How the machinery of war and the extraction of oil and gas remain intertwined - Yorkshire Post Letters

The illegal war in the Middle East and the climate crisis might appear separate issues, but is there a link? To understand why climate repair remains stalled, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence, we should consider the political and economic links between climate change denial/delay and the industries of fossil fuel production and war.

To see the connections, we need to understand that international financial dependence on oil has transformed the Middle East into a chessboard for external powers. ‘Petro-politics’ has created a dangerous web: fossil fuel companies demand military security and the support of autocratic regimes, who in return ensure a steady flow of oil that returns massive profits. And this produces carbon emissions, which is damaging our planet’s climate for people.

Political figures such as Trump and his British counterpart, Farage, frequently cast doubt upon the extensive environmental science. Their rhetoric serves to justify the ongoing expansion of fossil fuel extraction and the military spending required to safeguard those interests.

And the web extends: think tanks responsible for producing and spreading misinformation about climate change receive funding from the fossil fuel, aerospace, and defence sectors; and a compliant media amplify their views.

A shift towards renewable energy poses a significant threat to their established and very lucrative business models. So, as long as the ultra-rich remain tethered to oil, regions like the Middle East will continue to be zones of ‘strategic interest’, ensuring that both the machinery of war and the extraction of oil and gas remain intertwined.

We can no longer afford to view environmental policy and foreign policy in isolation, instead we need to join the dots and understand that genuine ‘energy security’ does not stem from the military control of foreign oil fields.

Rather, it comes from freeing our economies from the dependency on the fuels that drive both environmental collapse and military conflict. Our politicians should be clear about the link between climate change and wars, and this will be a crucial step towards a more peaceful and stable future.

To do this, and for the well-being of all, it is imperative that we support and vote for political leaders who are free from the influence of the fossil fuel and arms corporations.