Systemic failures enable cybercrime and carbon removal shortfalls: How financial deregulation and tech hubris fuel global crises

Indigenous and traditional knowledge systems emphasize relational accountability in both financial and ecological systems, contrasting with the transactional logic of cybercrime and carbon markets. Many Indigenous communities reject carbon offset schemes as a continuation of colonial land grabs, advocating instead for land-back movements and regenerative practices that predate industrial capitalism. Their perspectives highlight the need for decolonial approaches to both cybersecurity and climate mitigation, where consent and reciprocity are central.

The current cybercrime wave mirrors historical patterns of financial deregulation, such as the 1990s repeal of Glass-Steagall, which enabled speculative bubbles and fraud. Carbon removal shortfalls echo the failures of past geoengineering schemes, like the 1970s 'Project Independence' in the U.S., which prioritized technological quick fixes over systemic change. Both crises reveal a recurring pattern where elites externalize risks to marginalized groups while profiting from instability.

In West Africa, cybercrime is often framed as a form of 'digital resistance' against neocolonial financial systems, with scammers targeting institutions that have historically exploited the region. In Southeast Asia, carbon removal is viewed through the lens of 'climate reparations,' where former colonial powers are held accountable for historical emissions. These perspectives challenge the Western-centric narrative of 'technological progress' by centering local agency and historical justice.

Cybercrime thrives due to systemic vulnerabilities in banking APIs and KYC/AML protocols, as documented by cybersecurity researchers like Bruce Schneier. Carbon removal failures stem from overreliance on unproven Direct Air Capture (DAC) technologies and the lack of standardized monitoring, as highlighted by the IPCC’s 2023 report. Both issues require interdisciplinary solutions combining computer science, economics, and ecology to address root causes.

Artists like Trevor Paglen have exposed the hidden infrastructures of surveillance capitalism, revealing how cybercrime and carbon markets are part of a larger 'extractive gaze.' Spiritual traditions, such as Indigenous animism, frame both cybercrime and ecological collapse as violations of sacred reciprocity, urging a return to relational ethics. Creative resistance, from hacktivism to land art, offers alternative visions of security and sustainability rooted in communal care.

Scenario modeling by the RAND Corporation suggests that without regulatory overhaul, cybercrime losses could exceed $10 trillion annually by 2030, while carbon removal shortfalls may lock in 2°C+ warming. Alternative futures include decentralized finance (DeFi) with built-in accountability mechanisms and community-led carbon removal projects that prioritize ecological integrity over profit. These models highlight the need for anticipatory governance to prevent cascading systemic failures.

Marginalized communities, including Indigenous peoples, Black and Brown migrants, and low-income workers, are disproportionately targeted by cybercrime and excluded from carbon removal benefits. Survivors of financial scams and climate disasters often lack access to legal recourse due to structural barriers in both banking and policy systems. Their lived experiences reveal how systemic risks are distributed along lines of race, class, and geography, demanding intersectional solutions.