Perspective from the Middle East: Poor people can’t drink oil, can they?

Posted on 06. Nov, 2009 by adoptanegotiator in Uncategorized

On the Adopt a Negotiator website, we’ll be the first to admit that we’ve got some significant wholes in geographic coverage. In the lead up to Copenhagen, we’ll try to fill those gaps by bringing outside perspectives in the lead up to Copenhagen. Here’s a perspective from Manal Kahi from Lebanon, who was at the Barcelona Climate Talks working for IndyAct.

Some of you might think that Lebanon is a country of sand dunes and camels. Many will actually show surprise and astonishment at the idea of it snowing on the mountaintops there. Others, from Lebanon this time (or from the region around it), would be equally surprised at the idea that this snow, in the near future, might not even be there anymore!

I am one of those who have been aware of this issue for a while, and thus ended up joining IndyACT and participating in the climate meetings where the possibility of still avoiding such impacts is being negotiated. Considering the pace at which these negotiations are going, and the level of engagement of those supposed to be defending my region’s perspectives, I also ended up feeling increasingly awfully worried.

For those who haven’t figured out yet where Lebanon stands on the map, the Middle East, or the Arab World, might be good hints. And for those who didn’t know that this particular region is projected to be highly impacted by climate change, it might be staggering to understand that the mere disappearance of snow cover off Lebanese mountains is not the worst to expect. Water scarcity, desertification, sea water level rise, conflicts… are all issues to be deeply concerned about.

Knowing that, I sure hope you do share my concern for the fact that the region remains not only under-represented in the UNFCCC debate, but also often misrepresented. Indeed, positions coming out of the region remain largely controlled by one particular party. And that’s exactly where oil comes in.

Oil production and consumption is responsible for the majority of CO2 emissions worldwide, and thus any real solution to climate change will depend on reducing the planet’s addiction to oil and its derivatives. And why does this matter for the region? Well, clearly, because some countries within that region see that protecting oil is more important to them than saving the planet, and the poorest and most vulnerable living on this planet, from catastrophic climate change.

Saudi Arabia is known to have been leading this mission, and playing what is known as an “obstructionist role” in the negotiations for far too long now. Delaying and weakening the outcome of the agreement is the only way for them to eliminate what they consider to be a threat to oil trade. But in doing so, the Saudis are also undermining developing countries’ interests, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable among them.

That is exactly why NGOs in 18 developing countries1 took peaceful protests yesterday in front of their Saudi embassies. Their message was clear: “Poor people can’t drink oil. Stop harming poor countries.” Following on that, a group of youth present in the Barcelona climate talks delivered the message to the right recipient. A letter enclosed with pictures from the 18 actions in the 18 different countries was handed to the Saudi head of delegation upon his arrival to the UNFCCC venue this morning (picture below).

Reaching an agreement in Copenhagen this December strongly depends on the good will Saudi Arabia will be putting in the process from now on. And reaching a fair, ambitious and binding international deal is in the greatest interest of all, including Saudi Arabia. For poor people, and as a matter of fact, all people, can’t drink oil…

For more information, pictures, and updates, check out the following blog and website:

http://www.indyact.blogspot.com/

http://cantdrinkoil.org/

Manal Kahi

IndyACT

Tags: barcelona, Indyact, Lebanon, Manal Kahi, middle east, oil, Saudi Arabia