The "Other" Climate Change Hoax
Some people make silly claims that climate change is a hoax. They give not so well thought our reasons, such as CO2 peaked much higher in the past, ignoring the fact that humans can’t survive high CO2! But there is a real climate change hoax going on right now that deserves your attention: the idea that politicians genuinely care about fixing the problem of increasing CO2.
While many so-called leaders claim to champion environmental policies, what they seem to care about most is control—controlling people and narratives. If politicians truly wanted to make the world a better place they would prioritize addressing one of the greatest threats to our planet: war.
The Environmental Cost of War
War causes immense human suffering, destroys communities, and massively wastes resources. The environmental toll is catastrophic:
Destruction of Ecosystems Bombings, deforestation, and land degradation wreak havoc on ecosystems. Natural habitats are obliterated, and the long-term recovery of these areas is often neglected.
Pollution and Waste From the oil spills caused by military operations to toxic chemicals left behind, war leaves a legacy of pollution that affects water, soil, and air quality. The debris from demolished cities adds to the growing global waste problem.
Fossil Fuel Dependence Modern militaries are some of the largest consumers of fossil fuels. The emissions generated by tanks, planes, and ships contribute significantly to global carbon output. Ironically, many nations calling for carbon neutrality have no plans to scale back their military operations.
Resource Depletion War diverts critical resources away from productive uses like building infrastructure or advancing clean energy technologies. The materials and energy consumed to manufacture weapons and sustain armies could be redirected to fight climate change.
What If Leaders Truly Cared?
If politicians genuinely wanted to protect the planet they would work together to end war. By focusing on peace, nations could redirect the trillions of dollars spent annually on military budgets toward sustainable development and environmental restoration.
Ending war wouldn’t just reduce human suffering; it would allow humanity to focus on solving the global challenges that unite us all—like combating climate change, reducing poverty, and safeguarding biodiversity.
Ending war would be easy, I will write about this in a future post.
The Real Hoax
The real hoax isn’t the existence of climate change—it’s the idea that political leaders give a shit. Their actions reveal a different priority: consolidating power, perpetuating conflicts, and maintaining the status quo.
It’s time for us to hold leaders accountable and demand a shift in focus. True climate action means addressing all major drivers of environmental destruction—and that includes war.
The fight for the planet must be a fight for peace. Only then can we hope to build a sustainable future for generations to come.
Footnotes:
Between 2001 and 2021, the United States spent approximately $2.3 trillion on the Afghanistan war
Global military expenditure reached a record $2.44 trillion in 2023
In 2017, the U.S. military purchased about 269,230 barrels of oil per day
The United Nations Security Council's five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—are among the world's leading arms exporters
Disclaimer
ChatGPT helped me research this article and clean up my terrible outline! I knew what I wanted to say, but was having difficulty organizing my thoughts. Sometimes my writing can be kinda blunt too, so thank ChatGPT for cleaning that up!
