{"id":64588,"date":"2022-12-31T15:36:06","date_gmt":"2022-12-31T20:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=64588"},"modified":"2022-12-31T15:36:06","modified_gmt":"2022-12-31T20:36:06","slug":"rising-authoritarianism-and-worsening-climate-change-share-a-fossil-fueled-secret","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olduvai.ca\/?p=64588","title":{"rendered":"Rising authoritarianism and worsening climate change share a fossil-fueled secret"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rising authoritarianism and worsening climate change share a fossil-fueled<\/span> secret<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n

Around the world, many countries are\u00a0becoming less democratic<\/a>. This backsliding on democracy and \u201ccreeping authoritarianism<\/a>,\u201d as the U.S. State Department puts it, is often supported by the same industries that are escalating climate change.<\/p>\n

In my new book, \u201cGlobal Burning: Rising Antidemocracy and the Climate Crisis<\/a>,\u201d I lay out connections between these industries and the politicians who are both stalling action on climate change and diminishing democracy.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a dangerous shift, both for representative government and for the future climate.<\/p>\n

Corporate capture of environmental politics<\/strong><\/p>\n

In democratic systems, elected leaders are expected to\u00a0protect the public\u2019s interests<\/a>, including from exploitation by corporations. They do this primarily through policies designed to secure public goods, such as clean air and unpolluted water, or to protect human welfare, such as good working conditions and minimum wages. But in recent decades, this core democratic principle that prioritizes citizens over corporate profits has\u00a0been aggressively undermined<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Today, it\u2019s easy to find political leaders \u2013 on both the political right and left \u2013\u00a0working on behalf of corporations<\/a>\u00a0in energy, finance, agribusiness, technology, military and pharmaceutical sectors, and not always in the public interest. These multinational companies\u00a0help fund their political careers<\/a>\u00a0and election campaigns to keep them in office.<\/p>\n

In the U.S., this relationship was cemented by the Supreme Court\u2019s 2010 decision in\u00a0Citizens United<\/a>. The decision allowed almost unlimited spending by corporations and wealthy donors to support the political candidates who best serve their interests. Data shows that\u00a0candidates with the most outside funding usually win<\/a>. This has led to increasing corporate\u00a0influence on politicians and party policies<\/a>.<\/p>\n