All for the cause of saving the earth

• Source: Global Times
• [01:04 December 07 2009]
• Comments

When the Copenhagen conference convenes today, some 140 private jets and 1,200 limousines will reportedly crowd into the north European city. Most of those who come by these are from the West.

The goal of the summit is the noble one of saving the earth. How much carbon footprint would this climate change summit leave behind? Few seem to really care.

Like every summit on a global issue, there have been protests and rallies galore in Europe; demonstrators in layers of warm clothes holding high banners urging countries to come up with concrete commitments. Do the demonstrators have a thought for those with little to eat or cover themselves?

It is said that the Copenhagen summit, the most important global event of 2009, may end up with a 2,000-page document setting emission targets for all countries in the next stage.

How far will the result go? Few have a clue.

With all agog in conference centers, meeting halls and boardrooms, there may be little thought given to the fact that hunger is still haunting over one billion in the poorer countries.

Few seem to notice, or care to notice, that the objective of environmental protection has drifted far from its basic purpose – of ensuring that people everywhere have a better life on a sustainable basis.

The effect of climate change, man-made and otherwise, is evident from the melting glaciers in South America to the worsening drought in the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau.

The brunt of global warming, unfortunately, is borne by the poorer regions, even before the people in these parts have had a chance to taste the fruits of development. In the global manufacturing chain, this situation compounds the oppression of the people in poorer countries who are toiling to produce goods for export to rich countries.

China is conveniently being blamed as one of the largest greenhouse emitters in the world, when some 30 million of its citizens are struggling below the poverty line.

Few in the developed world pause to reflect out how much of China's emission is for churning out textiles, equipment, machinery and goods wanted in the advanced industrial countries.

Talking eloquently about saving the planet is all very well. Paying the price for it is another matter.

US President Barack Obama's coming to Copenhagen itself is being hailed as praiseworthy, despite the cap-and-trade bill being stuck in the US Senate. Recently, Australia's senate shot down an emission-trading plan.

Everyone desires a better life. It is natural.

When it comes to saving our earth, should the poor cut their meager emission? Or should the rich be less wasteful? The answer would appear to be obvious.