Wealth and the Domination of Nature

In this talk we provide on overview of the current discourse on how the very wealthy dominate nature and suggest avenues to further explore this relationship. We start by reviewing the growing number of studies that point towards the extraordinary high levels in which the superrich produce CO2 emissions through their consumption patterns such as living in enormous mansions, flying with private jets, and vacationing on luxury yachts. This research is important as it not only highlights that certain social groups cause more CO2 emissions than others, but also points towards ownership as entry point for the wealthy, which allows them dominate nature in a particular way. We will then use this systematic point to reflect more generally on the various objects and assets owned by the superrich, their property and control rights as well as restrictions of these rights. This includes for one, the reflection upon space-consuming recreational activities such as hunting on one’s own hunting grounds, horse-riding on horses from one’s own breed, the cultivation of one’s own vineyards, or hiking in one’s own swamp lands. But this also includes the extractivism of fossil-intensive companies owned by them as well as investments in infrastructure projects or emission certificates. Overall, this talk will provide first systematic points on the domination of nature by the wealthy via ownership.