Zero-Carbon Future and the Rise of Terrorism and Organized Crime: The Transition into a Zero-Carbon Future Increases Risks Stemming from Organized Crime Groups and Terrorist Groups

The world is transitioning into a zero-carbon future. This shift needs to happen at a historically unprecedented paste. Governments are pushing for this transition by providing tax breaks, and companies are buying carbon credits to mitigate their emissions. The pace by which this is happening means that neither the international governance systems nor the corporate procurement standards are in place to mitigate the threat posed by organized crime groups or terrorist networks to take advantage of the system vulnerabilities. The risk is not only that we may see terrorist networks funded by governments or companies, but that these scandals may create a substantial public backlash against climate change mitigation, risking hampering international political efforts.