What is completely irrational, and could condemn our civilization and much of humanity, to history, is this orchestrated denial, that refuses to acknowledge that a tiny proportion of humanity, is largely responsible for climate change, biodiversity loss and ecological collapse. 1/🧵
"Top 10% generate climate and biodiversity damage bill that exceeds economies of most countries, say researchers" I've been pointing this out for decades. The whole climate and ecological crisis, has essentially been driven by the demands of the top 1%. theguardian.com 1/6🧵
www.theguardian.com
It is falsely presented as if all humanity is equally responsible, when 90% or more of humanity, have had very little to do with any of this, both in terms of consumption driving the crisis, or preventing action to address this crisis, which is almost entirely down to the top few percent. 2/ It stands to reason, that to consume a lot, and to be responsible for most environmental destruction, that you must have a lot of wealth, and those with very little, consume far less. This is underpinned, by the fallacy, or responsible consumption, which is greenwash. 3/ Nowhere is this clearer than carbon offsetting, where users of say private jets, can supposedly offset their emissions. This is a scam, most offsetting is proven not to work. Wealth = consumption of natural resources = climate change and biodiversity loss. greenpeace.org.uk 4/
www.greenpeace.org.uk
Don't complain that I have used a Greenpeace reference, because this is just reporting the peer reviewed studies that have demonstrated this. This fact is ignored, because of the power and influence of the demographic engaging in most consumption/environmental damage. 5/ I am not being judgemental about this, or claiming all those in the top 10% are evil. Most are good people simply pursuing their careers, which people are inculcated from birth, that this is how you make something of yourself. They should not even be condemned for their denial. 6/ It is natural, that people inadvertently driving the climate and ecological crisis, are somewhat in denial about this, because that is how the human mind works. They didn't create the system, and most are powerless to change it. Making individual personal sacrifices, won't change it either. 7/ Only coordinated mass action, will change anything, and this can only happen through government, especially as it is governments that are primarily responsible for promoting high consumption lifestyles, as they need economic growth to be a powerful country. 8/ But politicians are peculiarly culpable for this, as government policy, is the only way to change this. Again, by culpable, I am not talking about blame and personal culpability, just that this is how the system operates. 9/ Those with the moral culpability, are those who've actively prevented climate action and sustainability. Politicians that have undone attempts to address the crisis. It isn't those who have not done enough who carry the real moral responsibility, but those who plot and machinate, to stop action. 10/ Those trying to undo Net Zero policy, fighting to continue the extraction of fossil fuels, are morally responsible. But again, this is not about blame, it is about how this pattern of policy driving this crisis works. Only by openly acknowledging what is happening, can real change be achieved. 11/ This should not be seen in moral terms of blame, but in practical acknowledgement of the facts. We can only change the globally suicidal course we are on, by acknowledging the facts, and changing the system. People are not going to be motivated to action, if there is denial. 12/ I am not preaching, or being holier than thou. I am simply pointing out, that for a system to be sustainable, and for civilization and humanity, not heading towards collapse, there can be no extravagant consumption. This is the lie, people have been taught. 13/ People have been taught, inculcated, by those who profit from extravagant consumption, that you can have sustainable conspicuous consumption, enabled by wealth. You can't, it is a falsehood. Again, I understand why those with greater income/wealth, are in denial about this. 14/ If you had a friend, who was an alcoholic, a drug addict, who was destroying their life, and the life of others, it would be remiss not to try and snap them out of their denial. Likewise it is up to all off us, to remind those inadvertently perpetrating ecocide, what they are doing. 15/ You can see the way, this works, by the way Greta Thunberg has been subjected to orchestrated vilification, for merely pointing out, what is happening. If you feel bad by what Greta has pointed out, you should look to addressing this, not vilifying Greta and climate activists. 16/