Humanosity says….Climate change is going to affect all of us yet as always in life it is the poor that will be hit the hardest and will suffer the most. In this article from the Guardian, George Monbiot gives a thought-provoking critique of the role of wealth in driving climate change….
His key points are as follows:
- A series of research papers show that income is by far the most important determinant of environmental impact.
- It doesn’t matter how green you think you are; if you have surplus money, you spend it. The only form of consumption that’s clearly and positively correlated with good environmental intentions is diet: people who see themselves as green tend to eat less meat and more organic vegetables.
- But attitudes have little bearing on the amount of transport fuel, home energy and other materials you consume. Money conquers all.
To give you a flavour of his thinking here’s an excerpt from the article.
When Google convened a meeting of the rich and famous at the Verdura resort in Sicily in July to discuss climate breakdown, its delegates arrived in 114 private jets and a fleet of mega yachts and drove around the island in supercars. Even when they mean well, the ultrarich cannot help trashing the living world.
The disastrous effects of spending power are compounded by the psychological impacts of being wealthy. Plenty of studies show that the richer you are, the less you are able to connect with other people. Wealth suppresses empathy
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