This week on the news there was a piece about those with the most wealth contribute the most towards climate change. I want to share and hear people’s thoughts on the issue:
Doshin
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Doshin
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Last edited by Jundo; 08-19-2023, 11:56 PM. -
Yikes! I mean I knew that the wealthy and super wealthy were responsible for a disproportionately high percent of pollution but I did not realize just by how much. I definitely agree with the conclusion this article is drawing which is to find some way to make the wealthy pay. We have to find some way of making excesses less appealing. Excess travel, excess consumption. Asking Joe Blow, who is barely able to make ends meet to sacrifice for the good of the environment is not fair. Asking those in the developing world to sacrifice is not fair. They barely have anything and have contributed almost zero to the climate disaster.
I’ll stop there before this turns into a full on rant.
Tairin
Sat today and lah泰林 - Tai Rin - Peaceful Woods -
10% responsible for 40% of the climate change emissions. Not sure the math tracks, but ok, assuming it does, shouldn't the focus really be on where the 60% is coming from? Yes, it is easier to engage in the class warfare paradigm, but the very data from this article shows that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Sadly, the technologies to not rely on such climate changing energy sources have been around for decades, but big oil and the politicians they buy weren't interested. I was recently in Portugal for vacation, where I learned a large amount of their energy, the majority of it, is from green sources. (70% I was told). They figured it out, why cant we, why can't the UK, and so on?
Great topic, thanks for sharing.
Gassho,
John
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I hear you John,
I believe it was one of the authors who spoke about the study on one of the news stations last week which is why I went searching for more information. I don’t know about the math (nor would I probably understand the math if I read the study! ). I understand your comment about focusing on the 60%. I think their point is you can get a great reduction from a few (10%) versus the other 90% of the population that produce much less as individuals However all sources need consideration.I don’t think there is anyway to get us all down to zero.
Appreciate people’s thoughts so I can wrap my mind around this. Intuitively I get it (I think).
Doshin
StLast edited by Doshin; 08-19-2023, 04:43 PM.Comment
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PS…I also think they said the 10% of America’s wealthiest versus 10% of the worlds population. If I am understanding that correctly that 10% compared to the world means a very small percent of the world is responsible for 40%…am I interpreting this correctly? I am sure this will ignite a lot of discussion throughout the world.
Doshin
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The science fiction author John Brunner predicted this way back in 1972 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sheep_Look_Up.
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I read this as 10% of America's wealthiest is producing 40% of America's climate changing pollution, not 40% of the world's. Either way I am of the mind that it is far easier to live sustainably when you have wealth, so I agree with the premise that more of the burden should fall on the wealthy. I do want to note that my household income falls into their 10% cut-off, so I'm not just trying to point the finger.
Gassho,
Andy
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Hi John,
I think the idea of focusing on the 40% is because it's generated by a small number of people. For simplicity's sake lets say we had switches we could turn from high to low carbon output. Dealing with that 10% allows you to make a large impact on carbon output realitive to the number of switches you have to pull. We see the same thing in politics, people with a lot of money have outsized influence. All a politican has to do to raise significat campaign funding is to successfully appeal to one (extreamly wealthy) person rather than their entrity of their constitutents. Politican's still need votes so they can't completely ignore their constitutents but if that wealthy person calls to ask for a favor they will pick up that phone.
Gassho,
Hoseki
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