States across the US South have recently suffered unprecedented damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Hurricanes in the Southeast and Gulf Coast will likely become more intense in the future because of human-induced climate change. Fossil fuel industries and financial industries benefiting from fossil fuels are directly responsible for the intensifying disasters resulting from climate change.
In the aftermath of storms like Helene and Milton the term “disaster capitalism,” as popularized by Naomi Klein and Antony Loewenstein, becomes increasingly relevant. Disaster capitalism refers to the way corporations and governments exploit crises to push through policies that benefit the wealthy while the rest of society is left to suffer. In her book The Shock Doctrine, Klein discusses how crises, from natural disasters to wars, are used as opportunities for profit-making at the expense of public welfare. As Black, brown, and working class community members are displaced in the wake of hurricanes and other climate disasters, corporations capture lands and other assets for dirt-cheap, then push for policies that privatize education, healthcare, disaster recovery, and other public services.
In the U.S. and the Global South, this phenomenon is disproportionately visible, as witnessed in the wake of Katrina, Maria, Matthew, Florence, post-earthquake Haiti, post-flooding in Pakistan, and other disasters. Once in a lifetime storms are now occurring multiple times a hurricane season. Yet, many Southern states, particularly Florida, have not only refused to address the looming threat of climate change—they’ve actively denied its existence. In some states, zoning laws ignore climate science altogether, allowing unsustainable development in flood-prone areas, which erodes natural barriers like wetlands that protect against storm surges. The result? When storms hit, the damage is far worse than it should be, and low-income and working-class communities, often communities of color, are the most impacted.
These disasters also underline devastating priorities of our government. The USA spends 900 billion on militarism every year, yet has few resources for disaster preparedness and response. Historic underfunding of healthcare, education, affordable housing, livable jobs make Black, brown, and working class people more vulnerable to the vagaries of climate change. On top, fossil fuel industries have opposed the country’s transition to a green economy. Rather than addressing the root causes of climate disasters or helping communities rebuild, the focus remains on enriching an elite class through wars and privatization.
Although our current prognosis is bleak, it’s not too late to turn things around. But it will require bold, transformative actions both in the short term and long term. Southern Vision Alliance is committed to supporting a grassroots movement to challenge disaster capitalism, build solidarity-based relief and rebuilding in the wake of hurricanes, and transition to a green economy. We work with our sponsored projects, grantees, and broader ecosystem to advance the following goals and demands:
Short-term demands include:
– A moratorium on rent and evictions to prevent further displacement.
– Cut red tape and provide immediate and direct financial support to affected households—because $750 is nowhere near enough to help people rebuild their lives.
Long-term demands include:
– Ensuring the right of people to return to their communities after a disaster, rather than being priced out or pushed out.
– Involve communities directly in decisions regarding recovery and rebuilding.
– A transition from fossil fuels to green energy to mitigate the effects of climate change and prevent future disasters.
– Holding banks and equity firms accountable for profiting off of disaster recovery and land grabs.
– Ending wars abroad and redirecting those funds toward green infrastructure and climate resilience.
We can no longer afford to prioritize profits over people. Disaster capitalism may enrich the few, but it will ultimately devastate the many. To create a just and sustainable future, we should build a stronger grassroots movement that will divest from wars and invest in green energy, disaster preparedness infrastructure, and the people’s needs.
