ABSTRACT
While human societies have been emitting greenhouse gas emissions for some time, the Industrial Revolution, with its heavy reliance on fossil fuels and the capitalist treadmill of expanding production and consumption, diffused to other parts of world system. In short, anthropogenic climate change has been inducing, and will continue to induce, severe economic, political, social, military, and health consequences as the 21st century unfolds. Emissions historically and more recently have been and are being disproportionately generated largely by various developed countries, particularly the United States, and certain emerging developing countries, particularly China. Tragically, however, the countries and populations that already are being most severely impacted by climate change are largely those situated in the Global South. It has become increasingly clear that human societies will have to adapt to the reality of climate change in a variety of ways, but the more crucial issue is mitigating climate change. Given that green capitalism and existing climate regimes are insufficient for mitigating climate change, it compels us to engage in a serious assessment of alternatives. Any serious effort to contain climate change will require a socio-ecological revolution, one committed to social justice, democratic processes, and environmental sustainability.
