Bali....Bali-Who? The Climate Change Battle...
By Ray on December 14, 2007 - 12:38pm
Here in Vancouver, we've seen what Mother Nature can do when upset, but in far-off Bali the European Union and our American Cousins are in heated debate over climate change. For years, our American neighbours have vigorously avoided signing anything that might endanger their status-quo, their economy, and their extravagant ways. Many of us are wondering about all this, and solid conclusions aren't easy to come by, because it seems everyone has their own axe to grind. And their own opinions, regardless of the facts. Here's how I figure it, but of course, I'm hoping that I'm wrong...Enjoy your weekend, everyone.
Saturday, December 15:- For the latest on the continuing charades in Bali, and our dubious representation there, please check this link.
Hey Ray... the Yanks did in the llth hour agree to the Bali proposal but only after the agreement was almost completely stripped of any reference to numbers leaving an ambiguous starting point on any future climate change discussions... Nous Canadiens did not do much better.
"Oh Canada" sided with the U.S. and Japan in a small group of wealthy non-European countries successfully removing references to emissions targets for developed countries by 2020!!
A handful of countries also took aim at Canada's final position when Environment Minister John Baird agreed to leave the original target in the final text - even though Johnny says Canada can never meet it.
Thus decreeing our Federal Environmental Portfolio as either perfunctory, hypocritical or fraudulent.
I read the news today oh, boy
Four thousand holes in BALI, Indonesia
And though the holes were rather small
They had to count them all
Now we know how many holes it takes to lose face in the Kyoto Accord
John Baird would love to turn you off.
Letting the big guys set their own voluntary limits is just like expecting an impressionable, peer-pressured, affection-starved teenage tobacco store employee to
voluntarily quit smoking... There'd be four inches of ice on Hell first!
The big, rich, powerful nations - just because they have the firepower - have no right
to decide to allow the planet to self-destruct just because procrastination is much more profitable than collective action & sacrifice. This isn't like we're trying to decide on the next batch of optional accessories for next year's crop of gas-guzzling SUVs - this is something the human race has never before had to seriously contemplate - the inevitable extinction of ourselves unless we can find the will and the means to take some positive remedial action before it's too late. The key words being "before it's too late". And the name of this game, (forgive the digression) is:- "Let's all Fiddle while Rome burns, because by then, we'll all be dead anyway, and who gives a shit about those mythical 'future generations' anyway?" - THAT'S the name of that game, Folks. Just in case you thought big governments and big special interests actually care about their support base amongst us unwashed masses of second-class citizens here. (There! I feel better now, even though I know it won't help :) )
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