Cancun: opinions on the matter
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We live on one planet. Since climate change is already having an impact on every country and every individual, what are we to do? Everyone has an opinion on the subject. China Today conducted an ad hoc opinion poll and presents interviewees' hopes and concerns around the upcoming international climate conference in Cancun, Mexico.
Luo Jibin (former official of the World Meteorological Organization)
Climate is the essential resource on which we humans rely for existence. This climate resource brings us a diversity of flora and fauna, and enables us to live well. Only if the climate resource is well protected can the world economy develop in a sustainable manner, weather calamities be brought under control and reduced, and human life continue on an unbroken path of improvement. To protect the climate is to protect living conditions for our own future and for that of our offspring too. It calls for worldwide awareness, joint efforts and across-the-board participation. I hope for the reaching of further consensus in the upcoming Cancun meeting, and for a breakthrough in terms of all countries taking concerted action.
Vivian (general manager of Sheyang Technology Co., Ltd)
By my reckoning, the developed countries will make many demands on the developing nations again. If China accedes to those demands, living conditions will no doubt be harsher. After all, many Chinese still live below the poverty line so we have to prioritize economic development; as a developing country, climate solutions must be suited to the Chinese situation. I hope too that the developed countries will provide practical and effective assistance.
Xu Xiaoqin (reporter of the West Asia and Africa Center of China Radio International)
As regards my expectations for Cancun, I only hope that every head of each state could notice the current extremes of weather caused by climate change and, in an attitude of bearing responsibility for this and future generations, work out realistic and workable policies. If yet again there is minimal progress, people will suspect it's like in the disaster film 2012, a debate confined to the price of tickets and embarkation sequence for Noah's Ark.
Long Yuanfang (final-year student of China Foreign Affairs University)
I hope each nation can learn from the previous lesson, putting prejudices aside and addressing the climate issue together. The developed countries need to make greater efforts and offer more help to the developing countries; for their part, the developing nations should try their utmost and encourage every citizen to get involved in environmental protection.
Zhang Hehe (director of the Business Development Department of the Friends of Nature)
Although addressing climate change relies on intergovernmental cooperation at macro level, it is important that every one of us does what we can to live a low-carbon life and reduce our own carbon emissions.
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