Real Environmental Crisis Is Not Climate Change

 Vijay Jayaraj, argues that the real environmental crises facing the world, especially in developing countries, are not primarily related to climate change but rather to pollution, waste management, and land degradation. He believes that the focus on climate change detracts from addressing these pressing issues that affect people's health and well-being.

1. Misguided Focus: Jayaraj claims that while Western nations and elites emphasize climate change and carbon footprints, developing nations are grappling with immediate and severe environmental problems, such as water pollution and waste management issues.

2. Real Environmental Crisis: He cites the example of Ghana, where only a fraction of waste is collected, resulting in health risks from vector-borne diseases like malaria. In South African townships, diseases related to inadequate waste management are rampant.

3. Plastic Pollution: Southeast Asia is mentioned as a major contributor to marine plastic pollution due to poor waste management. The author asserts that this pollution stems from governance failures rather than climate change.

4. Fund Allocation Issues: Billions spent on renewable energy initiatives often leads to neglect of more urgent needs, such as improving infrastructure for waste management and sanitation in developing countries. He suggests that efforts to combat climate change divert necessary resources away from these essential services.

5. Doubt on Climate Models: Jayaraj challenges the prevailing belief that carbon dioxide (CO2) dramatically affects global temperatures. He argues that scientific claims about CO2 driving dangerous global warming are unscientific and outdated.

6. Past Climate Trends: He presents historical data indicating that global warming rates between 1899 and 1940 may have been higher than those observed since, raising questions about the current focus on human emissions as the main cause of climate change.

7. Infrastructure and Energy Needs: The author highlights the need for reliable energy sources like fossil fuels to address real environmental issues. He argues that clean technologies such as incinerators and recycling plants require reliable baseload power, which is currently best provided by coal and natural gas.

8. Quality of Life Concerns: For many people, particularly in poorer countries, the fight for clean water, air, and better sanitation is more pressing than concerns over carbon footprints or climate change.

9. Negative Global South Impact: Jayaraj warns that the continued focus on climate change issues, rather than immediate pollution and waste concerns, delays real environmental remediation needed by populations in the Global South.

The article presents a controversial viewpoint that prioritizing climate change over more pressing environmental issues leads to detrimental consequences for the health and well-being of communities in developing nations. Resources currently directed toward climate initiatives should be better allocated to address pollution, sanitation, and waste management challenges. The author calls for a shift in perspective to tackle these urgent and impactful environmental problems facing the Global South. 

https://wattsupwiththat.com/2026/01/30/real-environmental-crisis-is-not-climate-change/