Although slavery, the cheapest form of labour, has been used by all human cultures through out history, today it is recognised as being morally wrong, against fundamental human rights and is illegal worldwide. When discovered, modern instances of slavery are rightly met with outrage and deemed indefensible. Because of the harm and suffering it causes, economics doesn't justify slavery any more.
Likewise, in the very near future, the use of environmentally damaging fossil fuels will soon be seen in a similar way. Because of the damage they do to the climate, planet, and therefore ourselves, the use of cheap energy from fossil fuels will be seen as morally wrong and indefensible. Economics doesn't justify global warming.
Soon it will not be statues of people who got rich using slaves that will be torn down, but it will be the memorials to the inventors of cars, planes and the creators of the industrial revolution that will be frowned upon with embarrassment and disbelief. Soon people will look at relics of the oil, coal and gas industries with enlightened puzzlement and ask "What were they thinking? Why did they choose to ignore the harm they were doing? Why didn’t they stop wrecking our world?”.
This change of attitude has already started, but requires more people to do the right thing and not be like those slave owners, who once chose to ignore the harm done to others, because it was the cheapest way for them to profit.
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Another change of attitude that is needed is for us to be honest. When we in the west ask "how are we going to stop climate change?" We should acknowledge that what we are really asking is "how are we going to stop climate change, without effecting my lifestyle?
The first question is easy to answer - stop burning fossil fuels. The Second question has currently has no answer, as green alternatives are not immediately available with out massive investment.
