Self-Knowledge as Climate Accountability

Sor Juana's introspective philosophy emphasized knowing oneself honestly—including one's contradictions and limitations. Applied to climate justice, this means individuals, institutions, and nations must rigorously examine their ecological footprints and contributions to planetary harm. Wealthy nations and corporations cannot claim environmental concern while denying their disproportionate carbon emissions and resource extraction from Global South communities. Self-knowledge requires acknowledging how our consumption, investments, and policies perpetuate climate injustice. This isn't performative guilt but honest assessment enabling real change. Sor Juana refused false piety; similarly, climate accountability demands transparency about supply chains, emissions, and systemic dependencies on fossil fuels. When governments and individuals truly know themselves—their power, privileges, and responsibilities—they move beyond symbolic gestures toward substantive restructuring of economic systems that respect planetary boundaries and human rights globally.