An examination of the climate crisis

 I have touched on the topic of sustainability and the environment before on this blog. Yet, given the importance of COP26 summit and the prominent discussion of the climate crisis within mainstream media I thought now would be an excellent time to touch upon it again. However, rather than giving tips about sustainability I will instead comment on my frustrations with how the climate crisis is being handled. 

First, I think the thing which frustrates me the most is the amount of pressure that is placed on the average person. Of course to live more sustainably is a good thing. We will all benefit from reducing our waste and spending less on items we do not need, such as clothing. Yet, the pressure placed on us as individuals by politicians and media would make it seem that if the general population were only to band together and cut down their electric usage and recycle that we alone can save the world from catastrophe. But indeed the guilt the average individual is forced to feel about their impact towards the climate crisis truly seems misplaced because whilst we can do something to make the planet healthier we can never do enough. Rather it is governments, large corporations and billionaires who are much at fault for the climate crisis and instead of doing what is necessary to help the planet survive they drag their heels to maintain wealth. Indeed, it has been estimated that 70% of global emissions come from just 100 companies, many of which are oil and coal organisations, who could clearly impact the future of our planet for the better if they were to reduce their burning of fossil fuels even at risk of profit. 

Similarly it has been found that between 1990-2015 that the richest one percent were responsible for 15% of carbon emissions which is more than double the emissions of the poorest 50% of the population combined. This can be put down to the 1%'s lavish lifestyles in which many will take private jets and own multiple cars whilst the average person may only travel on a plane once a year and may not own a car at all. Furthermore, their extreme energy consumption would also be placed upon the businesses they own with Zuckerberg's Facebook using a ton of energy to maintain the data necessary for the site to function and Bezos' Amazon burning through fossil fuels in its factory and delivery process as well as its unmatched waste products. Not only that but these billionaires tend to place investments in other ecologically unfriendly industries, with many millionaires an billionaires recently investing in the environmentally disastrous NFT's as they have little idea what else to spend thousands of dollars on other than the ownership of a digital image. Not only are the top 1% responsible for a staggering degree of carbon emissions by themselves but they are also partly to blame for the average citizen in wealthier countries producing more emissions than necessary. Indeed  researchers at the University of Warwick found that people who live in highly unequal societies, one's in which there are billionaires as well as people on the poverty line, are more likely to shop to feel better about themselves. That is, a lot of the consumption found in countries such as the UK can be placed down to the materialistic mindset of a society spurred on by the billionaire inhabitants, whom are portrayed as gods due to their wealth and what they own. Indeed with multiple studies conducted and the data I presented we shouldn't blame ourselves for the climate crisis as much as those in power wants us to. Whilst it is necessary that we reduce our own carbon emissions to at least help save the planet in anyway we can and to maintain an eco-friendly mindset, it is instead large companies and the top 1% which should really hold the most blame and guilt as it is their consumption and their work practices which produces the greatest amount of destruction to our climate. 

Some may believe that whilst the top 1% may cause much of the problem they are also contributing much to the solution. Indeed just recently Jeff Bezos recently announced his 2 billion dollar contribution to help fight climate change. However we can question the legitimacy of this donation and many of the donations by billionaires alike. As of course while this money will be of great help it is little in comparison to the predicted trillions needed to fix the health of the planet. With the consideration that Jeff Bezos has jetted off on a thrill ride to space, thus producing a great degree of carbon emissions, as well as the fact that he earns around 2 billion within just a few weeks, it seems that at least Bezos doesn't actually care too much about the fate of the planet but more so having good PR. 

Whilst we can look to certain companies and the top 1% as worsening the climate crisis we can also look to our own government for not making it better. Indeed, with the serious nature of the climate crisis our government is not taking action quickly enough into reducing the UK's carbon footprint. It is often left up to the individual or business to implement environmentally friendly change into their lives. However most cannot afford to do so effectively. As whilst we can all reduce our waste it is far harder to implement perhaps the most efficient methods to combat climate change on our own due to our own lack of funds. Indeed, one need only think of the positive impact we could have on the environment if most of the UK could afford to buy an electric car and install solar panels (or other green energy sources) onto their own home or business. Yet, to make these changes most would be at the loss of tens of thousands of pounds which the majority cannot simply afford. If the government truly cared about the impact of the climate crisis, as much as they should, they would put forward schemes which allowed for poorer citizens to be able to afford the necessary changes to make their lives more environmentally friendly. Yet they do not. Instead they put pressure on the individual citizens who likely cannot afford to be sufficiently environmentally friendly as they can only implement minor changes which is not enough for the current stage of the crisis we are in. 

Indeed, I am more frustrated at the state of climate crisis than ever. It is left to the average individual to fight a battle they cannot possibly win. Whilst billionaires and major corporations continue to produce an extreme amount of carbon emissions which are destroying our planet whilst doing below the bare minimum to combat it.