Copenhagen: duty or self interest?
Copenhagen: duty or self interest?
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| show details Dec 6 (5 days ago) |
Dear Editor,
Last Friday I attended a concert put on by five and six year old children from up to eight or more different ethnic backgrounds. One being my grand-daughter. I was indeed moved by the enthusiasm, friendships, cooperation fostered in these tiny people by the hard working teachers. These children have been prepared and will enter the big schools in the new year. Thus the educational pathway to become responsible citizens of the world has begun.
Yet, thinking about these beautiful children and looking at their pictures (attached) I am concern for the future world that will be passed on to them by the now generation of world leaders. I am prompted to think about the gathering of all the world leaders who will decide what kind of world will they pass on to our grandchildren and their children?
I share with your readers my thinking; that the moment of truth about global politics is about to be played out in Copenhagen over the next two weeks. Will the world's politicians unite based on a duty to save the earth from global warming, or will they be subdued by self interest and pressure from their respective State domestic politics?
There is already mounting pressure at Copenhagen by representatives of the world's civil society incorporating the world's best climate scientists, environmentalists, global climate justice organizations, community of faith groups from many churches, synagogues, temples, and many many non-government organizations and individual climate activists.
These activists and their visible and sounding messages will no doubt be very reassuring to those governmental delegations wanting a real deal on climate change; a real deal that will reduce global carbon-dioxide emissions from the current unsafe level of 387 parts per million in the atmosphere to 350ppm (recommended safe level for survival). A real deal that will slow down global warming and its threat to peoples livelihood including those of Samoa's island neighbors - Tuvalu, Kiribati already making plans for relocation.
On the other hand, the pressure from civil society may not matter very much to the big player governments whose priorities lie elsewhere. Look at the countries committing at this very time thousands and more soldiers to the war in Afghanistan? It is documented that for one year for one soldier in Afghanistan,the costs is one million dollars (US taxpayers money). What does a real deal at the United Nations Climate Summit mean for the big power governments whose priorities are expensive wars and modern weapons to protect their polluting oil and coal based industries?
Will the outcome of Copenhagen one of duty to a livable planet one that our grandchildren and their children will embrace? or Will the outcome be based on self interest short term political needs?
My prayers is for our leaders at the United Nations Summit to remember their grandchildren and their children.
Ia manuia lava Samoa
Ma lo'u fa'aaloalo
Meripa Weir
Keen Samoan Watcher from abroad.
Last Friday I attended a concert put on by five and six year old children from up to eight or more different ethnic backgrounds. One being my grand-daughter. I was indeed moved by the enthusiasm, friendships, cooperation fostered in these tiny people by the hard working teachers. These children have been prepared and will enter the big schools in the new year. Thus the educational pathway to become responsible citizens of the world has begun.
Yet, thinking about these beautiful children and looking at their pictures (attached) I am concern for the future world that will be passed on to them by the now generation of world leaders. I am prompted to think about the gathering of all the world leaders who will decide what kind of world will they pass on to our grandchildren and their children?
I share with your readers my thinking; that the moment of truth about global politics is about to be played out in Copenhagen over the next two weeks. Will the world's politicians unite based on a duty to save the earth from global warming, or will they be subdued by self interest and pressure from their respective State domestic politics?
There is already mounting pressure at Copenhagen by representatives of the world's civil society incorporating the world's best climate scientists, environmentalists, global climate justice organizations, community of faith groups from many churches, synagogues, temples, and many many non-government organizations and individual climate activists.
These activists and their visible and sounding messages will no doubt be very reassuring to those governmental delegations wanting a real deal on climate change; a real deal that will reduce global carbon-dioxide emissions from the current unsafe level of 387 parts per million in the atmosphere to 350ppm (recommended safe level for survival). A real deal that will slow down global warming and its threat to peoples livelihood including those of Samoa's island neighbors - Tuvalu, Kiribati already making plans for relocation.
On the other hand, the pressure from civil society may not matter very much to the big player governments whose priorities lie elsewhere. Look at the countries committing at this very time thousands and more soldiers to the war in Afghanistan? It is documented that for one year for one soldier in Afghanistan,the costs is one million dollars (US taxpayers money). What does a real deal at the United Nations Climate Summit mean for the big power governments whose priorities are expensive wars and modern weapons to protect their polluting oil and coal based industries?
Will the outcome of Copenhagen one of duty to a livable planet one that our grandchildren and their children will embrace? or Will the outcome be based on self interest short term political needs?
My prayers is for our leaders at the United Nations Summit to remember their grandchildren and their children.
Ia manuia lava Samoa
Ma lo'u fa'aaloalo
Meripa Weir
Keen Samoan Watcher from abroad.
posted by Meripa Weir at 3:59 PM
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