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CLIMATE CHANGE: WHO IS TO BLAME? Global warming is transforming the world as we know it. We also know that climate change is caused by human activity but nailing down exactly who is mostly responsible is trickier than it might seem. But we need to start pointing fingers at the right people.
By Ophelie Lawson
Warming weather also causes animal migration. Entire species of important insects are going extinct, other insects will emerge that will devastate entire continents. Climate change could displace two billion people due to rising ocean levels. It is the ‘defining crisis of our time and disaster displacement one of its most devastating consequences’ (UNHCR). It will (and is already) trigger displacement for entire populations. It will limit natural resources, such as drinking water. Deforestation and land degradation, as well as forced evictions of Indigenous Peoples, attacks on environmental activists, and other human rights violations, are consequences of it. Fossil fuel companies
The dominant and recurrent narrative is that individuals, WE, are to blame. And this is a dangerous narrative as it gives too much importance to individuals’ actions and takes the focus out of the ongoing lack of action from fossil fuel companies, politicians, rich people, and wealthy countries. This argument focuses on changing individuals’ behaviour, or the consumer, misplacing the responsibility of the entire climate crisis on the individual consumer, conveniently ignoring the disproportionate climate impact of corporate interests. It also creates a conflict between the individuals who are ‘trying their best’ to act and those who do not because of multiple reasons (like not having the means to), ignoring again those whose actions have a bigger impact than ours. One of the most frustrating things about the climate crisis is that it could have been prevented. What are some of the effects of Climate Change? Everyone around the world is experiencing directly or indirectly the effect of climate change, whether you live in Europe, North or South America, Asia, the Caribbean, or anywhere else. Climate change and global warming are the results of an increasing temperature, it warms up the entire globe. Warmer temperatures mean that fishes will become smaller over time as a result of warm water starving the animals of oxygen. Hurricanes have become more frequent and intense. Each decade, damages due to hurricanes have increased. What started with only tens of millions in the 1950s has turned into 474 billion between 2010 to 2020. It will increase and intensify extreme weather events: abnormally heavy rainfall, prolonged droughts, desertification, environmental degradation, or sealevel rise and cyclones, already are causing an average of more than 20 million people to leave their homes and move to other areas in their countries each year.
Historically, fossil fuel companies have been among the most responsible for climate change. Research shows that just 100 fossil fuel-producing companies are responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions since 1988. There is also evidence that big fossil fuel companies have known for decades about the harmful effects of burning fossil fuels and rather than doing anything to find solutions they have attempted to suppress that information. (Amnesty International). So not only are fossil fuel firms playing a significant role in the climate problem, but they have also worked hard to control the public narrative in order to be able to continue extracting and burning fossil fuels regardless of the cost. Rich countries The United States, Canada, Japan, and much of Western Europe, account for just 12% of the global population today. Over the past 170 years, they are responsible for 50% of all the planet-warming greenhouse gases released from fossil fuels. Countries emitting the most are also playing important roles in global warming. At international negotiations, the question of whether richer countries who are historically more polluting, should take more responsibility for climate change than others, has for long been debated. History matters because the cumulative amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted since the start of the industrial revolution is closely tied to the 1.2C of warming that has already occurred. (Carbon brief analysis). Big companies such as banks, insurance institutions, also play a key role in driving the climate crisis, especially when they fund fossil fuel companies linked to deforestation. Yet popular rhetoric always proposes simple solutions: no more plastic straws, no more plastic bags. Banning plastic straws and bags, though environmentally friendly, is too small-scale to make a serious difference given the importance of the climate crisis. Big role players need to be made accountable, should take responsibility and address climate change.
