I’ve noted from time to time the credulity – I’m being kind here – with which corporate media journalists play their clueless part – there I go again – in relaying Washington’s talking points. I have in mind today the parroted charge that China is the world’s greatest emitter of CO2 when:
- China’s per capita emissions are considerably lower than those of its accuser in chief, the USA.
- China’s emissions have for decades been part and parcel of the production of consumer goods for the West.
- China now leads the world on green technologies, including the production of 1,000 EVs per day, and an integrated modern – i.e. green and clean – transport system now being rolled out across SE Asia.
But that’s China. What about the global south’s lesser players? Let’s see what happens when a BBC presenter visits Guyana, a poor country long exploited by Britain but whose 2015 oil finds made it the world’s fastest-growing economy.
Specifically, when said presenter opens with a Paxmanesque attempt at wrongfooting – we might say “greenmailing” – a Guyanese president he has badly underestimated.
I’d love to leave it there but feel obliged to point out to fellow anti-imperialists, once we’ve had our fun over the Beeb presenter’s richly deserved roasting by the silver tongued Guyanese head of state, that postcolonial history has no shortage of comprador leaders who talked a fiery talk but failed to deliver for their people.
No shortage either of object lessons in how a global south country’s discovery of hydrocarbons in abundance, far from improving the lives of the majority of its citizens, can not only fail to end their impoverishment but add new levels of repression and terror.
Mr Ali – who by the way rules out oil nationalisation – has beaten off fourteen charges of fraud not in a Guyanese court but by becoming president, rendering him constitutionally immune from prosecution. That’s before we even get to the fact Washington is using Guyana’s territorial dispute with neighbouring bete noir, Maduro-led Venezuela, as a stick to beat the latter.
Do enjoy the clip – just don’t get carried away is all.
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Fantastic Phil! Thank you. Of course there’s the complexity but I thoroughly enjoyed that.
Sweet!
Nice one!
Enjoyed that immensely. Shame he is not willing to nationalise the profits though.
Susan
Hi Susan. This 24 minute interview with Al Jazeera sees Irfan Ali setting out his economic ideas, including his rational for not taking oil into state ownership.
Thanks, Phil.
On the subject of climate / greenwashing, have you seen or heard of the recently released domentary, Climate – The Movie (The Real Truth) , yet?
https://youtu.be/bOAUsvVhgsU?si=FRDAmsR–0fNmIFl
I’ve watched it twice so far (once with my wife) and find it pretty impressive.
Would be interested in your thoughts, if you get to see it.
Steve
I hope to get a look Steve but tbh I’m full on with ruling class devilry in Ukraine, Middle East and South China Sea so can’t say when. Don’t suppose you could knock up an exec summary of what’s being claimed and on what evidence?
Sorry, just seen your reply as I have to remember to check back (normally it’s when I read a subsequent post), as I don’t get notified on here.
I *could* try to do that, yes, but I don’t really see the point. It’s ‘only’ an hour and 20 minutes in length and really speaks for itself – better than I could hope to summarise.
Through a simple presentation of facts, and extensive comments from a number of eminently qualified academics, it lifts the lid on the climate alarm, and the dark forces behind the so-called ‘consensus’. Its presentation owes something perhaps to Adam Curtis (with whose work you might be familiar), and its impact is undeniable… as is – for me, at least – the evidence upon which its arguments rest.
Despite the unfolding and deeply shocking events you mention above, the global nature of this deceitful attack on virtually the world’s population (particulartly the poorest and most needy) makes the climate scam at least comparable, in my view, to these other spheres of influence when it comes to ‘ruling class devilry’.