People or Planet: A False Dilemma

The author contends that current climate policies often fail because they do not address carbon inequalities or provide immediate economic relief, making them vulnerable to far-right populist rhetoric. The text proposes a 'post-growth' approach that prioritizes human well-being over profit and advocates for a 'militant' green-red alliance. A central practical solution highlighted is the use of energy communities—not-for-profit entities that allow citizens and municipalities to co-own renewable energy projects—to democratize energy production and reduce costs for vulnerable households. The author calls for the redirection of fossil fuel subsidies toward clean heating and the implementation of structural investments in deep renovations and electric mobility to prevent regressive social effects from policies like the expanded Emissions Trading System.

• The author argues that climate solutions are increasingly difficult to implement when they are not redistributive, fail to address carbon inequalities, or lack a cross-sectoral approach, which contributes to the rise of far-right parties like the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in Germany.
• To limit global warming to 1.5°C, 60 per cent of fossil fuel reserves must remain in the ground, and existing fields and mines must close before their operating capacity is exhausted.
• The 'post-growth' theory is presented as a viable alternative to moderate politics and the far right, focusing on moving beyond economic growth toward environmental sustainability and human well-being by eliminating harmful sectors such as industrial meat, the arms industry, and fossil fuels.
• There is significant public support in Europe for addressing social inequalities and the climate crisis simultaneously, with 68 per cent of Europeans favoring this dual approach.
• Energy communities are highlighted as practical, not-for-profit tools for democratizing energy, providing cheaper and more secure renewable energy access for citizens, SMEs, and municipalities.
• Specific examples of energy community success include the Energy Communities Tipperary Cooperative in Ireland for renovations, the Minoan Energy Community in Greece for free solar electricity, and Enercoop in France for reinvesting levies into energy-poor households.
• The author warns that extending the Emissions Trading System to transport and buildings could have a regressive effect on vulnerable consumers, suggesting that governments should instead prioritize structural investments in deep renovations and clean heating.
• Redirecting half of the fossil fuel subsidies used for heating toward heat pumps could allow Europe to achieve a decarbonized heating system by 2040.

APA

Vrettos, C. (2023). People or Planet: A False Dilemma. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/people-or-planet-a-false-dilemma/

Chicago

Vrettos, Chris. People or Planet: A False Dilemma. Green European Journal, 2023. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/people-or-planet-a-false-dilemma/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Vrettos |first1=Chris |title=People or Planet: A False Dilemma |publisher=Green European Journal |date=8 December 2023 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/people-or-planet-a-false-dilemma/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{vrettos2023people, author = {Vrettos, Chris}, title = {{People or Planet: A False Dilemma}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2023}, month = dec, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/people-or-planet-a-false-dilemma/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }