Comments on: Copenhagen

By: James

James — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:57:36 +0000

How much of the effectiveness of China’s One Child policy is far sightedness, and how much is draconian punishment for violation?

By: Dino

Dino — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:19:11 +0000

Update: Looks like I was right. The news has just reported that the talks have ended without a legally binding agreement and that leaders will only “take note” on the talks. (In other words, do next to nothing).

By: Dino

Dino — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 19:55:21 +0000

Hi Fuchsia,

I fear that this whole Copenhagen Summit will turn into lots of people “talking a lot but not saying very much”, as I would usually put it. And by the end of it, I doubt that there will be major agreements, and if there are I very much doubt that they will be adhered to.

These kind of summits are notorious for not changing very much-just look back at the Kyoto Protocol. It ended with the US not signing it (even though it was/is the world’s biggest producer of carbon emissions) and most countries failed to reach the targets set by the Protocol. Britain claims that it has reached these targets, but it’s all a lie: what’s actually happened is that a lot of Britains factories have relocated overseas, so other countries are producing our emissions for us! (Dyson famously relocated his hoover making factory to Malaysia a few years ago, for example).

So all in all…I don’t hold out much hope for the Copenhagen Summit. And I fear that by the time that all the world leaders get themselves into gear and really try to drastically change the situation, and treat it like a true global emergency, it will already be too late.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:31:58 +0000

This is an issue that I’ve been pondering as of late – that the concept of democracy vis-a-vis the French Revolution and taken to its absolute apex in the U.S. is what dooms the world when it comes to threats such as global warming. Owing to a lack of political will b/c politicians are looking nervously at the latest polling figures, there will be far fewer individuals of integrity who are willing to commit career suicide and implement measures that ensure that no further terms of service are in the offing.

It is exactly b/c of the authoritarian state infrastructure that China has been able to mobilize and marshall its population to at least marginally realize Deng’s vision of a materially prosperous country. Having witnessed firsthand the haphazard chaos that India experiences w/ its multitude of states and their individual interests, it would be a monumental task to persuade one and all in that country to assume sacrifices even more than they have borne thus far.

The notion of democracy avails w/ it accompanying precepts of entitlement; and given the human condition as well as behavior, the id tends to foment selfish conduct. If one to declare that cheap/inexpensive weekend vacations w/ EasyJet and RyanAir were no longer available and that the cost to travel to some of these locales were to exceed 1 000 Pounds Sterling, there’d be far fewer “travelers,” but also probably a sense of moral outrage in conveyed by people muttering “I ought/want/deserve…” Not sure this would necessarily be a negative outcome since some people who visit Cuba or a place like Phuket only come into contact w/ locals by way of wait and cleaning staff.

Not disheartened necessarily, but subscribing to a sober pragmatism.

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:03:58 +0000

I hope something will be rescued from the debacle that is the now hopeless Copenhagen Summit, but if it’s more than a statement of intent from World leaders I’ll be very surprised, and so Copenhagen will become just another missed opportunity.
Can we blame them though? When it’s clear we individually miss so many opportunities to make changes at home; the education of our children perhaps? While they have been made aware (too aware?) of the effects and causes of climate change, to the extent that they angrily blame our generation for the problems they will inherit, they have not been weaned away from what you call ‘the lollipop’ – all the goodies that we enjoyed – cheap power, cheap travel and cheap food.
I’m as much to blame for this as anyone, yes my kids instinctively recycle, yes they walk to school, yes they do the little things that are meant to make a difference, but they now live in a new house, built with tonnes of concrete and lit like a palace. Energy efficient it may be, but no one would call it green. Not my choice, as you know, but it could have, should have, been an environmentally friendly build, with strong lessons imparted. That opportunity has been missed.
There have been other opportunities and hard choices – the global recession perhaps? Should we have stood back and instead of propping up ailing banks and industries just let them fail? The ensuing crash would, no doubt, have resulted in simpler lives for us all, less travel, less energy, less ability to meet demand, but would the suffering (and many would have suffered severe privation, aside from the global political consequences) have made it worth it? The easy answer is yes, but would I want to see my children go through that? That’s a much harder question to answer, but there is still only one right response – yes. I just struggle to say it.