Chapter 6 - Who is responsible?

Chapter Summary

India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan were all severely exploited under British colonial rule, with land, people, and resources used to fuel Britain’s wealth. This led to devastating events like famines and long-term environmental harm. Today, these countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing little to global emissions. Meanwhile, richer countries like the UK continue high consumptive lifestyles, often under the illusion of ‘green’ progress, while the Global South suffers the consequences. 

The roots of the climate crisis are not mysterious; they are deeply embedded in the history of capitalism. The East India Company took over India, with the invisible hand of the market guiding its strategy and policies. It was a hand that had nasty knuckles when needed. The blinkered imperatives of growth meant that so much human and environmental wealth outside of the balance sheets of simple profit and loss was trampled on.  

Capitalism is now truly global and is finding new layers of human life and the natural world to extract value from. Colonial British rule exercised heavy media censorship in India, a situation that is mirrored today in a global media that is also wired into the same overriding imperative of profit. We have to face the uncomfortable truth that capitalism seems incompatible with genuine sustainability. Indeed, whilst democratic rule has many deeply important virtues and values, it also has a blind spot for environmental issues. 

This historical parallel underscores the importance of independent journalism in holding power to account. As Nobel economist Amartya Sen observed, "No famine in history has ever occurred in a functioning democracy." Today, young journalists and activists must step into this role, exposing the forces driving climate catastrophe. With guidance from organizations like News Decoder, the next generation has the opportunity—and the responsibility—to challenge the powerful and demand change.