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Montana, 2023
The climate crisis stems from two ideas ingrained into Western culture: that natural resources were granted by God, and that some people are fundamentally superior to others.
The climate crisis stems from two ideas ingrained into Western culture: that natural resources were granted by God, and that some people are fundamentally superior to others.
These two mindsets allowed and encouraged brutal exploitation of natural resources and individuals. "Climate justice" is the idea that, due to these flawed principles, the climate crisis was not caused by everyone equally, and therefore some are more responsible for solving it than others. As defined by Oxfam, "[c]limate justice means recognizing that those who contribute least to carbon emissions are paying the highest cost. It also means holding responsible the countries, corporations, and people driving our climate crisis." (What is climate justice? | Oxfam)
It is widely accepted that the origins of the climate crisis are in the Industrial Revolution, when modern technology began to emerge. Inventions such as the telegraph, the steam engine, and agronomic machinery set the foundation for life as we know it (Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution: Stories & History | Britannica). However, the climate crisis is not purely scientific: it is deeply cultural, and inextricably intertwined with race, religion, and power. Therefore, its beginning can be traced much earlier.
Climate inequality spans time and space much vaster than can be recorded concisely. However, even a brief understanding of the roots of the climate justice movement allow one to understand its major implications for the crisis today.
The Crusades
The Crusades
The first example is the Crusades, which were a series of military conquests by Christian Europeans between 1095 and 1291. Launched in response to the expanding influence of Islam, “[t]heir objectives were to check the spread of Islam, to retake control of the Holy Land in the eastern Mediterranean, to conquer pagan areas, and to recapture formerly Christian territories” (Crusades | Definition, History, Map, Significance, & Legacy | Britannica). Both the Christians and the Muslims saw the eastern Mediterranean as Holy Land that their God wished for them to conquer, which fueled these gruesome battles.
The Doctrine of Discovery
The Doctrine of Discovery
The second example is the Doctrine of Discovery, a papal bull by the Catholic church that legitimized European colonization on a scale much larger than ever seen before. An excerpt from the Doctrine reads,
… we … give, grant, and assign to you and your heirs and successors … all islands and mainlands found and to be found, discovered and to be discovered…
…as is your duty, to lead the peoples dwelling in those islands and countries to embrace the Christian religion; nor at any time let dangers or hardships deter you therefrom… (The Doctrine of Discovery, 1493 Introduction)
It is highly debatable whether the intentions of the Doctrine Discovery were negative or noble, but its impacts are undeniable. According to the Indigenous Foundation,
The Doctrine of Discovery was the principle used by European colonizers starting in the 1400s in order to stake claim to lands beyond the European continent. The doctrine gave them the right to claim land that was deemed vacant for their nation. Land was considered terra nullius (vacant land) if it had not yet been occupied by Christians. Such vacant lands could be defined as “discovered” and as a result sovereignty, title and jurisdiction could be claimed. In doing so the Doctrine of Discover[y] invalidated the sovereignty of Indigenous nations and gave Christians the right to subjugate and confiscate the lands of Indigenous Peoples. (The Doctrine of Discovery and Terra Nullius — The Indigenous Foundation)
One of the most prominent examples of the Doctrine of Discovery in action is the colonization of the Americas. Between the 1400s and 1800s, Europeans mercilessly destroyed Indigenous communities as they established settlements further and further West, bringing along with them foreign customs and diseases. All in all, Europeans wiped out 9.7 million individuals (Genocide Of Indigenous Peoples - Holocaust Museum Houston).
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
The Transatlantic Slave Trade
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, Europeans aggressively removed 10-12 million Africans from their home and transported them across the Atlantic Ocean and into forced labor in the Americas. This series of events allowed Europeans to prosper, but the wreaked havoc on the African continent and people. (Transatlantic slave trade | History, Time Period, Causes, Effects, & Facts | Britannica)
The Enlightenment
The Enlightenment
Amid the tragedies of slavery and colonization, there was the Age of Enlightenment: “a European intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries in which ideas concerning God, reason, nature, and humanity were synthesized into a worldview that gained wide assent in the West” (Enlightenment | Definition, Summary, Ideas, Meaning, History, Philosophers, & Facts | Britannica). Although religious constraints were largely overcome during this period, science emerged as another justification for supremacy and exploitation. The famous philosopher Rene Descartes illustrated this perfectly when he stated in 1637 that humans must make themselves “the masters and … owners of nature” (Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting one’s Reason and Seeking Truth in the Sciences).
The Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution
And finally, the Industrial Revolution. Natural resources were aggressively exploited as new technologies emerged, so that soon, pollution became a characteristic of everyday lives. Perhaps if certain individuals, groups, and leaders had not come to believe, based on centuries of supremacy and exploitation, that they had the right to use nature and people with complete disregard for the consequences, the climate crisis never would have begun.
Climate Supremacy
Climate Supremacy
Today, modern perpetrators of the climate crisis have adopted a twisted version of the mindset that fueled these historical events, and used it to destroy the environment with no boundaries. This is what we might call “climate supremacy,” and it is remarkably dangerous. Climate supremacy is not only a source of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, but a source of toxic misinformation. This is another layer of the climate crisis that has been amplified in recent decades.
Misinformation is not an entirely new occurrence, but due to globalization and technological advancements, it is much more powerful now than during the other events described. In his book The New Climate War, Michael E. Mann describes the misinformation strategies used by climate supremacists to divert blame. He also describes how, throughout the 20th century, other multi-billion dollar industries used similar tactics to divert blame and make murk what should be clear facts.
Guns (1920s) – The National Rifle Association’s slogan (“Guns Don’t Kill People, People Kill People”) aims to convince the public that violent individuals will be violent regardless of whether a firearm is readily available, and that the type of weapon used is not a contributor to the harm done. In reality, this phrase “diverts attention away from the problem of easy access to assault weapons and toward other purported contributors to mass shootings.” It has been found in multiple studies that “the type of weapon used is highly influential in determining whether the victim of an assault lives or dies” (Guns Do Kill People | The Regulatory Review)
Tobacco (1950s) – Although their very own scientists discovered the negative health outcomes associated with tobacco use very early, the tobacco industry chose to distract the public and continue advertising. According to the London School of Economics and Political Science,
at every stage the tobacco industry has resisted scientific evidence which indicates harms associated with the use of its products. One way in which it has done this is by suggesting that there is uncertainty around the core evidence base used to support tobacco control policies. A 1969 document from the Brown and Williamson tobacco company (a subsidiary of British American Tobacco) outlines this strategy: ‘Doubt is our product, since it is the best means of competing with the ‘body of fact’ [linking smoking with disease] that exists in the mind of the general public’.” (“Doubt is Our Product”: It’s vital that scientists engage with the public and the media to ensure that their research is accurately represented | LSE British Politics).
This quote coined the term “Merchants of Doubt,” which is the title of a book by Erik M. Conway and Naomi Oreskes.
Plastic waste (1970s) – A commercial called the “Crying Indian,” which was meant to depict a Native American’s deep sadness for environmental harm and mobilize Americans to stop littering, was actually propaganda from the beverage industry. The organization that created this ad, Keep America Beautiful, is actually “front group for the beer bottlers, can companies, and soda makers who crank out the containers that constitute half of America’s litter” (The Crying Indian - Orion Magazine). This diverted blame from the industry to individuals.
Fossil fuels (1980s) – By the 1980s, the fossil fuel industry had amassed significant influence, and had learned from the failures and successes of other similar industries. Before that point, Big Oil companies deflected claims of "global warming" by simply denying the scientific robustness of such an idea For many years, it was highly contested whether climate change existed, and the two camps were seen as being on equal footing by the public. Parallel to the tobacco industries schemes, fossil fuel companies hired their own scientists to spread propoganda that climate science was unreliable - even though they had discovered themselves that climate change was real. As early as 1979, ExxonMobil knew about the negative impacts of fossil fuels on the environment (1979 Exxon Memo on Potential Impact of Fossil Fuel Combustion - Climate Files). Now, climate change is widely accepted, and denialists are a fringe group. However, fossil fuel companies have found other ways to distract the public and avoid accountability. The first is deflection onto individuals: this began in the 1980s, when Big Oil companies launched a misinformation campaign in conjunction with several billionaires. Similar to the “Crying Indian” advertisement, the fossil fuel industry has disregarded its major contributions to the climate crisis and instead blamed individuals for their actions. And do not doubt that Big Oil is the cause of climate change: just a few companies contribute to the vast majority of emissions, and the number is decreasing each year In 2025, 36 companies contributed to 50% of worldwide GHGs, and in 2026 it decreased to 32 (Half of world’s CO2 emissions come from just 32 fossil fuel firms, study shows). A major example of deflection comes from “British Petroleum, [which is] the second largest non-state owned oil company in the world.” The company “hired the public relations professionals Ogilvy & Mather to promote the slant that climate change is not the fault of an oil giant, but that of individuals.” It “[f]irst promoted and soon successfully popularized the term ‘carbon footprint’ … [and] unveiled its ‘carbon footprint calculator’ in 2004.” (Big oil coined ‘carbon footprints’ to blame us for their greed. Keep them on the hook | Rebecca Solnit | The Guardian). In addition to deflection, fossil fuel companies have somehow convinced leaders and citizens that their industry can be "green." By emphasizing "carbon capture" technologies (which have potential but are currently wildly expensive and unreliable) and other murky ideas, they have set meaningless targets to try to appease leaders and activists.
A final tactic used by Big Oil is doomism, which has proven extremely effective in halting climate action. This is "the belief that it is too late to address climate change and that apocalyptic climate breakdown is inevitable," a strategy that is often disguised as realistic or helpful. Even some climate advocates turn to doomism, but this is a mistake: it aligns perfectly with Big Oil’s agenda, promoting the idea that we cannot turn back, so we might as well continue digging and burning. According to a study from North Arizona University, doomism "is not supported by science" and "is dangerous because it produces a state of despair that undermines action, is harmful to mental health, and reduces the chances for positive social change." (“I have no future” - the critical need to counter climate doomism - Northern Arizona University).
Responsibility for the climate crisis is obviously wildly unequal, but the disproportionate distribution of its impacts are just as appalling. Today, “3.6 billion people already live in areas highly susceptible to climate change. Despite contributing minimally to global emissions, low-income countries and small island developing states (SIDS) endure the harshest health impacts. In vulnerable regions, the death rate from extreme weather events in the last decade was 15 times higher than in less vulnerable ones” (Climate change). This appalling inequality applies on a global, national, and sub-national level.
Tuvalu
Tuvalu
This small South Pacific island country does not have a single point that is more than 4.5 meters above sea level, and that figure rapidly decreases as glaciers melt and water expands with the heating atmosphere. In 2021, the minister of Tuvalu gave a speech, emphasizing the fact that “we are sinking,” and asking for aid (Tuvalu minister to address Cop26 knee deep in water to highlight climate crisis and sea level rise). Tuvalu emitted less than 0.01% of global greenhouse gases in 2024 (Tuvalu - CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Country Profile | Our World in Data).
Pakistan
Pakistan
This South Asian state has been suffering from horrific flooding for years, and reports to need approximately $16 billion in aid (Pakistan: Flood Damages and Economic Losses Over USD 30 billion and Reconstruction Needs Over USD 16 billion - New Assessment). Pakistan emitted less than 0.5% of total greenhouse gases in 2024 (Pakistan - CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Country Profile | Our World in Data).
Chad
Chad
This African country has recently been the most affected by natural disasters (Climate Change in Chad: Challenges and Opportunities in: IMF Staff Country Reports Volume 2024 Issue 336 (2024)). Furthermore, the continent as a whole is possible the most vulnerable region in the world, containing the least developed economies but suffering the most from droughts, floods, storms, and lack of food. Africa emitted just 3% of total greenhouse gases in 2021 (How much does Africa contribute to global carbon emissions? | Climate News | Al Jazeera).
The United States
The United States
Within the United States, inequality is clear in that minority communities often experience disproportional negative effects. For example, “[i]n a study of 108 urban areas nationwide, the formerly redlined neighborhoods of nearly every city studied were hotter than the non-redlined neighborhoods, some by nearly 13 degrees” (Racist Housing Practices From The 1930s Linked To Hotter Neighborhoods Today). This is primarily due to heat becoming trapped in certain types of infrastructure (particularly concrete) and being emitted from vehicles, a phenomenon known as “urban heat islands” that is more frequent in communities with highly concentrated buildings and crowded streets. Neighborhoods populated with mostly People of Color (POC) are generally poorer, which means they have less advanced and less spaced out infrastructure, and less green spaces to offset GHG emissions.
The failures of the past require reconciliation now if we want to have a chance of survival.
The failures of the past require reconciliation now if we want to have a chance of survival.
Climate justice is a critical part of solving the climate crisis (and, by extension, the sustainability crisis). The climate activist Naomi Klein outlines 5 essential principles for a "just transition," the shift that is required to both solve the climate crisis and right our past wrongs.
Energy democracy principle - Instead of a few fossil fuel companies owning our energy, renewables should be distributed amongst the communities actually using it.
Front lines first principle - Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities most often face the brunt of climate impacts. They must be given not just consideration by leaders, but control over their own leadership.
Care work is climate work principle - Work traditionally considered "women's work," such as teaching, caretaking, and making art, are all low-emission careers that should be valued for their "green" characteristics and the benefits they bring our communities
No worker left behind principle - Moving away from fossil fuels will inevitably result in a loss of jobs, which means that these individuals must be given the opportunity to be re-trained for jobs that will create more sustainable energy and infrastructure
Polluters pay principle - A very small number of individuals and corporations are responsible for most of the world's pollution and climate impacts. They should be the ones cleaning it up
Marginalized communities must help lead the climate fight
Marginalized communities must help lead the climate fight
Although the Global North has a responsibility to make amends with the Global South, BIPOC communities, immigrant communities, impoverished communities, and all the others it has harmed, this does not mean that marginalized groups are sitting idle. In fact, the leaders of the Global North could learn a lot from other cultures about fixing humanity's relationship with nature.
The most prominent example of this is the major role Indigenous communities play in the climate fight. According to the United Nations Development Programme,
Indigenous Peoples are custodians of unique knowledge systems, innovations and practices that have been passed down through generations and have allowed different cultures and communities in many parts of the world to live sustainably, emphasizing the balance between humans and the natural world.
Furthermore, "Indigenous Peoples manage around 25 percent of the world’s land," and "many forests and other ecosystems within areas managed by Indigenous Peoples are in better health than nature outside these areas." Some of the Indigenous practices that aid these communities in maintaining sustainable systems include...
"Forest gardens" in Latin America that rotate crops and maintain biodiversity
Agroforestry systems in West Africa with similar environmental effects
Aboriginal Australian prescribed fire techniques to maintain vegetation at a healthy level
(Indigenous knowledge is crucial in the fight against climate change – here’s why)
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