption According to C40 - The Urban Dystopia of the Future

Over the past couple of years, we keep hearing about our futures where the rulers will have us make significant sacrifices in consumption of all types including diet, travel and automobile ownership among others in order to save Mother Earth from burning up.  While we may believe that these mandates are being driven by the highest levels of governments and various non-governmental organizations like the World Economic Forum and its ilk, it may surprise you to discover that your local city council has bought into and is promoting the consumption-free future.

 

As background, C40, a global network of mayors of the world's leading cities which was founded in 2005 at a meeting of the representatives of 18 megacities, have joined together to guide us into a climate crisis-free future where we live in an urban utopia.  Here's what C40 has to say about who they are:

  

"C40 is a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action to confront the climate crisis.


Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using an inclusive, science-based and collaborative approach to cut their fair share of emissions in half by 2030, help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C, and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. C40 supports mayors to do this by:

 

Raising climate ambition through 1.5°C climate action plan support, high-impact accelerators and fostering innovation. 


Building equitable and thriving communities via global and regional programmes.


Building a global movement through robust international advocacy and diplomacy.


Scaling up climate action and sharing best practices across high-impact sectors.


Facilitating access to finance for investment in green jobs and projects that improve resilience in cities."

 

The members of the C40 network must earn their membership through action as shown here:

 

"Our Leadership Standards set the minimum requirements for all member cities and safeguard the integrity of C40 as a network of climate leaders. 

 

Membership operates on performance-based requirements, not on fees, and every city in the C40 network is reviewed annually against our Leadership Standards.

 

C40 Leadership Standards 2021–2024:


1.) Plan. City has adopted a resilient and inclusive climate action plan aligned with the 1.5˚C ambition of the Paris Agreement, and updates it regularly;


2.) Deliver. In 2024, city remains on track to deliver its climate action plan, contributing to increased resilience, equitable outcomes and halving C40’s overall emissions by 2030;


3.) Mainstream. City uses the necessary financial, regulatory and other tools at their disposal to address the climate crisis and mainstreams their equitable climate targets into the most impactful city decision-making processes;


4.) Innovate. City innovates and starts taking inclusive and resilient action to address emissions beyond the direct control of the city government, such as associated with goods and services consumed in their city;


5.) Lead. Mayor and the city demonstrate global climate leadership and inspire others to act in support of the Paris Agreement."


It's like a climate cult, isn't it?

 

Here is a brief video which will provide you with additional background on C40:

 

 

I always find it interesting to see who is funding these organizations:

 

Note the presence of Bloomberg Philanthropies (Michael Bloomberg) Open Society Foundations (George Soros), Wellcome Trust, Google, the Clinton Foundation and The World Bank.

  

There are currently 96 member cities which make up 20 percent of the global economy.  In North America, we find the following member cities:

 

 

In Europe, we find the following member cities: 


 

In China, we find the following member cities:

 

In East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania, we find the following member cities:

 

Now, let's look at the future according to the urbanist braintrust.  According to this document:

 

...by 2030, the average per capita impact of urban consumption in C40 cities must decrease by 50 percent to stay within established greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and by 80 percent by 2050.  These are very lofty (not to mention painful) goals.  How does C40 think that we'll achieve these targets?  Here are the answers:

 

More specifically by consumption types we find these recommendations:

 

1.) Food:

 

2.) Clothing and Textiles:


 

3.) Private Transportation:

 


Note that their
ambitious target is that there are no private vehicles by 2030.

4.) Aviation:



What is particularly galling is that, while the peasant class will be expected to make these sacrifices in consumption, we can assure ourselves that the rulers will go on consuming like they have all along, eating what they want, wearing new clothing every time that they appear in public (yes, that includes you Mr. "Sox" Trudeau) and driving and flying about the nation and globe whenever they wish, whether necessary or not.  Our response should be this - toss out the idiots in local governments who have subscribed to this nonsense during the next election cycle.  Most of them are incapable of thinking for themselves let alone guiding our cities into the future.

 

You and I will be expected to "own nothing and be happy about it".  If mayors of the 96 cities that comprise the C40 group have their way, that will be our future.  Welcome to dystopia, urban-style.


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