Smatterings of Hope and Hopelessness
Posted on 07. Nov, 2009 by Philip Ireland in Australia
I am looking forward to sunlight. The constant fluorescent glow in the large halls of the Barcelona convention centre has all but switched off any remnants of my already damaged body clock.
It’s been a long week.
Avaaz action, Barcelona Climate Talks
The Hopelessness
There is increasing talk of no legally binding deal at Copenhagen.
A growing number of world leaders are now referring to a politically binding deal at Copenhagen instead. No one is quite sure what that really means….
The best I can discern is that it doesn’t really mean much, apart from the fact that leaders can go home and say “we secured a politically binding deal at Copenhagen”…beyond that?
Australia, oh Australia.
When I started writing this blog I was going to provide some encouragement on Australia’s position on this topic. Throughout the week, when I brought up the idea of a politically binding deal as opposed to a legally binding deal with the negotiating team, they reiterated that Australia is committed to seeking a legally binding treaty at Copenhagen and still believe it is possible. Unfortunately, this optimism was not reflected by the Government today.
It has been reported that Senator Wong and Mr Rudd no longer expect a legally binding treaty at Copenhagen. Instead, Senator Wong referred to an ”effective international political agreement in Copenhagen”.
Don’t be fooled by this language.
It is a direct attempt to downplay expectations for Copenhagen and is a shift from where the Government has been at for the past few months. In response changes like this at the negoatiations and the general lack of movement at Barcelona the Bangladesh delegation in the closing plenary stated:
“all our hopes have been dashed”
Hope?
To the defence of the delegation, Louise Hand, the Ambassador on Climate Change gave a very positive address at the closing plenary on behalf of the Umbrella Group. She stated: “we came here to make progress and are pleased we have done so….we will do all we can to achieve a good outcome a Copenhagen”. She did however also state “we face an enormous challenged” and argued that much more progress is needed.
It is difficult to discern the nuance that lies within these lines. Unfortunately, most of the negotiating sessions at the negotiations are closed so it is hard to get a full picture of Australia’s positive and/or negative contributions.
Reason in the madness: The Alliance Of Small Island States (AOSIS)
Before I came to these talks I did not have a real sense of the different groups and their positions. The AOSIS group has provided me with encouragement and hope throughout this week. In the final plenary this evening they responded to the progress of the talks. They stated:
“AOSIS registers deep concern that we should lower our expectations from a legal outcome… given the state of the science, no effort should be spared to avert the impending global disaster”
“AOSIS will not wait and gamble with the future of our nations… we implore all of you all to join AOSIS with their ambitions proposal [of keeping warming below 1.5 Degrees Celsius].
“Lets get on the work!… See you in Copenhagen where we will seal a legal, fair and ambitious deal on climate change”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. I am humbled and encouraged by the continued optimism and persistence of AOSIS.
Was it worth it I ask myself?
A good questions! Perhaps I will think about that on the plane and talk about it in my next blog : )
Its now 7am and I need to go get on a plane.
Tracking for you,
Phil
It’s so saddening to see softening of the language and lack of progress. Thanks Phil for telling it like it is. Let’s hope the leaders feel lots of public pressure at Copenhagen and do what needs to be done, not whats politically expedient and easy
I find it increasingly disturbing that world leaders who have the capacity to act for positive solutions to climate change so blatantly fixate on the short term and not the fates of their constituents who in the end suffer the consequences of their political decisions.
Given this pattern, it does feel like all hope for Copenhagen has turned into fantasy. Still, wouldn’t it be fantastic if Australia were one of the only developed countries to pledge a scientifically sufficient carbon emissions reduction scheme? Think of all of the advantages, political and economical that we would have as a country who did the right thing ahead of the others.
It’s one fantasy worth fighting for.
Shame, Australia, shame, that our leaders seem to be going along with the idea that while the prospect of thousands of lives worldwide are to be pushed over the poverty line, thousands consumed by starvation, thousands forced to be eco-refugees, is regrettable, the idea of a phantom 1% decrease in profits for coal mines, or a 1% increase in unemployment in industry is unthinkable.
When his duty is to face danger and he flees, it is cowardice.
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~
Knowing the science and not acting is cowardice. Softening the language and lowering the standards is cowardice. Our leaders must act - with fair, binding and ambitious targets, now, not in another year.