It's critical that we dispose of the idea that climate change action is against the status quo. Only some of the methods (especially the most effective ones) conflict with the status quo. The wealthy and powerful are fully aware of climate change, and they want to prevent it just as much as you do, but they want to do it on their own terms.
The Extinction Rebellion is proudly non-violent and non-revolutionary (reformist).
ER claims that it gets its inspiration from the Civil Rights movement. Which is slightly ironic because the largest gains of the Civil Rights Movement were made from the militant and revolutionary Black Panthers.
The Black Panthers and their communities were forced to arm themselves to prevent the violence, murdering, lynching, raping of their members. They also educated their members in Marxist ideology and revolutionary action. The Black Panthers created community support systems, from trades worker (plumbing, electricians), to schooling, to meals. They were incredibly successful at empowering their communities and black people. So successful that their entire leadership was eventually murdered or subverted by the State and State backed white supremacists. .
The Black Panthers were replaced by pacifistic movements that had closer ties to the state, and legislation was passed to calm racial tensions. Was the Civil Rights movement a resounding success that should be emulated? I'm not too sure....
It may have not been a complete success for the black population, but it was a great success for the State and White supremacists. They honed their skill in dismantling revolutionary movements, while continuing to systematically oppress colored citizens.
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It's important to understand how effective and experienced hegemonic powers are at using movements to further their interests. Through financing, cooptation, weapons, legal measures, media, diplomacy, assassinations, and torture. Examples of such tactics are seen in the civil rights moment, labour movements, indigenous movements, occupy movement, feminist movements, and the seemingly endless amount of Western backed Coups on foreign soil.
What does this all have to do with Extinction Rebellion? The Extinction Rebellion and Greta Thunberg are not confronting existing power structures. This is great for the powerful, because the threat of climate change catastrophe would absolutely inspire revolutionary action. Allowing ER to thrive will displace any revolutionary movements with the reformism demanded by ER.
Now, if I was an influential businessperson, like the CEO of a large multinational. I would be loving this. Because I know something must be done about climate change. It would be ridiculous to think otherwise. But I can manage the transition so that I could benefit, and even improve my position.
As people get more and more desperate, they are willing to make bigger and bigger concessions. I could capitalize on that desperation, just like I have done with neoliberal austerity. Instead of passing bills that nationalize the energy industry, let’s pass legislation that subsidizes my electric vehicle company. Instead of re-distributing the wealth of the rich, lets increase income taxes and cut services to pay for my new wind farm. Carbon Tax? No, let’s do cap-and-trade, and I can structure it so I profit greatly off the credits
I can solve climate change (in the western nations) while profiting immensely. I just have to make sure that any popular movements support my actions, and Extinction Rebellion is perfect for that. I’ll take my time with it since nobody is really challenging me. In the meantime, I’ll still profit immensely from my fossil fuel focused sectors, but I’ll transition eventually. This delay may result in millions of dying in the Global South. But no one really cares about the global south, if they did, we would see the same people in the streets protesting the western backed genocide in Yemen.
