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These days, it seems like all we hear about from politicians and almost everyone who’s running for public office, especially those who support the Trump administration and are members of the Republican Party, is talk about the country’s economy. It’s all about growing the economy. Their chorus line is “build, build, build.” 

Back in 1992, as a strategist in Bill Clinton’s campaign for president, James Carville was quoted as saying “it’s the economy, stupid” when talking about the Clinton campaign’s focus on reminding the American voters that the economy should be their primary concern. 

And when you look at all the people running for the city council in Duluth this year, almost everything you’ll hear on the campaign trail will be about the economy, jobs and creating a friendlier environment for companies. 

But maybe, just maybe, they all have it wrong. In this climate-change world, should growing the economy be our first priority? 

Given all the severe climate and extreme weather events that are taking place in our region and around the country, maybe climate change is a very prominent sign that the economy should not be our primary concern. In fact, it’s becoming clearer that all future economic policies or plans must be based upon a strong foundation in ecological thinking and foresight. 

In the introduction to his book Ecological Governance: Toward a New Social Contract with the Earth, Bruce Jennings wrote, “Our entire economic system is fundamentally dependent on the functional integrity of natural and living systems that are losing patience with us. That is to say, these systems have a limited capacity to tolerate human extraction from them and excretion of waste products and by-products into them. Today human economic activities worldwide are approaching those limits; in some cases they may have already exceeded them. We won’t necessarily realize that we have exceeded them right away. The consequences may be delayed, subtle, and systemic rather than clearly localized and visible. In short, our situation is insidious.” 

Jennings proposes that we need an “ecological social contract” whereby we create a framework for making collective decisions which are based upon natural and scientific knowledge. He also talks about our moral responsibility as “ecological citizens” to establish connections, as well as show our recognition and respect, with nonhuman others and the natural world. 

If we just look back over the past six months and seriously consider what has been taking place in northern Minnesota and the country, it’s quite evident that our climate emergency is a result of human extraction and numerous economic activities that Jenning refers to. 

And here in Duluth, if we don’t pay attention to the growing number and intensity of climate events, only focus on an economic model for city planning and development, and not incorporate an ecological mindset into the city’s policies and programs for our collective futures, then our situation will definitely be insidious. 

Philosopher Timothy Morton also talks about creating frameworks for helping us better cope with this climate catastrophe. In his book The Ecological Thought, Morton stresses the importance of ecological thinking to understand and appreciate how interdependent everything is. 

“We can’t throw empty cans into the ocean and just pretend they have gone away. Likewise, we can’t kick the ecological can into the future and pretend it’s gone away,” stated Morton.

For Duluth, we need to cultivate an understanding and appreciation for establishing an ecological framework and approach to building a more resilient and sustainable city. I

t can begin with conversations on ecological thinking and planning with various city commissions, including the Energy Plan Commission, Natural Resources Commission and Planning Commission. 

This ecological framework could also become integrated into the orientation and training of all employees in local governments, and serve as a transformative process for all local governments and companies in St. Louis County who want to undertake wiser and more mature  approaches to responding to the growing number of climate events for the foreseeable future. 

Not considering and embracing an ecological mindset and approach to the futures of our children, grandchildren and this city by the lake is no longer an option. 

We can’t keep pushing the economy card and denying the climate reality of rising CO2 levels, warmer temperatures and more extensive wildfires. Duluth must adopt an ecological foundation which acknowledges the functional integrity of our city’s natural and living systems. 

The ecology of our city has to come before the economy of our city. We need an ecological social contract and we need to become ecological citizens.