Environmental Injustices and Racial Reparations

 In multiple ways, the reparations of environmental damage and slavery are very similar. Caney explains how it is difficult to determine "who pays" for the damage that has been done to the environment. For instance, if the people that directly caused the damage are to pay, then there would be no reparation because they are all dead. The slave owners who treated African-Americans so poorly are long gone, but that does not mean that these descendents of slaves are not feeling the effects their ancestors did.  There is still racial discrimination in the United States and similar to Caney's view on climate change, as a society we still benefit from these injustices. If it were not for the Industrial Revolution and technological advances which have undoubtedly destroyed the environment, then we would not benefit nearly as much as we do today. We do things that harm the environment still that were happening back then, so aren't we equally as guilty from benefiting from those actions? Similarly, the U.S. was virtually built on slavery and prospered from trade and work done by slaves. There would not be the prosperity if there was, and that we still have today, if it were not for slavery. However, how are we, the current citizens of the U.S. responsible for the actions of our ancestors? This is an extremely complicated and controversial topic that encompasses the nation still today. Should people pay for things that happened before they were born, or should we just focus on the world today and worry about our own mistakes? Caney brings up multiple valid points and different perspectives, but in my opinion, his ability to pay principle is very important to climate change and racial reparations. If you have a privileged life with money and never had to feel the effects of slavery, you have a responsibility to contribute to the reparations from slavery that the oppressed still feel the effects of today.