The Dirty Links Between Corruption and Climate Change.

You know that corruption is a terrible thing. According to us and true facts, it's the worst thing in the world. It's the consistent bad guy in the story of the world of today and days gone by. Often it's a vague, underlying idea, mentioned in passing but the reality is that it is everywhere. A reminder of our definition,

'corruption is the abuse of power for illicit gain.'

Another literally burning issue that is literally everywhere is climate change aka global warming aka oh look an ice-avalanche, a mega-flood, a hyper-tornado, a killer forest fire. We don't like corruption or climate change and so we thought we would point out a few areas in which they overlap because that sounds like fun doesn't it?

For starters, it's unlikely that the heads of captured states give a damn about protecting the environment or climate-change unless there is an ulterior motive (like profit). If unjust, greedy leaders and their cronies have control of the infrastructure and ministries involved in natural resources, do we think they'll do what's right for the climate, their people and the Earth? No, we don't because all they want is money - resource curse anyone... A popular case in point, the former agriculture and forestry minister (net worth in the hundreds of millions), and now vice president, of Equatorial Guinea, Teodorin Obiang (BBC). If it isn't the State then it's departments, teams or just that one rotten guy that will enable corrupt activity, abusing their power for personal gain and increasing public pain.

There are overlaps between some of the points below, between these unnatural disasters. While corruption itself may not directly cause climate change, it can contribute to environmental degradation and hinder efforts to address climate change effectively. It's an orange, red, dark burgundy heat-map of wrongdoing. Corruption and climate change, they both elicit great vengeance and furious anger. I'll keep it short and to the point, here are several ways in which corruption can have implications for climate change.

Bribery Enables Environmental Destruction

Corruption often takes the form of bribery, where officials accept payments or favours to approve destructive activities that should be regulated, such as illegal logging, mining, or deforestation. In Central and South America experts point out that illegal logging operations cannot occur at scale without the “explicit or implicit consent of those government officials in charge of protecting the forests”, (Earth.Org+1). In the Brazilian Amazon, companies and individuals fined by the environmental agency for deforestation were nonetheless involved in carbon‑offset projects: Reuters found that 24 of 36 projects studied had participants previously sanctioned for environmental violations (Reuters). When regulators are bribed or collude, the forests that absorb carbon are lost, biodiversity disappears, and this accelerates climate change rather than slowing it.

Weak Enforcement of Environmental Laws

Corruption undermines enforcement of laws meant to protect forests, waterways, and emissions‑control. Weak enforcement occurs when institutions lack resources, are captured by special interests, or officials simply turn a blind eye because of corruption. Research has shown that corruption weakens environmental regulations and contributes to unsustainable exploitation of resources (ScienceDirect). In Cameroon illegal loggers routinely send timber through checkpoints without obstruction thanks to bribery and inside connections, even while the country loses over one million hectares of forest between 2013–2021 (Le Monde.fr). Without effective enforcement, environmental protections are retired show ponies, and ecosystems vital to regulating climate are degraded.

Stolen Climate Funds

Billions of dollars have been mobilised for climate mitigation, adaptation, and resilience – but corruption means that a portion of those funds never reach the communities or projects they were intended for. According to a study of climate projects in Bangladesh, “all were affected in some way by corruption,” with around 35% of funding lost (Basel Institute on Governance). A U4 (Anti-Corruption Resource Centre) Research brief emphasises that corruption in climate finance undermines mitigation efforts and decreases the quality of adaptation infrastructure (u4.no). When climate funds are mis‑allocated, delayed, or diverted, vulnerable regions are left under‑protected as extreme weather and climate shocks intensify.

Fossil Fuel Lobbying and Capture

The powerful fossil fuel companies exert undue influence over climate policy through lobbying, donations, and revolving doors. This capture of decision‑making blocks or delays meaningful action to reduce emissions. A recent study indicates the fossil fuel industry has used a wide array of tactics to undermine democracy and bend climate policy to its benefit (Center for American Progress). In addition, nearly 70% of over 1,700 fossil fuel lobbyists attending recent UN climate talks did so via state delegations or “overflow” badges, obscuring their industry ties (Transparency.org).

It's not for nothing that lobbying is sometimes known as 'legal corruption'.

This is how policy is shaped, the oil barons become sculptors of the regulation, rather than being regulated by it. And so, the transition needed to curb the climate crisis is stunted.

Inflated and Corrupt Carbon Markets

Carbon markets and offset schemes are designed to incentivise emission reductions but corruption undermines their integrity.

What the hell is a carbon offset scheme? I remembering myself ask awhile back - so a quick aside. It's a way for people or companies to balance out the pollution they cause by doing good things for the planet. When they create carbon dioxide (CO₂) from things like flying planes or using factories, they can pay to support projects that reduce or remove the same amount of CO₂ elsewhere. These projects might plant trees, build wind or solar power, or help people use cleaner cooking stoves. So, accepting that pollution isn't immediately stoppable, you can cancel out some of its effect i.e. offset. This is sometimes measured in credits - meaning a company can buy credits from the projects/organisations that are planting trees or creating clean energy - it's a show of support for climate-friendly action.

Fraud, double‑counting of credits, and over‑claiming of emission reductions are documented risks. For example, one article outlines how carbon credit markets are susceptible to fake credits, double counting and money‑laundering (Medicare Fraud Whistleblower Attorney+1). The LSE’s “Corruption and integrity risks in climate solutions” report shows that non‑existent credits and dubious forest‑regeneration projects are real fraud risks (LSE). The result is that rather than cutting emissions, dirty scumbags profit, market confidence suffers, and the actual concerns remains unaddressed.

Fake or Overpriced Green Projects

This is linked to the above, the area is key in the fight. There are some so-called “green” or “renewable” projects that become (or created to be) vehicles for corruption, contracts are inflated, unqualified contractors win based on connections, or the environmental benefits are exaggerated (“greenwashing”). The UNODC report “Addressing the links between corruption and the response to climate change” includes examples of renewable‑energy subsidies in Italy being misused (UNODC). When the climate transition is captured by corrupt actors, the money meant to reduce emissions or build resilience instead enriches a few and leaves bad infrastructure or worse outcomes.

Disaster Recovery Is Diverted

When climate‑driven disasters strike (storms, floods, fires), funds are allocated for rebuilds, adaptation and resilience. But corruption (embezzlement, kickbacks, bribes) means that recovery money is misappropriated, contracts awarded to cronies, or building standards compromised. The Guardian reported a scandal in the Philippines, when flood‑control funds were siphoned off with “ghost projects” and inflated contracts, leaving communities exposed to more severe flooding (The Guardian). If funds for climate resilience don’t reach their targets, communities are both hit harder and then less able to bounce back. In line with this future disasters become more devastating, hence accelerating the climate crisis’s human toll.

Silencing of Whistleblowers and Activists

Corrupt systems often suppress those who expose environmental destruction, from journalists to Indigenous land‑rights defenders. In Cambodia a prominent environmentalist was arrested (and more broadly activists have been jailed) while investigating illegal logging tied to land concessions and corruption (AP News). When activists cannot raise alarms without fear of reprisal - illegal deforestation, mining and fossil‑fuel exploitation proceed unchecked. It is the erosion is both of justice and of ecosystems.

Cronyism in Climate Governance

When institutions meant to protect the environment are staffed by cronies, political allies or inexperienced appointees due to patronage (not on merit but allegiance), rather than by qualified independent professionals, decisions favour private gain over public good. The “Corruption and integrity risks in climate solutions” report describes how the abuse of process - including failure to obtain free, prior and informed consent of affected communities - undermines project legitimacy (LSE). In many countries this means environmental agencies cannot be trusted to enforce or design effective climate policies, and the structure of protection either never gets of the ground or crumbles from within.

Corruption Blocks Climate Justice

As we know corruption disproportionately harms the most vulnerable in society - it's the same in the realms of climate injustice. When funds are diverted, policies circumvented, and voices are suppressed, it is poorer nations, Indigenous groups and marginalised communities that pay the price, even though they often contributed least to global emissions. A blog by WWF emphasises how corruption linked to climate finance affects the rights and participation of Indigenous peoples and frontline communities (World Wildlife Fund). When climate justice fails, the burden of climate change falls unevenly, trust in institutions erodes, and the willingness for collective action weakens - it's like you're banging your head against a rotten brick wall.

The End is Nigh

To reiterate, it is important to note that while corruption can exacerbate environmental problems, climate change is a complex global issue influenced by multiple factors, including greenhouse gas emissions, land-use changes, and socio-economic factors. We maintain corruption is the worst, but know that addressing corruption is just one aspect of the broader efforts required to tackle climate change effectively.

These are largely known issues, and are reported on and outed by the press but when you put them all together you can see the scale of the forces involved in hindering climate projects and justice. It is a real true fact that corruption is a cause of climate change (amongst its many other victims). These climate projects are often created and/or controlled by governments and large organisations, those with power that is easily abused without checks and balances in place. While tackling these issues one must remember to take note of the root causes and address them appropriately - the battles continue in an increasingly sweaty arena.

Thanks for reading.

Yours Causally,

Alvin

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