This snippet from a World Development Movement blog entry from the UN Framework Conference on Climate Change in Bali got me worried – as it should you too. While we carry on our lives as usual, we remain blissfully unaware that the very survival of our planet is at stake.
”The science says that with an 80 per cent cut in carbon emissions — the absolute upper limit that is even being considered here by the politicians — we have a 50/50 chance of keeping the rise in average global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius beyond pre-industrial levels.”
”Think about that for a second. The absolute maximum effort many governments are prepared to make will give us a worse chance of success than if we were playing Russian roulette. That’s insane!”
The key issue we are not tackling is our consumerist, materialistic life-styles fuelled by policies that promote relentless economic growth. We have been indoctrinated into believing that our economies must grow ad infinitum – never mind if it threatens the survival of our planet.
We MUST change our life-styles and cut back on greed and consumerism, to lead simpler lives. And we must protect the environment and preserve our existing green spaces from so-called “development” projects that enrich the coffers of large corporations.
CLIMATE CHANGE: No Deal in Sight at Bali
Analysis by Anil NettoPENANG, Malaysia, Dec 10 (IPS) – As a major United Nations ‘framework convention’ on climate change (UNFCCC) crossed into its second half on Monday, the official view is one of optimism that progress has been made in laying the ”building blocks” for a future agreement.
But others say the discussions are hopelessly deadlocked and that proposals could fall far short of the drastic emission cuts required to curb global warming.
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Climate change is almost an insurmountable concept – too huge for many (even the highly educated ones) to even begin to comprehend let alone want to acknowledge. For those who have worked hard all there lives and now have the time and finance to give themselves ‘good life’ travelling many times a year – to tell them to stop – they just can’t take it. Instead they blame China and the developing countries, forgetting that many of the things they like wear and consume are cheap because they come from pollution belching factories in the developing countries. But its no… Read more »