The United Nations’ annual climate change summit, COP23, is drawing to a close in Bonn, Germany. But, as Joe Russell explains, such summits have been shown to generate little other than a lot of hot air. Decisive, radical action is needed. To combat climate change, revolutionary change is needed.

There were scenes of jubilation in Paris last Saturday evening, as delegates celebrated the results of negotiations at the United Nations climate change conference. But before the ink had even dried on the paper, doubts were already being raised – doubts that, in the final analysis, reflect the limitations and contradictions of the capitalist system.

In one week’s time, world leaders will meet in Paris for the COP21 United Nations climate change conference. But as bourgeois politicians impotently discuss and negotiate, the atmosphere continues to heat up as capitalism kills the planet. As Adam Booth outlines, the future facing humanity is clear: socialism or barbarism.