Climate change and politics

Politics and Climate Change: Uneasy Bedfellows in a World of Tax Cuts and Business as Usual

In the world of politics, climate change often finds itself as the inconvenient guest at the party—everyone knows it’s there, but most would prefer to ignore it. Instead of tackling the issue head-on, politicians have mastered the art of kicking the can down the road, ensuring that the heavy lifting will be someone else’s problem. After all, why focus on saving the planet when you can promise tax cuts and continue with business as usual?

Take, for example, the “Let’s Not Scare the Voters” approach. Imagine a politician standing at a podium, the background subtly adorned with images of polar bears on melting ice caps. The politician clears their throat, looks directly into the camera, and solemnly declares, “We must take action on climate change… but first, here’s a shiny new tax cut!” The crowd cheers, the polar bears fade into the background, and the politician smiles, knowing they’ve successfully dodged the climate bullet for another election cycle.

Then there’s the classic “Let’s Form a Committee” strategy. When faced with pressing questions about rising sea levels and carbon emissions, some politicians respond by forming committees—committees that take years to deliver reports, which are then shelved for “further review.” It’s the perfect way to look busy without actually doing anything. The result? A nicely bound report gathering dust while the planet continues to heat up. But hey, at least they were proactive, right?

Of course, we can’t forget the “Business as Usual” crowd. These politicians are masters of the status quo, perfectly content to keep the economic engines humming while the Earth’s temperature soars. Why bother with pesky regulations on emissions when you can keep your corporate donors happy by maintaining business as usual? After all, isn’t a thriving economy the best way to prepare for a future where beachfront properties might come with complimentary snorkeling gear?

For a particularly satirical example, let’s look at the hypothetical “National Don’t Panic Day” proposal. This plan, crafted by some of the most creative minds in politics, suggests that instead of addressing climate change, we should simply declare a national day of relaxation. “Stay calm, sip a cold drink, and don’t worry about the planet,” they might say. “We’ll deal with climate change tomorrow… or the day after that.” Because why worry today when procrastination has served us so well?

In this topsy-turvy world, climate change remains the elephant in the room that politicians would rather avoid. Instead of making the tough choices needed to mitigate disaster, they offer short-term distractions and business as usual, leaving the real work to future generations. The result? A cycle of delay and denial that only makes the eventual reckoning with climate change more difficult—and perhaps a little bit warmer.

But as long as there are tax cuts to be promised and committees to be formed, climate change will continue to be the uneasy bedfellow of politics, relegated to the backburner while the world carries on as usual, one can kick at a time.