Climate Change and Capitalism in Australia

Hans A. Baer is an anthropologist based at the University of Melbourne. He works extensively on a diversity of research topics, including Mormonism, African-American religion, socio-political life in East Germany, critical health anthropology, medical pluralism in the US, UK, and Australia, the critical anthropology of climate change, and eco-socialism.

• Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1 - The Impact of Climate Change in Australia, Chapter 2 – Australian Capitalism as a Driver of Climate Change, Chapter 3 – Climate Politics at the Top: The Corporations and the Two Major Parties, Chapter 4 – Climate Politics at the Margins: The Greens, Labour Unions, Environmental NGOs, and the Grass-Roots Climate Movement, Chapter 5 – Engaging with the Australian Climate Movement: An Autoethnography of a Climate Justice Activist, Chapter 6 – Toward Eco-Socialism in Australia, Chapter 7 – Australia and Eco-Socialism in Global Context

'System change not climate change has been an increasingly strong rallying call within climate action movements. But, what does it really mean? In this second edition, Hans Baer details the massive implications of climate change, ten years on — in the climate emergency that we are now all experiencing.'Anitra Nelson, Small is Necessary (2018), Exploring Degrowth: A Critical Guide (2020), Beyond Money a Postcapitalist Strategy (2022).'An engaging and persuasive vision of Australia transformed by eco-socialism. Opening chapters explain the impacts of climate change on Australia and the economics and politics behind Australia’s use of fossil fuels. The middle chapters show how mainstream politics has failed to deal with the crisis, as well as giving a detailed analysis of the environmentalist and leftist response. In a pause for reflection, Baer presents an auto-ethnography of activism on climate change, a great description of how these movements operate at the grass roots. Rod Quantock, a left comedian in Australia, is interviewed and explains the likelihood of collapse. This provides a platform to launch Baer’s more optimistic vision of eco-socialism. The detail of these suggestions is impressive and will be much appreciated by all those concerned about our environmental crisis. ' Terry Leahy, The University of Newcastle, Australia