Bear poops in woods, some observers say

• World’s poor are disproportionately affected by climate change, analysts say
• Low-income groups have comparatively little influence on public policy
• Burden of climate change rests with wealthy individuals, some observers say
Interesting that “some observers” are the only support for that third bullet.

What if you added a first premise: “Wealthy individuals are responsible for a disproportionate amount of total greenhouse gas emissions.” (Princeton’s Stephen Pacala says the world’s richest 7% are responsible for 50% of GHGs.) Then doesn’t the last bullet follow from simple deductive reasoning? No observers necessary.
(Via Gristmill)

When a human is hungry or cold, that human does not care about anything but food and warmth. That human will eat the last deer on the planet and burn the last tree. That is true for all of us. To do otherwise requires a lot of practice.

When a human has food and warmth and shelter, that human can turn their thoughts to other things… like the future, like preservation, beauty and poetry.

It follows that not only do the 7% who are responsible for 50% of the Greenhouse Gases have a moral obligation to clean up, more importantly they are the only ones who can change the situation. Somebody who is hungry and cold will not care.