Ahead of Copenhagen: The world melts

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United Nations Climate Change Conference has been seen multiple times with Hollywood presidents and British Prime Minister stealing the show. But as of reality the new world is appeasing the orientals and the dark continent to come to a consensus in the actual one which is to take place this December 7th in Copenhagen. But ahead of the show the world has been melting in its own way for everyone is getting clues that climate change is a reality and none are to escape its devastating effects.

The United States is giving prime importance to the summit by persuading the developing nations to reduce their emissions which were unsympathetically rejected by the third world countries. Barack Obama himself has changed his appointments in order to attend the conference. Talks has been on months before with China, India and many others to handcuff their development vs. emission issues and it seems to have bore some fruits now. However doubts remain about the home affairs as the coal leader, West Virginia still lobbies against the emission cuts.

A week after the US President’s visit, China has declared to cut emissions by 30% a whooping amount considering their previous promises. This has pressurized other developing countries to follow order. China, however in reality would be unable to realize this dream considering their fast industrial development and lack of facilities now.

India has followed suit (after Mr. Singh’s visit to US) and declared to reduce emissions by 25%. There has been immense pressure on India from China. The most dramatic fact is that the chairman of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate is an Indian, Mr. Rajendra Pachauri a Nobel laureate. It now says that development and ecofriendship can go hand-in-hand. But counter-pressure has been mounting on the government which is the leader of Non-Aligned Movement to support other African, Asian and South American countries’ policies. Their statement is a question that still remains.

“Why did not the developed world worry about climate change years before during Kyoto or Johannesberg conferences? and why now when we are the development path? Why would not they show an example first and then preach?”

But since the country needs US and EU support in a variety of issues like nuclear programs, UN Security Council permanent seat and China, Pakistan incursion issues; it is of no doubt that India would follow US orders. And Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself promised to visit the conference unlike planned previously.

But the developing world has the worst nightmares with the islands and mountains sharing the brunt. Maldives conducted its cabinet meeting under the sea. The country fears sinking to the sea floor within 2 decades if the situation continues. The sea level rise has overshoot the expected levels and added to the fear.

The Himalayan countries of Nepal and Bhutan are in fear of the drying glaciers and melting ice-caps which are their sole revenue sources. The Nepal cabinet was innovative in conducting their meeting at the Everest base camp 17000 m above sea level.

The issue is a strike between the developed and developing, tropics and temperates, east and the west, the poor and the rich. Copenhagen would not find a solution to the intriguing puzzle, but surely it could be the first step forward. Climate change would drown and dry both and development would not last long. The only solution is that the rich help the poor for they are the ones who could be blamed for everything that is now and the money they earned are (directly or indirectly) by exploiting the latter.

Posted by Aasems Jacob on December 5, 2009. Filed under Earth Sciences,Environment,International News,News,United Nations Headlines,WorldNewsVine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.