The Curious Case of Climate Change
Can bicycle pedals light up Christmas tree? This is certainly happening in Copenhagen and if you desire to live in future tense, brace up more exciting surprises. The world leaders meet in Copenhagen not for tea party but to articulate a treaty that combats the adverse effects of Climate change. Copenhagen, the Danish capital in the Scandinavian zone a leading region in green energy is chosen to host the epic event. Environmentalists and scientists have provided us damning proof of how our planet is warming and how emissions will pollute the breath of the unborn. The campaign for salvation of the earth takes the center stage as global leaders thrash out policies negotiate deals and commitments.
The rising current sea levels, erosion of coastal areas, increasing global temperatures, melting ice of Antarctica, disappearing tuna and so on are the hazardous consequences of Climate change. The Kyoto treaty in Japan (predecessor to Copenhagen) has not been religiously pursued. America with Bush and its Congress refused to sanction the treaty making its toothless. The treaty expires in 2012 and that it excludes critical issues like deforestation makes Copenhagen treaty highly important.
The Climate change summit is a place of global intrigues as interests will interplay by the leading global emitters and developing countries. We are gradually inundated wih possibilities of light in the horizon. China has promised to half its emissions by 2020. India is set to cut his emissions by 24% and Obama in his lifeless cap and trade bill proposes 17% global emission cut by 2020. All these represent a beam of hope but are global leaders just babbling for the moment to receive the loudest applause. We all are witnesses of how financial aid is promised to Africa at G8 and how promises by the developed world are reneged.
China is the world largest emitter producing 40% of the world coal production to oil its engines. China had shown promises in Olympic green city and Dongtan (a potential green city). How will the World’s largest creditor play out it much needed role ? Will it provide much needed aid for ravaged developing countries rather than looking for minerals in despotic regimes? How will China see the climate change as a turf of the future where it needs be a shinning example to stand a chance of the next World superpower? Will we continue to hear bickering that Developed countries due to their dismal carbon past should bear the brunt by providing finance?
We all trust the Obama with a thought provoking speech at Copenhagen and we expect memorable quotes from its lines. He will sensualize our nerves to start acting now on global emission cuts. How far will he go with commitment that might not meet reality in America Congress? Guantanamo bay, Israel freezing of settlements, scary unemployment figures have shown that talk might really be cheap. Facing the realities, America is the world largest debtor and will it continue to fuel carbon emission cuts through its taxpayers fund that bailed out Wall Street bankers? Will America not cut its spending plans as its debt to China is almost a staggering $800bn? Will his reputation be tattered if he promises in Copenhagen and Congress throws the ratifications into dust bins? The European Union is speaking tough on why the world emitters need to do more to help developing countries. Do we expect to see a unified voice that also stands by its word? Brazil, India and Japan are also expected to make commitments but are we not rehearsing cliché?
The global financial crisis united the world on need to find a common framework to resolve the crisis. Trillions of dollars flowed out of government vaults to save the financial system from utter collapse. Will we also rally round and match actions with word? The problem does not lie in technology, markets or policies to churn out green technology. It lies in political will to understand that the hearts and mouths of global leaders mean the same. We know the world needs green computing, biotechnology, electric vehicles, carbon capture techniques and so on. These all represent a fraction of the possibilities that innovative minds cross-fertilized across the globe can birth. Masdar, a green city in the United Arab Emirate portrays what things will look like in the future.
Many believe Copenhagen might end up to be a talkshop where we all adorn photo portraits with gleaming smiles. It took Kyoto protocol five years to come to force with Americas the notorious dissent. Who will fail this time to agree to the Copenhagen treaty? Will just it be a place of understanding where we all agree on the problems and postpone the full details? Will the rich world give bogus cash to the developing countries? What will the supervisory structure like Nigeria who plunders its ecological fund? Will there be a newly agreed carbon credit scheme and carbon tax for countries?
Numerous questions ponder my heart for curious concern at the Copenhagen Climate Summit that starts in next few hours. The world needs action, not oratory, beautiful pix, gleaming smiles, half filled bottled water….Believe green,lets save the breath of the unborn

To know how you can be part of the Green Revolution for a post-carbon world join ‘green acts” group on facebook and get details on the Climate Change, its aftermath and how you can live in greenery.For more comments email oluseunonigbinde@yahoo.com