When Politics Becomes Interested in You

“Even if you’re not interested in politics, politics is interested in you.”

I heard this statement during my third year at the University of Calgary. I was in my early twenties, finishing my bachelor’s degree in economics during the peak of the United States’ invasion of Iraq. I vividly remember finding the sentence intriguing, though I didn’t realize at the time just how true it was.

I am now a practicing professional working with corporate Canada to enhance their Indigenous Inclusion in Supply Chain and ESG policies. This year, I attended many sustainability conferences that urged the corporate world, governments, and other organizations to meet their sustainability obligations, comply with their 2030 emission reduction targets, and respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. The usual topics the thought leaders focus on are renewable power, clean technology, promoting equality, engaging meaningfully with the indigenous people, and encouraging everyone to rely less on fossil fuels. 

I found myself in all these conferences wondering why all these smart people don’t discuss the disastrous effect of the wars on sustainability and human rights.

I found myself in all these conferences wondering why all these smart people don’t discuss the disastrous effect of the wars on sustainability and human rights. In the last couple of years, we witnessed wars in Gaza, Sudan, Kongo, Ukraine, and many other regions. Yet, the effects of these wars are never discussed in my conferences. This is when the old wisdom I heard during my university years resurfaced again in my mind. I realized that all these experts are not interested in politics. However, they missed the fact that politics is still interested in their work, corporations, and governments.

The greenhouse gas emissions generated during the first two months of the war in Gaza exceeded the annual carbon footprint of more than 20 of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations. The Guardian published an article titled, “‘Ecocide in Gaza’: Does Scale of Environmental Destruction Amount to a War Crime?” It estimates that the climate cost of the first 60 days of Israel’s war is equivalent to burning at least 150,000 tons of coal. Yet, this was never mentioned in any of the conferences. 

As of 2008, Canada has made great progress toward acknowledging the truth of the attempted cultural genocide of Indigenous people. In the 1500s, indigenous people formed 100% of the population of North America. Considering that the last residential school was closed in 1997, the current population of Indigenous People in Canada is estimated to be around 5% only. 

Since the 1800s, the Canadian government forcibly pushed Indigenous people from their land, oppressed them systematically, and destroyed many of their economic and social resources, causing 90% of the population to die from diseases, hunger, and neglect. The Canadian government also did not consider the harm this would cause to the land, water, and biodiversity. Can you comprehend this horrifying black mark on human history and how long it took to acknowledge it? I am assuming the answer is no.

If you look at what is going on right now in Gaza and Palestine, you will find the same scenario is happening.

If you look at what is going on right now in Gaza and Palestine, you will find the same scenario is happening. Israel has been bombing everything and anything for the last nine months, and the world is watching. I don’t want to discuss the moral or the ethical part of the tragic genocide for this article. Still, I want to remind everyone that the disastrous environmental consequences are NOT limited to the Middle East. The entire world will pay for this Ecocide.

Even if we change all vehicles today to electric vehicles, would the environmental damage that wars everywhere caused be mitigated? Imagine the poverty, hunger, biodiversity risk, and water and air pollution that have been caused and will continue for generations. Should we not at least acknowledge this Truth and work to prevent it?

Many scientists think that the next wave of immigrants will be motivated by dire environmental and water conditions.

Many scientists think that the next wave of immigrants will be motivated by dire environmental and water conditions. The West and North America will be crowded with people wanting decent lives. What will happen to all the SDG goals, the affordability crises, and air pollution?  

Dear world, if you are not interested in what is happening in other parts of the world and how this will affect everyone, I invite you to reconsider because politics is definitely interested in you. We must stop the genocide happening in Gaza for the sake of humanity and this planet.

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