As cars line up to refuel at their local gas station, the company whose logo adorns every surface of the pumps continues to make record profits with every gallon sold. As major corporations continue to succeed in the ever-growing economy, their profits come at the cost of a worsening climate, with billions of individuals across the globe facing the consequences.
In the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, American consumerism has greatly increased. Motivated by consumers, major fossil fuel corporations are central to the increasingly high amounts of carbon emissions within our atmosphere. The corporations responsible for the climate change crisis must be held responsible in order to address the worsening state of threatened ecosystems and the planet as a whole.
Major corporations play an integral role in the total output of carbon emissions. According to the Carbon Major Report, 100 companies have produced more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988. Corporations such as ExxonMobil, Shell and Chevron have ramped up production instead of finding sustainable alternatives to replace their primarily fossil-fuel based products.
Although there was a significant decrease in gasoline consumption during the pandemic, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that the amount of gasoline consumed by Americans daily has gradually rebounded over the past three years. This return to normal levels is indicative of a lack of change in consumer practices outside of temporary habits formed during COVID-19. Companies have been able to continue their operations and expand their production capacity as a result of the return to normal levels, negating any decrease in emissions from 2020.
As the demand for goods and services continues to increase, the major oil and gas corporations will continue to increase production, which is detrimental to society. The increasing amounts of harmful emissions drive the occurrence of more severe weather patterns and rising temperatures across the planet.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 40% of the United States population lives in coastal counties. Due to increasing tides and coastal erosion, millions of people will be in danger of losing their homes from environmental degradation. The staggering amount of people who are affected emphasizes the importance of addressing emissions to protect the safety of citizens near at-risk regions on the coast.
Coastal communities are not the only affected populations. As oceans absorb roughly 30% of the carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere, the water becomes more acidic, harming marine life in ecosystems by the coast. This not only damages ocean life but also negatively impacts local fishing industries by killing off native fish populations.
Reducing total emissions can diminish the effects of climate change on the coast while protecting various communities, but this cannot be accomplished without confronting the corporations whose operations have continually exacerbated the crisis.
Although consumer behaviors play a large role in increasing emissions, individual shoppers are encouraging the practices of major corporations more than they are directly responsible for the emissions. Holding companies accountable who have the power to change consumption patterns in the United States through boycotts and marketing campaigns is crucial for addressing the source of the problems.
The daily impact of climate change requires immediate action, and by setting clear emissions targets for companies while promoting legislation and regulation, society can work to reduce the severe impacts of climate change while creating a more environmentally friendly economy.