by Klaus Döring
While Mother Earth is dying slowly but surely, the powers are really facing more and more big problems to win the climate deal. No international unification or unity and no agreement seem to be possible. The saying “Unity is strength” remains as an empty air-bubble.
Russia said a couple of days ago, it would reject any new climate change agreement that imposes restrictions on Moscow and yet does not bind other big polluters, illustrating the difficulties faced in putting parts together. That’s understandable…
China’s senior diplomat to the United Nations said last week in an interview that ‘enormous problems’ remain in the way of an agreement on global climate deal in Copenhagen, Denmark in December while a US official referred to the “difficult nature of the talks”. The difficult nature of the talks seems to be and has been the main reason, if you ask my opinion.
The merciless and blunt “Black Peter Pushing” makes me really sad. That’s why, I am really not very optimistic for the future. The drive to agree on a new deal in Copenhagen by the end of this year is already considered under threat by some nations, with world leaders seeking to revive the bogged-down negotiations at a UN summit in New York on September 22.
Of course, time is too short (and I still wouldn’t say, it’s too late!), and the negotiations have often foundered as a result of the division between the developed and developing countries, as Todd Stern, President Barack Obama’s special envoy for climate change voiced out. But that’s not new. Many years have been frittered away to look for mutual consensus and action as well as behaviour, when it comes to environment protection.
One of many examples: Russian Prime Minister Putin is right, when he says: “We ratified the Kyoto protocol even though some colleagues tried to persuade us it was harmful to Russia’s economy. Other countries did not approve it and they are the greatest polluters — like the United States!”
Indeed, the difficulty is how to translate this enormous political will and unprecedented public awareness about the urgency of addressing climate changes into practical policies. Of course, the so-called developed countries do have responsibilities towards developing countries in terms of finance and technology transfer. But should developing countries really and exclusively depend on this?
I think, politicians world wide are still focusing more on long-term climate threat and not on economic downturns. We badly need immediate actions.
Comments, suggestions or questions? Feel free to email me at doringklaus@gmail.com.
