Consider how climate change is driven by those with the greatest wealth and, by extension, power. We see this directly through how the richest 1% account for 17% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, and a whopping 50% for the richest 10%[1]. And this doesn’t even count their controls over processes of production and distribution that cause bulk emissions, which ends up being represented as coming from those from lower income brackets. Indeed, the world’s richest 1% own 59% of all global financial assets, and we are currently set to see the world’s first trillionaire within a decade. So it’s very clear that those with most power are driving this, and the question arises as to why. Is it really through ignorance and deluded short term gain, or could it actually be deliberate? Let us make the reasonable assumption that those who hold power are not stupid; that they cannot be so blind as to continue on a trajectory that overwhelming scientific consensus loudly points to climate collapse. Setting aside the apparent absurdity in knowingly being complicit in rendering the world uninhabitable for (human) life, let us imagine if this is actually the case. What do those with power really hope to gain?

Firstly, a world rendered uninhabitable or near-uninhabitable would mean all remaining humanity could only survive through advanced technology. The ability to grow food and live in places that can still support life wouldn’t be determined by free access to ‘the commons’, but through being allowed to utilise technological supports. And who owns and controls such technology…?

Secondly, it may be realised by the powerful that, however humanity proceeds, all life on Earth will eventually come to an end anyway. We cannot avoid the larger geological and eventual solar lifespans of this world. The only hope of continuance beyond that is through colonising other worlds. And it’s no coincidence that the world’s billionaires have spent a great amount in efforts to smooth the way to that, with increasing investments each year. So why hasten the need for colonising other worlds through destroying Earth’s habitat? Perhaps because in waiting longer, society will also go through major structural changes – as history repeatedly shows us – the kind that erodes if not entirely removes the power structures of today. In the meantime, through short term manipulations, these self-same structures can strengthen their positions and simultaneously undermine resistance to their goals through removing individual liberties of those who don’t hold the power. This is seen in the ever-drifting trend of countries across the world towards authoritarianism and far-right populism, which are the easiest forms of government for the wealthiest to exercise power. They never last in the long-term, but if the goal is to hasten climate collapse then this becomes an irrelevant consideration.

Thirdly, there may be some idea of facilitating a hastened catastrophe to only step in as ‘savours’. That is already apparent through the endeavours of space colonisation, but it can also be realised through geo-engineering. Again, any such projects would only consolidate the positions of those in power.

Of course this leaves the fact of death. Nobody can avoid this. And yet, through technology, there are ways to significantly delay it. Going even further, great interest from the rich and powerful has been shown in cryogenic freezing, genetic engineering and even the possibility of ‘downloading’ a human intelligence into a synthetic form. All these things are being pursued with mounting appetites. Setting all that aside, there may also be a sense of continuing legacy through their children – who, of course, will have the same securities.

If the above applies, we are looking at an attempt to become gods, or secure a dynasty that is seen to guarantee a form of immortality. Such a megalomaniac pursuit is visible across human society, likely embedded in the darker side of our psyche, and even rooted within entire past cultures. To this we may add the oft-quoted phrase: “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Therefore, it does not seem beyond the bounds of possibility that there is a deliberate, concerted attempt from the most powerful to cause or hasten climate collapse. Doing this, whilst enriching themselves further in the process, may make perfectly logical sense to them – and even be justified morally in that life on Earth will end anyway and they are the ‘best ones’ to steer humanity’s continuance. 

That billions of humans – to say nothing of other lifeforms – will perish in the process is at best irrelevant to them; the philosophy of ‘survival of the fittest’ can be called upon, or that such life will ‘die anyway’, and they would not have achieved such power and wealth in the first place if they placed value in others’ lives and wellbeing (under the present socioeconomic model, to gain wealth and power is determined almost exclusively by the ability to exploit others and the environment).

If one were a detective seeking to uncover the culprit for a crime, all the ingredients are there: motive, means and opportunity. This doesn’t imply certainty in some global conspiracy amidst the rich and powerful, but nor should we rule it out. To make such a hypothesis even more credible, it’s conspicuously absent in any popular media discourse – if true, even encouraging debate on it would be highly dangerous for those who hold power.

I’m not convinced myself that this is what’s going on. But the alternative is we defer to the other explanation of ‘collective stupidity’ governed by deluded short term power interests that give little intelligent thought to the situation. The actuality is if the 1% really determined to change the course things we’re heading in, they could do so. Indeed, even the 0.1%. If they decided this was not in their interest – for reasons mentioned above – that would be one explanation for why it isn’t happening.

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[1] https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/climate-equality-a-planet-for-the-99-621551/