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- Dressed in a white dress and sunglasses, Lady Gaga stepped out of the cockpit of her private jet.
From tech entrepreneurs to Hollywood A-lists, the world’s elite are increasingly openly criticized for their flamboyant, carbon-intensive lifestyles. Yet, at the same time, the rest of society struggles to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change.
Researchers in Europe have shown Climate Villain that the rich, through their disproportionate influence in the media, popular culture, and decision. Making, has great potential to change behavior in many ways for the good of the planet perhaps by bringing together the world’s most prosperous. Way out of the world’s climate purgatory.
Researchers describe how “people of high socioeconomic Climate Villain status” can have a “disproportionate. Impact on greenhouse gas emissions and possibly on climate change mitigation. Through five distinct roles: as “consumers, investors, role models organizational actors and citizens. “
As individual consumers, the more obvious harmful behaviors of the rich. Such as using private jets and buying gasoline-consuming supercars – are well known. However, relatively subtle measures such as investments in companies that damage the environment. And decisions by CEOs that impact climate are less discussed. Last year, a report from Oxfam and the Stockholm Environment Institute estimated. That the wealthiest 1% emitted twice as much greenhouse gases as the poorest 50%.
The authors of the article in Nature argue that while the media focuses heavily on the personal contribution of rich and exemplary behavior to climate change. It can have a much more significant impact on climate as millions of people strive to achieve it. Way of life. So if they drive hybrid or electric vehicles instead of petrol-hungry SUVs or announce investments in climate-friendly companies.
The rich can “play a central role in the spread of new technologies and low-emissions behavior.”
Regarding the role of the wealthy, Christian Nielsen, lead author and postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at Cambridge University, told me. I believe that action in each of the five roles has the potential to be very powerful. But I’d probably say that the behaviors that have the most significant potential will reduce people’s carbon footprint other than their own. “
“This is technically achievable with any role,” he continued. “But examples can be given of influencing the policies and actions of the large organizations to which they belong; for example emulating a low carbon lifestyle by “practicing what they teach”; and to mobilize climate action, ideally with peers of people of high socioeconomic status, to influence public policy and corporate investment and behavior.