Page 95 - Herioter 2020

Climate Governments are failing to stop the fossil
fuel industry. Instead, they continue to
Change: let’s support it through subsidies. The idea
that individual lifestyle changes alone
talk less about can solve the problem is false. Some 71
percent of global emissions come from
just 100 companies. These companies
recycling, will remain unchallenged, seeking to
extract resources for profit regardless
more about of the impact on people, unless we
have systemic change. Political theorist
capitalism and Bookchin stated that ‘capitalism can no
more be “persuaded” to limit growth
colonialism than a human being can be “persuaded”
to stop breathing. Attempts to “green”
Climate change is here. In the past few resistance: ‘there was torture, rape, and capitalism… are doomed by the very
years, climate related natural disasters strong suffering of our people, especially nature of the system as a system of
(such as those in Somalia and Jakarta), our mothers and children.’ endless growth.’ Green capitalism is
conflicts (such as that in Chad), and The experience of the people of Sarayaku useful therefore only as a transition
exodus (such as that from Venezuela) is not an anomaly; indigenous people are stage, not as a solution.
have caused loss of life, particularly in the under attack from fossil fuel companies Focus on individual change not only
global South. Fossil fuels are responsible and allied governments in many places, fails to address the main causes of the
for 78 percent of global greenhouse gas such as Queensland, Dakota and problem, it helps the large industries
emissions. The next step is clear: we must British Columbia. This is a new kind of most responsible for climate change.
stop extracting and burning fossil fuels. colonialism, and the fossil fuel industry is Coca Cola and BP invest in adverts that
The transition to renewable energy responsible. encourage single-use plastic recycling
will not be at the hands of fossil fuel From 2014 to 2017, the Standing Rock and monitoring of individual emissions.
companies; BP rebranded itself as Sioux people in North Dakota protested They want us to focus on these things, so
‘Beyond Petroleum’ in the 2000s, yet 96 against the implementation of the that we do not notice the actual problem;
percent of its expenditure continues to Dakota oil pipeline, which causes huge the system, in which large corporations
be fossil fuels. In 2015, Exxon CEO Rex concern due to water contamination like Coca Cola and BP get away with
Tillerson denied shareholder requests risks, and the destruction of sacred exploiting people. Indigenous knowledge
to invest more in renewable energy, lands and burial grounds. The Standing is essential to solutions. Activist and
saying, ‘We choose not to lose money on Rock reservation organised marches, indigenous organiser Hindou Oumarou
purpose.’ Tillerson perfectly summarised runs and horseback demonstrations, Ibrahim states that, ‘For centuries,
why capitalism is incompatible with and other states protested in solidarity. indigenous peoples have protected the
tackling climate change. The system However, President Trump approved environment, which provides them food,
that prioritises money above all else the pipeline, and the police used rubber medicine and so much more. Now it’s
is what drives the problem. Economic bullets, pepper spray and attack dogs time to protect their unique traditional
globalisation allows for multinational on the non-violent protesters. The CEO knowledge that can bring concrete
corporations that deny human rights of Energy Transfer Partners, who were solution to implement sustainable
when these rights threaten profit. largely behind the pipeline’s construction, development goals and fight climate
Fossil fuels have been extracted on had previously donated $100,000 dollars change.’
a mass scale since the 19th century. to Trump’s election campaign. Brazilian activist Sonia Guajajara
European colonisers established the mass The Dakota pipeline demonstrates the highlights the fundamental flaws of
extraction of goods in South America, influence of colonialism and capitalism capitalism, as well as much of society’s
Africa and South-east Asia to provide in causing climate change. The human refusal to listen to indigenous voices:
raw materials for their home cities and rights of the Sioux people were and ‘few people understand, or want to
themselves. Extractivist industries exist are being denied, due to the interests understand, that everything is connected
in every South American country still of large companies, and as part of and nature provides everything. Money
because of the legacy of imperialism. systemic violence against indigenous is no use if there’s no water.’ She explains
Fossil fuel companies continue to disrupt people. This also exemplifies why the that ‘civilisation is the behaviour we have
and abuse indigenous communities tackling of climate change cannot rely in relation to Earth. For the white man, it
today: indigenous people in Sarayaku, in on governments to regulate the fossil is development and progress. That is an
the Ecuadorian Amazon, took oil giant fuel industry; the overlap between the inversion of values and understanding. To
Chevron to court for poisoning their two is too great. Here, and in many other me, we are the most civilised people.’
biodiversity and causing birth defects cases, the interests of the state are
among the community. The former indistinguishable from the interests of If colonialism and capitalism are not
Sarayaku leader, Mario Santi, explains, large fossil fuel corporations. This helps acknowledged as root causes of climate
‘The government let oil businesses exploit to explain the current lack of government change, solutions to climate change will
and explore for oil in this territory. There action against the industry; global oil similarly fail to address them. This will
was no consultation.’ He describes the output is actually expected to keep rising result in no actual solution at all.
backlash to the Sarayaku community’s over the next decade. Cat Scothorne (S6)

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