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One of the most central
challenges of our time is the need to find the balance between global
socio-economic processes and their effect on local communities. In this
blurry situation, governments, private sector and NGOs alike take
efforts in contributing to the sustainable development of local
communities by using experience and methods already tried worldwide.
Understanding the importance and the need of interdisciplinary and open
thought is crucial in order to offer the best solution to complex
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| David Martin Abrahams |
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The climate summit in Copenhagen in December
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By David Martin Abrahams
Oct 12, 2009
It is no secret that environmental policies are much easier to implement within each country (in the domestic framework that on the international level. this situation is dangerous to all mankind, because climate problems (global warming, pollution etc.) ignore borders or political disputes. Several reasons cause this anomaly:
- The consistent objection of the US to the Kyoto Protocol ever since its formal inception in 1997. The US has never ratified the Protocol since it rejected the possibility of external intervention in its internal environmental policy.
- The lack of political power of the environment ministers in many governments. In many political systems, environment ministry is still conceived as second best option.
- The relatively low awareness to climate problems among prime ministers. Indeed, local green politics in many western countries play a leading role; nevertheless, prime ministers and their team naturally focus on the "big" issues of foreign affairs, national security, economy etc.
Hopefully, this is about to change in December.
The UN Secretary, Ban Ki-Moon, has initiated a climate change summit to be held in Copenhagen. His plan is to formulate a new agreed-upon worldwide agreement that will be based on the Tokyo Protocol.
A series of pledges made in the last few weeks by prominent countries has hinted towards their will to pick up the gauntlet. Thus, China declared its plan to cut carbon emissions substantially, while Japan announced new targets for cutting emissions and offered financial aid to weak countries to develop green technology. Even the US did not reject Ban Ki-Moon's initiative, and acknowledged its responsibility for current pollution in the world.
The most important step, in my opinion, was the British PM Gordon Brown's declaration that he might visit the climate summit himself, not leaving it to the relevant minister. I think it is crucial that the climate question (as part of the broader environment issue) will get its fair share of exposure, so that other heads of state will interested enough to attend Copenhagen.
"Global warming" is not an abstract expression; it encompasses critical issues such as the rise of average world temperature by 2 degree Celsius degrees, thus causing icebergs to melt. It also means the continuation of the greenhouse gas effect.
However, as long as political systems will not treat possible environmental hazards as an immediate threat to their countries, they will not act; therefore, I believe Mr. Brown's pledge is doing the right thing at the right time.
In the long run, I believe that international environmental policies will also benefit politicians in their domestic political systems. Therefore, Mr. Brown's position as a spearhead in this field should – and will – help him in the forthcoming elections in 2010.
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