Turbulence Episode 12: Ecology of Empire w/ Abby Martin
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Feb 3, 2026 
Abby Martin, investigative journalist and filmmaker behind Empire Files, explores how U.S. militarism drives vast environmental destruction. She discusses hidden military pollution, corporate greenwashing, Arctic resource wars, Gaza’s ecological devastation, and strategies for anti-imperial organizing. The conversation jumps between toxic legacies and political responses in short, pointed exchanges.
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Military Led Geoengineering Over Emissions Cuts
- The military and tech sectors are steering climate responses toward geoengineering rather than emissions cuts.
- Abby Martin highlights startups like Stardust Solutions and military backing for solar radiation modification as a privatized, militarized fix.
Neoliberal Climate Politics Depoliticized Emissions Responsibility
- Climate leadership became depoliticized under neoliberalism, turning the issue into market-friendly solutions that avoid confronting fossil-fuel capitalism.
- Martin argues Al Gore's era framed climate as technical/environmental but removed anti-imperial and anti-capital critiques.
Arctic Framing As A Playbook For Extraction
- The Arctic is framed by US planners as a new arena for resource extraction and strategic dominance as it melts.
- Abby Martin cites Arctic dominance documents where military leaders openly invite corporations to 'experiment' there.
