Monday, December 21, 2009

Post COP

Well, it was a depressing end to the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, but why?

The government representatives who were present failed to put global warming ahead of economic growth. But why?

Just to put this out there, government are self serving entities, who seek to prevail in positions of power. i.e. in the democratised world they seek the favour of the masses. So is it everyone in the leading countries that failed. I think I was guilty in having faith that they would step above their selfish positions and act against the masses to commit to large scale economic changes. In essence this faith was very unfounded, there should have more placards, more membership commitments to friends of the earth or the WWF. There should have been more pressure to make large governments act.

So what next, politics from above have failed, it's time to use other mechanisms to achieve goals. One important group that has formed are the COP 40, a group of international cities, including London, Hong Kong, Adis Abbaba... who are fighting from a much more in tune grass routes level. Their vested interests stemmed from slowing sea level rise to prevent mass flooding of their business districts to learning and educating less developed cities. It is at this level that new mechanisms of department integration are occurring, transport planners speaking to waste departments to develop holistic frameworks to act at local specific levels. This has to be the answer, telling higher politics what is happening, such as London's former mayor did, developing far thinking practical strategies to limit GHG emissions. And of course passing on information for no gain other than to enable humankind as we know it to survive.

So I guess it is up to everyone now, no more eco arrogance, just education and action. Been an activist doesn't mean putting bricks through Porsche windscreens, the people are rich enough to buy a new windscreen and waste even more carbon. It is time for pragmatic universal action to enact real change. In the hope that governments will see the will of populations and fight in Mexico City next winter. Time is running out, carbon emissions must peak before 2017, to prevent the +2oC rise and associated serious affects of fucking with the globe. And this is the minimum we need to do. So it is time to stop thinking that is only one more holiday, one degree lower on the air con, one more break horse power. Time and the people in charge are no longer with us, it is time for us and only us to act. Lets no longer trust those above, and trust our selves after all we are the ones who will eventually have to change lifestyles if governments get together and pass laws, pre-empt and inspire I say.

There is hope, but not for two many more years.

1 comment:

  1. I agree with every word in this post. Not only was it beautifully written, but it was awe-inspiring as well.

    Good for you for writing it, and I know it will envoke change in whomever reads it.

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