UN Says Money Spent on Basic Living Expenses Is Bad for Nature, Should Be ‘Repurposed’

The world’s people and their governments spent close to $7 trillion in 2022 on activities the United Nations says fuels the “climate, biodiversity, and land degradation crises.” The five biggest industries contributing to the “crises” were construction, electric utilities, real estate, oil and gas, and food and tobacco, according to a report released on Dec. 9 by the United Nations Environment Programme. “This year’s report is a stark reminder that continuing with ‘business as usual’ poses a severe threat to our planet, reinforcing the urgent need for a transition to sustainable business practices and to stop the financing of nature destruction,” Niki Mardas, the executive director of Global Canopy, said in the report....