from climate progress

A study published 28 years ago by James Hansen and others and entitled “Climate Impact of Increasing Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide.” shows that evidence of the warming that could have been predicted since the greenhouse properties of CO2 were discovered in the 19th century was in the public domain long before anyone decided to DO anything. The study was also reported in the New York Times - Study finds warming trend that could raise sea levels,

What is clear is that greenhouse warming was always likely, no matter what the economic and social system, but that the systems in place throughout this period (mostly capitalism and some state socialism) were, and still are, particularly incapable of taking prompt action preferring denial and delay. This is partially due to the inherent competition (within capitalism and between capitalism and socialism) that meant there was no benefit to be the first to act but also on the huge scale of organisations within the system that separates those in power from those more likely to suffer from any consequences and also provides such large benefits from trying to squeeze out just a bit more business as usual. Systems based more on cooperation and containing organisations on a smaller, more human scale would surely have realised and started to act sooner - not that much sooner probably, but would be at least 10 years ahead of where we are now, and if they had also been less obsessed by economic growth we would be less far down the road. In summary, capitalism didn't cause climate change, but it did make it a hell of a lot less likely that we would stop it in time.