How does imperialism fit into all of this? Chapter 2 What value is there to us in understanding the transition to a fossil economy?ĭo attempts to compare this transition with future transitions make sense? “The fossil economy has the character of a totality, a distinguishable entity” (p.12) Is Malm right about fossil fuel's centrality? What other causes of global warming are there? How about other environmental crises beyond global warming? It deserves special focus.” (p.11 - see the whole quotation) But it is safe to say the burning of fossil fuels is the hard core of the problem, quantitively dominant and qualitatively determinant. Fossil fuel combustion is only one cause of global warming. ““the fossil economy, under this definition, cannot account for all human influence on the climate. What variants of fossil economy might there be? What other kinds of economy or society have their been or could there be?ĭoes it make sense to have “growth” in this definition? “What do we mean by 'the fossil economy'? A simple definition would be: an economy of self-sustaining growth predicated on the growing consumption of fossil fuels, and therefore generating a sustained growth in emissions of carbon dioxide.” (p.11) What questions or challenges does this trend pose for us?

“In the 1990s, the annual increase in global CO2 emissions stood at an average 1 percent since 2000, the figure has been 3.1 percent - a tripled growth rate, exceeding the worst-case scenarios developed by the IPCC and expressing a trend that still does not show any sign of reversal: the more knowledge there is of the consequences, the more fossil fuels are burnt.” (p.3) Possible study scheduleĬhapter 1, plus the three-part critique of Malm: Setting the scene, the fossil economy (read chapter 2 if you like, or come back to that later with chapter 12)Ĭhapters 3 and 4: Energy types and prime movers proto-fossil economy the industrial revolution and the first structural crisisĬhapters 5 and 6: the advantages of water, and of reservoirs and aqueducts some peculiarities of the capitalist mode of productionĬhapters 7 and 8: advantages of steam in time and space, for capitalist exploitationĬhapters 9 and 10: Ideology for and against steam the general strike and chartismĬhapters 11, 2 and 12: The fossil economy consummated different theories of the transitionĬhapters 15 and 16, plus wider debate around Malm's writing: transitioning, where nextĬonsider the following quotations and questions: Some of us think that some of his history is interesting - and this study guide aims to encourage critical engagement with the book, if you read it. We are all very critical of Malm's politics: this study guide is not intended as an endorsement. See reviews and debate around the book, and Malm's wider politics, here.

Malm fossil capital