Entries Tagged 'Developing Nations' ↓

Some people opposed to an agreement on limiting greenhouse gas emissions claim that such an agreement is a thinly veiled attempt to impose a world government that takes away their “freedoms.” I don’t know how many people take these people or this argument seriously, but it does seem to be a theme among far-right-wingers. I also don’t know how many of these conspiracy addicts are sincere; this may simply be a position they retreat from when pressed, and that  serves mainly to conceal something socially unacceptable, like racism or the desire that the American empire continue unimpeded.

Polluters should not be allowed to pollute, because that harms us all and there is no way to compensate for non-financial harm. If someone steals from you and is forced to pay restitution, you have your money back. If someone pollutes the water upstream and your child dies of leukemia…. Worse, someone who dumps carcinogens into the water is unlikely to have a functioning conscience and will fight in every way possible to avoid paying even financial restitution, never mind being sent to prison. From burying you with a multi-million-dollar court battle to paying senators to change laws to make the immoral legal, they will not pay willingly. Continue reading →

Copenhagen has failed to produce a realistic plan to combat the climate crisis. Two degrees is too much; the current heating of 0.8C is already cooking the world, melting practically every glacier on the planet, causing deserts to spread and wildfires to be much more damaging, and ocean acidification is destroying the entire marine food web. Tens of millions will be driven from their land, their homes, and their livelihoods to become displaced climate refugees within the next forty years.

This is unacceptable. It is greed hiding behind diplomacy. It is mass murder.

If what is considered “politically feasible” is inadequate to meet the threat, then politics and politicians must change or be changed. The crooked and foolish lobbyists who sabotaged a realistic agreement must be held accountable: They must be tried for crimes against humanity immediately.

We are the Climate Justice League, and we are climate realists. We accept that we face a climate emergency and must respond appropriately. The agreement at Copenhagen leads us to climate disaster; billions will ultimately die. No more talk. The time has come to do what must be done, no matter the vested interests who will make a few millions less. We must go green or die. Continue reading →

Will these schemes enrich a connected few and leave the planet worse off? Like many other things about climate change, yes, no, and it’s complicated.

These things have to be very transparent, or there is enormous potential for gaming the system or fraud. Given that enormous potential, you can bet that certain groups have been exerting pressure since the idea of carbon credits and offsets was first floated seriously. And they ain’t pushing for openness and fairness.

This is what set the European Union cap-and-trade system back years; the polluters wangled for so many carbon credits to be issued that their value plummeted. They then ceased to be much of an incentive to stop dumping carbon into the atmosphere. Continue reading →

The government of Canada and many Canadians currently have a difference of opinion on climate change. Most of us think we should be doing our part and are embarrassed, even ashamed by the government of Canada’s obstruction at Copenhagen and elsewhere. That said, we’re clearly not sufficiently motivated to make our government do our bidding; we are, sadly, complacent.

And, unfortunately, not all Canadians are honourable; there are those who put profit and prestige before all else, and they oppose any changes to the status quo. They will fight, and have been fighting, dirty. These people have been funding climate denial – they have no problem with lying, with attacking scientist, and even blaming India. They operate from a Predator Morality, which has the foundational principle: Might Makes Right. They have fought to maintain their privileged, taxpayer-subsidised positions for years with lies and smear campaigns – they will not fight fair now.

We need to see millions of you in the streets – tens of millions – sending a personal message to Canadians of conscience, the types of Canadians who fought in WWII and who created the United Nations Peacekeeping Force to prevent such slaughter, such waste, ever again. You must be the medium and the message. You must make real to us where you stand on climate change, and why. The land you will lose. The millions displaced, bankrupted, bereft. Continue reading →