Fossil Capitalism, Climate Breakdown, and Green-Left Strategies

As carbon emissions push the earth system toward (and possibly already through) climate tipping points, the contradictions of fossil capitalism present an existential crisis, to which collective agencies must respond. Responses range from old-style denialism (in retreat but not without influence) and new denialism (i.e., accepting climate science but rejecting its real policy implications), through technology-focused initiatives (such as ‘clean growth’ and ‘net zero’ via carbon-capture and geoengineering) and reformist projects (such as green new deals), to transformative alternatives such as energy democracy and eco-socialism.

This session welcomes papers focused on the political-economic, political-ecological and/or cultural/ideological dimensions of the current conjuncture and the contending political projects animating it, whether viewed from the standpoint of fossil capital’s regime of obstruction or from the positions of climate justice movements. We also welcome papers that offer a critical analysis of green-left visions, scenarios and movement building strategies necessary to fight back against the climate crisis.