Are xenophobia, nationalism and violence just collateral damage to economic progress?

Rich states are deaf to scientists’ warnings about global warming and its impact on the environment and population. What was considered catastrophic a few years ago seems to be a good place to start today.

If global warming attacks the food supply chain,from which some countries are accustomed to replenishing, reducing quantities, little bad, will change geographical areas and suppliers, it will be a matter of paying a little more. 

If global warming increases the average temperature in the cities where they live, little bad, the use of air conditioners will increase, it will be a matter of paying a little more.

If global warming reduces the availability of drinking water and for domestic use, little bad, they will provide themselves from more distant sources and transport it to the house, it will be a matter of paying a little more.

If global warming increases ocean levels and threatens some coastal areas or tourist areas, little bad, will change their holiday horizons, it will be a matter of paying a little more.

If global warming increases the migrations that press at their borders, little bad, they will turn off the television and pour a good glass of wine, knowing that new walls are being built that will protect them, it will be a matter of paying a little more.

If global warming increases cases of pandemic and traditional diseases, which threaten their nations, little harm, high-level health care and individual protections and the services they can access will reduce the risk to almost zero, it is a question of paying a little more.

That’s right, it’s about paying a little more. 

But there is a substantial proportion of the world’s population, to which, if not entirely marginally, the pollution that causes global warming is not attributable, which does not enjoy all the defences that rich countries can give to their citizens. 

The African, Southeast Asian and South American populations, suffer a direct impact of climate change, such as lack of water, lack of food caused by progressive desertification of land, extreme heat that cannot be mitigated by adequate housing, poor or poor health care, which does not allow them to deal with diseases that are spreading repeatedly around the world.

When we talk, even in the most authoritative forums, about human rights, we are led to always think about ourselves and how it is right to guarantee the basic support for people’s lives. But then we forget to act or we do it in a completely timid and inadequate way with respect to our needs.

To this shameful resource gap we are getting a little used to,it seems to be a divine division between rich and poor, a status quo that we need to maintain, pampering ourselves in our daily lives.

But apart from governments that no longer look beyond their noses, which deny environmental problems, which deny the relations between epidemics and climate change, who believe in the fairness and validity of “First of all”, the richest countries in the world will soon have to face the desperation of ever larger masses of population that have nothing left, because of the crazy climate that we have created.

If we have denied millions of men basic rights which are food, housing, health care, work and education, how can we think that this anger, made up of despair, cannot lead to social revolts, wars, terrorism, nationalism, xenophobia that will sooner or later affect everyone?

If we now judge the denial of the right to life or a decent life, a large slice of the world’s population, as collateral damage to economic progress,how long do we think it can pass because we too will be involved and squeezed by the environmental disaster of the planet that we are slowly building?

Fundamental rights are never one-sided, they apply to everyone, always.