COP-OFF’s Visionary realism : Yanis Varoufakis chats with Noam Chomsky & Ann Pettifor on a green future beyond capitalism

The context is the fraud and fiasco also known as COP26. The frame is DiEM25’s COP-OFF video chats. And the purpose is to discuss whether there was ever a possibility of Cop26 yielding a significant prospect for a timely green transition. In this discussion Noam Chomskky, Ann Pettifor and Yanis Varoufakis agree: Yes, the Green New Deal is a necessary move forward. But, only as a first step toward transcending capitalism – and doing so not in the direction of some new variety of feudalism but in the direction of a technologically advanced participatory, cooperative, democratised economic system. Watch the discussion:

This duscussion takes place in the context of DiEM25’s

COP-OFF — DiEM25’s Alternative Climate Conference, Nov 14 – 16

As our planet’s clock approaches midnight, world leaders are set to converge next month in Glasgow at COP26 in order to come up with new excuses, new symbolic targets and new ways to silence the real progressive voices who oppose them.

Climate change is real, it’s here, and it’s an emergency. But history has shown us that those who were supposed to lead us out of this crisis are so blinded by capital and powerful private interests that they’ve decided Earth itself is a small price to pay for the yachts, mansions, private jets and record profits of the 1%. They will gather, mingle over dinner and drinks, and preach their commitment to insufficient goals and targets. Then fail to meet even those.

We refuse to sit in the back while no one drives. This November, join Noam Chomsky, Yanis Varoufakis, Caroline Lucas and many other progressives in saying: COP OFF!

On November 14, 15 and 16, DiEM25 will gather progressives from around the world to discuss some of the most pressing issues of our time, with ideas you won’t hear at COP26. Why? Because of the danger they pose to business-as-usual: real change, real goals and real solutions. Check out the full programme below.

Full programme:

Sunday, November 14

18:00: Measuring and powering progress: Shattering paradigms of growth 

Guests: Jason Hickel (economic anthropologist), Max Ajl (author)
Moderator: Defne Dalkara

20:00: Social change NOW: News from the ground

Guests:,Marijn van der Geer (Extinction Rebellion), Zack Exley (political consultant), Johannes Fehr (MERA25, DiEM25’s electoral wing in Germany)
Moderator: Antonia Jakobi

Monday, November  15

16:00: Justice for all beings: Animals and the green transition

Guests: Steve Best (philosopher), Christine Teunissen (Party for the Animals NL), Anita Krajnc (Animal Save Movement)
Moderator: Dušan Pajović

18:00: Same storm, different boats: The Global South 

Guests: Harpreet K Paul (Perspectives on a Global Green New Deal), Joenia Wapichana (Congresswoman Brazil), Manon Aubry MEP (Global Alliance for a Green New Deal)
Moderator: Lucas Febraro

20:00: Visionary realism: A green future beyond capitalism

Guests: Yanis Varoufakis (economist, co-founder of DiEM25), Ann Pettifor (economist), Noam Chomsky (philosopher, Advisory panel member of DiEM25)

Tuesday 16.11.2021

16:00: Wars on life: Armed forces and the climate emergency

Guests:  Lorah  Steichen  (National Priorities Project), Medea Benjamin (Co-founder of Code Pink), Doug Weir (Director of Conflict and Environment Observatory)
Moderator: Amir Kiyaei

18:00: Green New Deal(s): The next era of politics

Guests: Dušan Pajović (Green New Deal for Europe campaign coordinator for DiEM25), Caroline Lucas (Green Party UK), Paola Vega Rodriguez (Costa Rican political scientist)

20:00: A feminist ecology: Destroying the gender hierarchy

Guests: Sabrina Fernandes (sociologist)
Moderator: Maja Pelević

COP OFF: DiEM25’s Alternative Climate Conference, will be livestreamed on DiEM25’s YouTube channel. Click here for the event page.