Blame billionaires for climate change

70% of global emissions come from 100 companies: Koch Industries' annual carbon emissions bill is 24 million tons.Just like Exxon (who spent years and millions denying the climate change their own research told them was happening), Peter Thiel knows climate change is real, but he plans on Seasteading his way through it with a handpicked gang of Galt-fetishists. Billionaire-backed dark money outfits like American Solutions spend lavishly to punish any Republican lawmaker who diverges from the party line on climate change. The Trump administration admits that climate change is real, but they present it as an investment opportunity: sea-wall construction, sure, but also immigration detention centers for climate refugees, pharma for pandemics, and so. Many. Mercenary. Armies.

Even today, after literally decades of radical libertarian billionaires fostering disbelief in climate change and skepticism about the government, three out of five Americans believe climate change affects their local community. That number climbs to two-thirds on the coasts. Even the Trump administration now admits that climate change is real, but their response to it is dead-eyed acceptance. If popular support actually influenced public policy, there would have been more decisive action from the U.S. government years ago. But the fossil-fuel industry's interests are too well-insulated by the mountains of cash that have been converted into lobbyists, industry-shilling Republicans and Democrats, and misinformation. To them, the rest of the world is just kindling.

Billionaires Are the Leading Cause of Climate Change [Luke Darby/GQ]