Thursday, November 21, 2013

Climate change: The enemy

Who's responsible for climate change? It turns out that 90 companies are responsible for nearly two-thirds of all emissions:
The climate crisis of the 21st century has been caused largely by just 90 companies, which between them produced nearly two-thirds of the greenhouse gas emissions generated since the dawning of the industrial age, new research suggests.

The companies range from investor-owned firms – household names such as Chevron, Exxon and BP – to state-owned and government-run firms.

[...]

Half of the estimated emissions were produced just in the past 25 years – well past the date when governments and corporations became aware that rising greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of coal and oil were causing dangerous climate change.

Many of the same companies are also sitting on substantial reserves of fossil fuel which – if they are burned – puts the world at even greater risk of dangerous climate change.


And more climate change means more storms like Typhoon Haiyan, more death, and more destruction. So its basically us or them: their future profits - or our futures. And that's a pretty obvious choice.

The full list of companies is here.