Decarbonization as an economic no-brainer may be good persuasion, but is that sell ultimately effective or even true? Anyone rational who can save mountains of money by polluting less—and better yet, without losing productivity or anything else—should want to sign up. But as we reflect on this, three colossal problems threaten to blow dragon breath on us - the hot kind.

First, can we claim, in all honesty, that decarbonization requires no sacrifice, additional hard work, or change in overall principles or approach?

Second, even if decarbonization usually could save money without major effort or sacrifice or change, what about when that falls through? What about when it costs more, takes more effort, requires major rethinking and retooling? Should we not, oh, I don't know, be prepared for that?

Third, and maybe most seriously, the purpose of focusing on decarbonization is helping populations prioritize a key crisis, not helping us all permanently forget that we're mired in dozens or even hundreds of ecological crises. Even if decarbonization were an economic no-brainer, where does that leave us regarding the other crises? Do we not need any plans for changes that aren't a budgetary delight?

The resistance of governments, businesses, and populations to the urgency of climate change has not, I think, stemmed from a long-term failure to recognize deep financial discounts and profits ripe for the picking. It has stemmed from the way this larger crisis reveals holes in economic—and arguably political—orthodoxy all around the world.

Listen, I'm not saying anything new. But why aren't many people saying it? Why is this still so far down the docket? It should be at or near the top. The news outlets should be helping drive constant, on-going public and legislative debate about the best options. These include, I would argue, more direct democracy, countermeasures against factions and polarization, upgraded education for all in debate skills and mental health, economic policies that focus on collaboration and legacy and beautifying the biosphere more than on toxic competitiveness, carbon and other resource taxes, efficiently measuring and raising health and quality of life across the global population, and so on.