Section 4.3 Cui Bono - Who Benefits?
The unfortunate reality of climate change is that we all benefit - the quality of life which we have is largely due to the cheap availability of fossil fuels. We can get around easily with cars, fly (relatively) cheaply when we go on vacation, eat the food that we want, and buy all of the things that we want. All of the things that we do produce greenhouse gases, at some level.
Some individuals, though, benefit more than others. The corporations that produce the goods we buy - our cars, plastics, electronics, and food - are motivated to keep selling more stuff, even if that stuff produces greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuel companies make money by extracting and selling fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and petroleum. All of this economic activity contributes to government tax revenues, which allows politicians to spend more money on their constituents and special interests.
In short, unless you live in a cabin in the woods, grow all of your own food, and use energy only from zero-emissions sources (even a campfire generates greenhouse gases), you're benefiting from greenhouse gas emissions. If you own a car company or an oil company (or have stock in them), you're benefiting a lot more.
