Discussing Naomi Klein’s, “This Changes Everything”
Naomi Klein mentions the Marshall plan for earth as a viable solution to address climate change and global warming. By the Marshall plan, she refers to pulling all resources together and systems to avert the climate crisis. According to Klein, a mass climate movement stands as the strongest probable solution to saving the environment and is a historic opportunity for the current generation. Klein feels that the majority of individuals are still ignorant of the climate change issue, which only worsens the situation as little is done in formulating and following through with concrete policies. With the Marshall plan, environmental crisis becomes a pressing cause similar to politics and economics, and societies will hence be forced to act in ways and implement practices that are in line with minimizing environmental degradation (Klein). Not only will the Marshall plan lead to far-reaching changes in the environment, but will also minimize the gap between the rich and poor and massively improve lives. New jobs will be created that ensure the local economies run in coherence with the environment. The Marshall plan also sees massive mobilizing of technology and financing globally to minimize emission and improve people’s quality of life.
The most vulnerable suffer disproportionately under capitalism and climate change since their concerns and voices are ignored. Mega-corporations are the biggest beneficiaries of this capitalist system and still the major contributors of polluting the environment (Klein). With their abundance in capital and major influence both politically and economically, these corporations’ policies and opinions, in both environmental changes and the economy, are widely considered to be the appropriate decisions for the general population. On the other hand, minority groups, including native people as well as the poor, are widely scattered, form less powerful groups and benefit the least from the capitalist system. Since they are marginalized and neglected, their concerns and opinions on environmental changes are dominated by that of the elite corporates. Notably, the adverse impacts of environmental degradation from the practices of these mega-corporations majorly affect the minority groups. Toxic emissions from the factories end up in waters and lands that these minority groups primarily depend on as a means for livelihood and food source. Hence, Klein considers it essential to involve these vulnerable groups while formulating agreements and pacts that aim to improve the environment.
According to Klein, humans require to take a counterrevolution action to avert from the catastrophe, which will also benefit the greater population. By counterrevolution, Klein refers to rebuilding everything from the ground-up, including disrupting the local economies (Klein). Such action requires a collective effort from society to ensure emissions are minimized, and prevalent practices are in harmony with the environment. With counterrevolution, individual pursuits are non-existent, doing away with the hyper-corporatized short-term goals for climate change at the cost of these corporates. Therefore, the inclusivity of the general population in counterrevolution erases the dominating opinions of the elite owning and running these corporations, minimizing their power and voice to equal that of the minority. Definitely counterrevolution for environmental and climate change is a threat to the elite as they substantially profit from the current capitalist state and are only willing to devote to practices that will not harm their profit-making ventures.
When Klein mentions disrupting the local economies to bring changes, how do the local economies and climate and environmental change relate?
Klein considers mega-corporations advocates for capitalism and major players to environmental degradation, why does she view it to be so?