By Anshuman Gandhi:
It’s the same old story. The developed countries want the developing countries to curb their C02 emissions. The developing countries want the developed countries to pay up for this to happen. The developed countries, even though are the one’s really responsible for most of the pollution, are not very happy with this situation.
The session was started with a prayer to the Moon Goddess. It is one of the Gods of the first nations or what the European plunderers and looters like to call the tribes of Inca’s and Aztecs.
Since this Summit was conducted in Mexico, the Mexican President made an interesting promise. He has promised that the use of light bulbs will be banned in Mexico. Only CFC lamps among other more energy efficient bulbs will be used now. UK has also taken actions on such lines. Real light bulbs are banned in UK now and mercury filled alternatives will be used now. They are more energy efficient. However if a bulb is smashed, the owner will need to call a pretty expensive specialist team to clean the mess.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has declared that India’s interests have been safe guarded. He was very excited at pointing out the various paragraphs added in the agreement drafted by his ministry. Also there were a few clauses which were dropped on the insistence of Indian delegates. These clauses have and will receive a lot of attention.
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is not that happy. According to them, India has not got an incredible deal as told by the Environment Minster. There are no emission targets, no target for peaking year or emission reduction. Nothing substantial has been achieved at all.
Equitable access to carbon space has not been achieved. A vague language of sustainable development has been inserted instead. This will compromise India’s right to development.
A total spending of $1.2 trillion is expected by the developing nations from the developed ones. There are also demands for transfer of latest green technologies to developing nations through various agreements. There are plenty of demands from both sides. Also the demands by the underdeveloped nations are worth the consideration.
Also, there is a complete lack of knowledge when it comes to actual effects on the global warming scenario when all this money is invested and spent. Most of the current numbers out there are based on assumptions. There is no plausible information which can prove anything.
Also, there is a lack of domestic support for Governments of countries which are actually interested in signing the legally binding emissions reducing treaties. India and China for one have a policy in which they will not be signing any such legally binding documents.
No country is interested in investing their precious cash for projects which will give returns after decades, especially when many countries are still recovering from the downturn and most economies are not as financially stable as they used to be. And if we believe that these summits will bring a positive change in the world, then as Arthur Wellesley has said “Sir, if you will believe that, you will believe anything”.
Media in all developed countries will showcase and point out how their respective delegates saved the day. How the world is safe again. And we have finally managed to take another meaningful sustainable step towards reducing and removing the risk of global warming.
Image courtesy: UN Climate Talks