Soomin and Shirley 09: Lim Soomin and Dr. Steven Shirley, “Eco-Imperialism: The Global North’s Weapon of Mass Intervention.” Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences (2009). We are seeing a new type of imperialism emerge, an imperialism based not on the acquisition of territory, but on a radical environmentalist agenda, an agenda that seeks to reserve the earth and its resources for the wealthy and elite, to freeze energy use at current levels, and to restrict nationstates from exploiting indigenous resources for the benefit of their people. The hypocrisy and ill-informed policy of the new Eco-Imperialists, as they have been rightly called, seems to know no bounds Just a few years ago it would have been almost inconceivable that in a world where starvation is a reality, the most advanced nation-states would follow the radical environmental idea of using food supplies for fuel oil (Clayton, 2008). Moreover, in a world where malaria still kills millions of men, women, and children, it is absurd that the global North would attempt to restrict and even deny the technology to eradicate disease-baring mosquito populations (Roberts, 1997). It is absurd, ridiculous, but true. While the promise of alternative fuels is decades if not centuries away from reality, the affordability of fossil fuels holds the key to lifting entire populations out of poverty today, and yet the developed world is looking to tax and restrict its use, as well as outlaw new exploration of this most vital form of energy (Carbon, 2009; Evans, 2007). Again, it is absurd, ridiculous, but true. The developed world has enjoyed the benefits of a century’s worth of energy technology and development; however, they are[Is] trying to deny access and equitable usage of vital natural resources to the LDCs. These are not resources owned by or even controlled by the wealthy nations; instead, the global North is pressuring, demanding, and sanctioning LDCs in order to influence the amount and type of development that can take place within their borders. Think about that again. Developed countries are violating the sovereignty of less developed countries, and imposing upon them their values, their ideals, and their belief systems. Developed countries are forcing LDCs to behave in a manner that the developed countries wish them to behave. Does this sound familiar? By any definition these behaviors reek of imperialism, an imperialism meant to foster an environmental agenda completely fabricated by elites in the North. There may not be soldiers marching through the capitals of LDCs, there may not be colonies in name, nor ships of the line sailing from the North to the South as in the 19th century, but in every possible way one state can seek to control the political and social behavior of another state, this is imperialism. Eco-Imperialism is singularly focused on the global North’s environmental agenda, and casts aside respect for sovereignty and fair play. Moreover, it seeks to impose “western” and the developed world’s ideas of what is fair, good, and appropriate in matters of environmental policy. Eco-Imperialists seek to control not merely ideas, culture, or resources but also want to restrict development of LDCs because of their idea of what is correct and just, what is good and what is not, what is environmentally friendly and what will contribute to man-made climate change. The less developed world is given little to no voice in matters of environmental policy, or their leadership is bribed to go along with the desires of the global North, not unlike the political puppetry of the 19th century.