Chaos. Unpredictability. Violence. From Venezuela to Ukraine, Greenland, Iran, the continuing genocide in Gaza, and increasing militarisation worldwide, the barrage of devastating news can be overwhelming. From deadly Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) raids in Minnesota, to the sex trafficking of women and children revealed in the Jeffrey Epstein files, to AI-generated sexualised images distributed by Grok, the scale of human suffering is shocking.
In Ireland we are facing devastating floods, increased pressure to weaken neutrality, renewed attempts to push through new fossil fuel liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, and record numbers of sexual assault victims.
Are all these disturbing – seemingly unrelated – events distracting us away from the existential threats of the climate crisis? Or are they related, interlinked with climate? When we start connecting the dots one concept jumps out: petro-masculinity.
Petro-masculinity describes the emergence of political power derived from both gender domination and fossil fuel exploitation. Coined by environmental sociologist Cara Daggett, the concept explains how the climate crisis has propelled new authoritarian forces that promote fossil fuels and embrace a destructive combination of climate denial, racism and misogyny.
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Petro-masculinity is dangerous not only because it ignores escalating climate risks, but also because it denies possibilities for social justice, gender equity, regeneration, care and reciprocity.
The concept of petro-masculinity recognises the role of fossil fuels in upholding colonial, white, patriarchal rule. It acknowledges links between the structures perpetuating both fossil fuel extraction and gender-based violence. With petro-masculinity, fossil fuels are not just a source of profit, but also a source of strength, power and masculine identity.
The aggressive attempts by the US to control Venezuela – the country with the biggest proven oil reserves in the world – is petro-masculinity in action. Petro-masculinity explains why the current US regime has dismissed climate change as a “con job” and withdrawn from all international climate agreements.
Leaving fossil fuels in the ground (including Venezuelan oil) is fundamental to climate mitigation efforts. But phasing out fossil fuels would take away wealth and power from global elites (many of whom appear in the Epstein files). In a reinforcing loop, controlling oil and gas production requires militarisation and war, which then increases demand for fossil fuels.
[ Going fossil fuel-free at home: what will it cost and can it save you money?Opens in new window ]
The tech-bro billionaires play a big role in strengthening petro-masculinity. Their male-dominated AI industry, with its ever-expanding need for data centres, has created massive new demand for fossil fuels. AI and its insatiable quest for more energy has further normalised both climate denial and sexual abuse.
AI is now being used by the fossil fuel industry (to extract more oil) and by the military (to assist with genocide in Gaza). Despite all the AI hype, women remain more sceptical and use AI significantly less than men.
The global spread of petro-masculinity is increasing pressure in Ireland to import fossil fuels from the US, to build more data centres, to invest in militarisation, to weaken our collective commitment to peace and neutrality and to brace ourselves for even more devastating future floods and storms.
In this unpredictable world, one thing is certain: petro-masculinity will continue to destroy both people and the planet. Can we stop it?
One way forward is to mobilise feminist climate justice principles – to prioritise social justice, human rights and ecological health. Feminist climate justice is not just for or about women; everyone can embrace these principles focused on transformative systemic change toward climate stability by redistributing power and building regenerative economic structures based on equity, reciprocity and care.
Feminist climate justice calls for fossil fuel phase-out and strives to end the profit-seeking exploitation and oppression that is worsening inequities and injustices; it’s an antidote to a petro-masculinist world.
Feminist climate justice principles are courageously demonstrated by former president Mary Robinson who stands up to fossil fuel bully boys and confronts petro-masculinity with her direct, genuine, and principled approach.
She boldly challenged the UAE’s COP28 president on the urgent need to prioritise fossil fuel phase-out, she called out Trump’s newly established Board of Peace as a “delusion of power”, she has advocated to prevent fossil fuel investments flowing through financial firms in Ireland, and she empowers women worldwide to speak out on climate through Project Dandelion.
With people like Robinson and so many others, Ireland is uniquely positioned to counter petro-masculinity through our feminist climate justice leadership. To celebrate spring’s new beginnings, St Brigid’s Day honours the strength and diversity of feminist power challenging patriarchal societies. Building on our extensive all-island network of Feminist Communities for Climate Justice, Irish society needs to urgently and collectively invoke the power of Brigid to usher in a new beginning.
Jennie C Stephens is Professor of Climate Justice at Maynooth University and author of Diversifying Power: Why We Need Antiracist, Feminist Leadership on Climate and Energy
