NeelAhujatracksthefigureoftheclimaterefugeeinpublicmediaandpolicyoverthepastdecade,arguingthatjournalists,securityexperts,politicians,andnongovernmentalorganizationshaveoftenoversimplifiedclimatechangeandobfuscatedtheprocessesthatdrivemassmigration.Tounderstandthesystemicreasonsfordisplacement,Ahujaargues,itisnecessarytoreframeclimatedisasterasinterlinkedwiththehistoryofcapitalismandtheglobalpoliticsofrace,whereinracistpresumptionsaboutagrarianunderdevelopmentandIndigenousknowledgemaskhowfinancial,development,migration,andclimateadaptationpoliciesreproducegrowinginequalities.DrawingontheworkofCedricRobinsonandtheoriesofracialcapitalism,Ahujaconsidershowtheoilindustrytransformedtheeconomicandgeopoliticalprocessesthatleadtodisplacement.FromSouthAsiatothePersianGulf,Europe,andNorthAmerica,AhujastudieshowAsiantrade,finance,andlaborconnectionshavechangedthenatureofrace,borders,warfare,andcapitalismsincethe1970s.Ultimately,Ahujaarguesthatonlybyreckoningwithhowclimatechangeemergesoutoflongerhistoriesofrace,colonialism,andcapitalismcanwebegintobuildasustainableandjustfutureforthosemostaffectedbyenvironmentalchange.
