If we continue to burn fossil fuels, we are going to see sea level rises and other dramatic climatic effects that will cause mass migrations of people from low-lying countries, shorelines and islands, widespread famine and economic disruption affecting the poorest people and regions of the world, increased intra-state and inter-state conflict over water, food and other resources, mass extinctions, and other possible environmental effects that could destabilize the entire planetary ecosystem.

The existence of nuclear weapons increases the possibility of conflicts caused by climate change escalating into nuclear war and destroying the planet even sooner. The cost of nuclear weapons is taxpayer money that could otherwise be used to address climate change. The skills, technologies and industries required for averting climate change are currently being wasted on nuclear weapons development and production. The international cooperation required to deal with climate change is thwarted by ‘national interests’ driven by weapons manufacturers. It is many of the same corporate interests which are fueling the nuclear arms race and the race to extract every last penny from fossil fuels and other earth-ravaging industries.