A Grim Future

From time to time supporters of capitalism tell us the present production for profit set up is the best possible society, but now and then we hear a different story about how that society is developing. 'The gathering risks of climate change are so profound they could stall or even reverse generations of progress against poverty and hunger if greenhouse gas emissions continue at a runaway pace, according to a major new United Nations report. Despite rising efforts in many countries to tackle the problem, the overall global situation is growing more acute as developing countries join the West in burning huge amounts of fossil fuels, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said here on Sunday.' (New York Times, 2 November) Future disasters means nothing compared to bigger profits today for the owning class. RD