Another (short) provocation….
The failure of our global accounting systems, manifest in the worship of GDP, is the root cause of our inaction to address the two most existential risks humanity faces. These are AI and Climate Change; which present us devasting civilisation ending risks.
Our collective stupidity manifest in the failure of GDP to account for damaging negative externalities and/or risks thereof, is amplifying the impact, and enabling the proliferation of, bad choices – consumer and B2B. This is resulting in further and accelerating damage to our precious natural environment, increasing the risks of AI inflicting devastating control over humanity as well as wreaking havoc on hard fought for progress on equality and social cohesion. Making matters worse is the dumbing down of political and public discourse of these serious risks through lies & disinformation propagated via mainstream media and social media.
I think these older blogs sum up my concerns….
On GDP as a broken metric What use is GDP on a planet with no trees or bees? – Mark Barry’s blog site
On the risks of AI to The AI Pandoras Box is already open… and our modern human society is doomed. – Mark Barry’s blog site
Disinformation and how, despite the evidence, it prevents us collectively acting to address the risks of Climate Change A little knowledge is dangerous – Mark Barry’s blog site
Our broken Tax system…The Environment, Tax and Wales – Mark Barry’s blog site
An earlier combined summary in Climate Change, Brexit and The Economy (…and Wales) – Mark Barry’s blog site
What are we going to do to protect all our futures…
- HM Treasury needs to ditch GDP….or radically change how it is calculated as well as engaging in a radical upgrade of our outdated fiscal systems (this needs to happen globally)
- We also need to regulate far more effectively and aggressively – to mitigate the risks of AI, but also to protect our environment
- Finally, we need to disinfect the public space to allow more informed and serious discussion on these matters.
Food for thought….
PS and on the economy, money, national debt and currency… I have only just become aware (yes I know !) of “Finding the Money” and the paradigm shifting work of Prof Stephanie Kelton and others. A must watch,,,,
As a tiny example of our mistaken policy decisions was when the electrification of the Midland Mainline was paused (cancelled in effect) breaking up the team doing the work that were bringing costs of installing electrification down. It had not even reached Leicester let alone Nottingham, Derby or Sheffield.
The Iran war comes along and suddenly the diesel costs of the railways jumps by £140 million to run the same services as the year before and any argument for bi-mode trains is shattered.
The Treasury does not understand the World or the risks inherent in their decision making.