Who destroys the planet?

2022-12-19T11:11:11.270Z

Almost half of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 were the responsibility of the richest 10% of the population. In fact, the richest 1% issued the same as the poorest 50%.

We live immersed in a somewhat incriminating discourse that reminds us that we have to be aware of and contribute to the fight against climate change.

They tell us that the solution is to abandon cars that run on diesel or gasoline, consume as little meat as possible —or not even eat it—, save energy as much as possible, either by reducing heating or air conditioning, or stop using plastics. and move on to the cloth bag.

Come on, we all have to take care of the planet.

A recommendation that, to this day, is a truism of truism... in the West.

And it is no less true that these previous elements, among many others derived from them, have ended up generating a whole new morality.

There are good eco-responsible people—people and countries—who are fighting for the planet and criminal eco-terrorists—people and countries—who are destroying it with their callousness.

A consequence of all new morality is the posturing of some attitudes that, sometimes, not only border on ridicule, but also end up producing just the opposite effect: that is, being “eco-harmful” or selling us “eco-lies”.

Ordinary citizens and Third World countries end up being guilty of both.

Let's go in parts, because there are many elements that do not lead to the —erroneous— previous conclusion.

While policy makers insist, over and over again, to make us aware that we must go by train, walk or bike to the sites to avoid increasing emissions, at the last COP27 more than 400 planes arrived in Egypt to attend the summit of the ONU.

Planes to which must be added hundreds of other sponsoring companies and participants in the event.

All its occupants, yes, came willing to talk about how to stop climate change.

The truth is, the footballer Kylian Mbappé and the PSG coach, Christophe Galtier, were more honest when they started to laugh when they were asked if they were going to go by train instead of by plane to the games.

Not content with that, at that same summit, one of the sponsors was Coca-Cola, one of the most polluting companies in the world.

It produces a whopping 120 billion disposable plastic bottles a year and 99% of its plastics are made from fossil fuels, says a report by the Break Free From Plastic movement.

It goes without saying that no agreement was reached at the climate summit, except for the countries' commitment to progressively reduce the use of energies that cause CO₂ emissions.

Forgetting that the G20 alone is responsible for 75% of the greenhouse gases that are sent into the atmosphere.

It is surprising, to be honest, that in a context in which ordinary citizens are asked to make an effort to help in the fight against climate change and the energy crisis, those who can do the most actually contribute the least.

But let's continue with the examples.

That recycling is a matter of the rich seems clear (or rather the laundering of the conscience of the rich).

The richest 10% in the United States pollute more than twice as much tons of pollutants as the richest 10% in Europe.

And that richest 10% of Europe pollutes more than the remaining 90% of Europe.

In addition, the US is the nation on the planet that generates the most plastic waste, no matter how hard it tries to hide it.

First, it sends them to China, but since the Asian country said enough to receive them, Washington sends its crap on a larger scale to poor Asian countries, in violation of the Basel Convention.

Consequence: only 8% of the world's plastic is recycled.

But nobody is spared here, the European Parliament has approved the cut in CO₂ emissions for all cars from 2035. All cars… except luxury ones.

And now, because of reducing meat consumption, bitcoin pollutes more than oil extraction or beef production, I read in

Scientific Reports

To summarize, almost half of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 were the responsibility of the richest 10% of the population.

In fact, the richest 1% issued the same as the poorest 50%.

Little more to say, except that it turns out that we are not all equally guilty and, therefore, it would not be a bad thing if we stick to the words of the Indian historian Vijay Prashad, regarding the demands of the Climate Justice movement: "They like to say that We're in this together, but we're not in this together.

(...) They say they are worried about our future, what future?

Children on the African continent, in Asia, in Latin America do not have a future, they do not have a present.

They are not worried about the future, they are worried about the present.

Their slogan is 'we care about the future'.

What future?

A catchphrase of the western bourgeois middle class.

You have to worry about now.

2.7 billion people can't eat and you tell people, 'Cut down your intake.'

How does that sound to a child who hasn't eaten in days?"

Carmen Domingo

is a writer.

Her latest book is