Photo Credit: The National Guard, Wikipedia Commons

Back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton have devastated much of Appalachia and the South. In a statement following Hurricane Helene, the Labor Network for Sustainability called it “A Wake-up Call for Social Justice.” It said these tragedies of death and destruction “are not natural.”

Global warming and the climate crisis are making the rapid intensification of storms more deadly and more frequent. NBC reported two studies found that human-caused global warming made Hurricane Helene stronger and wetter – which contributed to how destructive and deadly it became. One of the studies concluded that climate change created 50% more rain over parts of Georgia and the Carolinas.

The statement pointed to major culprits in the climate crisis. It noted a study by the non-profit Oxfam revealing that 125 billionaires are responsible for more than twice the carbon emissions of the poorest half of humanity. And it cited a study released during Hurricane Helene which found that 21leading US private equity firms are responsible for 1.17 gigatons of climate-destroying greenhouse gas emissions —more than three times as much as from the energy used to power every home in the United States. 

The LNS statement concluded:

Union members in the ILA, IAM and APWU are fighting for a Just Recovery for all of us – and we must stand with them. Now more than ever we need to build a mass movement together in order to win a just recovery and just transition that serves the needs of people and our planet, not more profit for corporations and billionaires. 

To make donations toward relief efforts, please find a comprehensive list of resources here, including food drives, shelter, and FEMA applications. Donations can also be made to Southeast Climate Energy Network.