actual, abnormal, non-cyclical climate change

List of Weather Records Record extreme temperature differences

Various current records have been standing since 1943, 1972, 1911, 1885, 1892 and 2020. When we measure so many things, we should not be surprised to observe new extremes, like the record 11-year hurricane drought.

Today's record levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide aren't random variation, though. I think it's fair to look at commercial activity.

Here are the top ten "Carbon Majors" and the percent contributions to cumulative emissions from 1988 to 2015.

  14.3% China (Coal) 
   4.5% Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Aramco)
   3.9% Gazprom OAO
   2.3% National Iranian Oil Co 
   2.0% ExxonMobil Corp 
   1.9% Coal India 
   1.9% Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) 
   1.9% Russia (Coal) 
   1.7% Royal Dutch Shell PLC 
   1.6% China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) 

Source PDF: CDP Carbon Majors Report 2017

If you have ever bought products manufactured in China, or purchased gasoline, you do have some responsibility for carbon emissions. ExxonMobil doesn't profit by releasing carbon dioxide, they profit by selling you gas. The report distinguishes "Scope 1" direct operational emissions and "Scope 3" emissions from the use of sold products:

Scope 3 emissions account for 90% of total company emissions and result from the downstream combustion of coal, oil, and gas for energy purposes.

But of course Scope 1 wouldn't exist if we were not buying the products. The best explanation for corporate behavior is customer demand.

WanderingEng suggests voting; I was going to say that a single individual voting to mitigate carbon emissions is in fact meaningless. I think it's likely, in fact nearly certain, that after an election you can look back and conclude that your vote did not change the outcome. "Civic duty" and "making my voice heard" and "being part of something bigger than myself" are valid considerations, but my goal in voting would be to get the best candidate in office, and it seems clear that my vote won't in fact make that happen. I also don't have a reliable way to know which candidate will actually perform best, since campaign promises are often abandoned.

On the other hand, your purchasing behavior does make a difference. You are a miniscule amount of ExxonMobil's total demand, but you control 100% of the demand that you are responsible for. Any time you walk instead of drive, you are reducing your contribution, and every step counts, every decision moves the needle. You don't have to be perfect, either. If you are concerned about animal welfare and reduce your consumption of animal products by half, which is pretty easy, you create half as much benefit as eliminating all use of animal products, which is very difficult. Be the change!

TL/DR: If you're going to abdicate personal responsibility, skip voting, and no one will notice. Your behavior as a customer counts, and small choices over a lifetime add up to a significant part of your total personal contribution, which is all you should be held responsible for anyway.