The looming economic storm

Your editorial of Jan 7 reflects a frustration that the combating of climate change is being delayed.

Progress will require a significant change in human behaviour, which, unfortunately, is not something that political leaders seem prepared to collectively confront.

We have a global economic model that demands growth and requires increased (and in many cases non-essential) consumption. It is a credit-based, materialist Western economy supplied by low-paying, energy-inefficient developing economies, many of whom suffer from a serious democratic deficit.