During the scorching heat and record-breaking temperatures, it is impossible to turn a blind eye to climate change, which is already claiming lives, but global leaders appear to be unbothered by this looming danger. Instead of responding to environmental problems, rich people and companies deepen the problem by making destructive decisions and actions.
One of the most obvious ones is the worldwide arms business. Western weapons makers and military strategists in think tanks fund conflicts in areas such as the Middle East and Ukraine, which severely affect the environment. The Gaza conflict in particular produced 39 million tons of garbage and 281 thousand tons of carbon dioxide in two months, and the environmental gains achieved in the region were rolled back.
The consequences of the war in Ukraine are air, water, and soil pollution on a massive scale, which has cost €52.4 billion in environmental damages. However, for the arms industry, the effects are catastrophic, with the world’s military expenditure standing at $2,443 billion in 2023.
Another important factor that has been found to cause global warming is the consumption of meat. Currently, the developed countries consume more meat as compared to the developing countries and the least developed countries, thus accounting for 14% of the total global emissions. At the same time, fossil fuels remain dominant as the main type of energy, which negatively affects the environment due to the emission of greenhouse gases and air pollution. Extraction of fossil fuels causes habitat destruction, reduced species diversity, and species extinction; they are the major source of more than 75 percent of greenhouse gases.
The leaders of oil companies are fully aware of the harm they are causing to the environment, continue to produce fossil fuels, and lobby for policies against climate change. The costs of air pollution due to the use of fossil fuels are enormous and are estimated at £2.2 trillion annually.
The climate crisis requires that the elite be challenged and the right pressure be applied to force change. Solving the problems of environmental pollution is an international issue and calls for changes in energy sources and consumption patterns.
