Curious bystander sparks debate after sharing photo of mysterious vessel docked at local harbor: 'Money is clearly the least of his problems'

One perplexed bystander wanted to find out who owned a massive yacht taking up part of a South African harbor. 

The Yacht boasted three stories and had a helicopter pad on top of it. To find answers, they asked the r/Capetown Reddit community. 

Someone in the comments pointed out that the yacht belongs to Sheikh Suroor bin Mohammed al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family. 

Redditors were mostly concerned with the sheer amount of money needed for such a vessel.

It was not just the unequal wealth distribution that gave Redditors a disgruntled look at yachts. The environmental impact has been determined as "environmentally indefensible." 

"Owning a megayacht is the most polluting activity a single person can possibly engage in," Chris Armstrong wrote for The Guardian. "Even flying long-haul every day of the year, or air-conditioning a sprawling palace, would not get close to those emissions levels."

Indeed, as Oxfam International observed, superyachts and jets owned by the richest people in the world "emit more carbon pollution in a week than the world's poorest 1% emits in a lifetime."

It's estimated that these massive vessels can emit around 7,000 to 22,000 tonnes of planet-harming emissions annually. For reference, the average person globally emits around 4.5 tonnes per year, according to myclimate. 

Redditors also commented on the way the vessel owner acquired his wealth. 

"Oil barons," wrote one. "All [of] the money, none of the accountability."

Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely 👍 Only in some areas 🫤 Not really 👎 I'm not sure 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Oil extraction is responsible for significant climate damage, from water and soil contamination to deforestation, habitat destruction, and heat-trapping pollution.

Due to the oil industry's lucrative pay, one Redditor pointed out that "Money is clearly the least of his problems."

Among the solutions suggested to mitigate the environmental impacts from yachts is government regulation.

Oxfam recommends that governments "Introduce permanent income and wealth taxes on the top 1%, ban punitively tax carbon-intensive luxury consumption — starting with private jets and superyachts — and regulate corporations and investors to drastically and fairly reduce their emissions."

Another way for individuals to make a difference is by supporting brands and businesses that uplift sustainable ways of life.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.