UN Climate Talks

"Within the next two hours, the compromise that was the Copenhagen accord was born...Obama announced the result to a group of journalists before boarding Air Force One, pleading snow as the reason for leaving early...he left chaos in his slipstream. Many developing countries reacted with fury to what they saw as a deal imposed on them by the most powerful...developed countries insist that the accord, while imperfect, is nevertheless a significant step...the real problem with the accord, however, is that it has not been formally accepted by the Copenhagen conference, which means it can be easily sidelined...that leaves the UN with a further six months of tough & possibly hopeless negotiations to win acceptance, to be followed by the nearly impossible task of turning any such acceptance into a treaty. It also leaves the world without a global framework to tackle climate change."

~Excerpts from "A Foundering Forum In Copenhagen", by Fiona Harvey, Ed Crooks & Andrew Ward (Financial Daily, 22 December 2009)~

Even before the conference began, everyone had given up on the idea that a legally-binding treaty could be established in Copenhagen. However, there were signs that something could still salvaged out of this conference; that, at the very least, a declaration could be reached on key issues such as emissions curbs and financing. During the time leading up to the talks, various countries were making bold plans to cut emissions. But after days of big hoo-haa in the Danish capital, the accord that was cooked up has fallen short.

The larger powerful economies were seeking to minimise their commitment, for fear of the negative impact it would have on their, well, large and powerful economies. Smaller developing nations, obviously driven by the fear that climate change is drowning their countries, questioned procedures and perhaps pushed too hard on certain issues. Can't really blame them...as one negotiator at the talks said, "it's hard to argue with people whose homeland is going to disappear".

The way I see it, unless nations are willing to put aside their self-interest and start cooperating with each other, the world will continue to 'boil'. It's a tall order, no doubt, for many of these countries, but with earth heading towards the red zone, the stakes are too high to ignore. Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good of mankind and the earth.

Larry works in KL Sentral. It would be so much more convenient and comfortable for him to drive to work, but he chooses instead to jam-pack himself into the LRT train in order to reduce his carbon footprint. Larry's willing to sacrifice and do his bit. Will we? Can this be replicated on a global scale?

"The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." ~ Romans 8:19-21 (NIV)