Where on God's green Earth does Paris fit?
- By OP Rana
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E-mail China Daily, December 28, 2015
More importantly, the Paris pact does not say how the use of fossil fuels and GHG emissions will be reduced if the world, especially big businesses, keep hankering after economic growth. This absence of specificity in reducing fossil fuel use and GHG emissions, according to climate scientists, is something "between dangerous and deadly".
Most of all, the Paris pact has sacrificed "immediate action" in the hope that channeling the UN member countries' energies into future action can save the world from what now appears to be imminent doom. Making matters worse is the fact that the unitary focus of the developed and developing countries is further exploitation of resources to increase growth rates. As Victor Menotti, of International Forum on Globalization, said: "... so far, only China appears to be doing its 'fair share'. (US Secretary of State John) Kerry came to town (Paris) with no confirmed funds for the GCF, and an INDC at risk from a hostile US Congress whose two top donors are Charles and David Koch, fossil fuel billionaires ... with a significant financial stake in free pollution. Correcting this dangerous course requires the US climate movement to go home and work with other constituencies to replace Koch's pro-carbon candidates with real climate champions in the 2016 elections. Only then will ambition and equity have any hope."
This pretty much sums up the rich countries', especially the US', pledge to fight climate change, including contributing their share to the GCF.
This also proves that, as long as economics remains a social science dedicated to making profits with nothing but utter disdain for human labor and the environment, as long as the Milton Friedmans and Chicago Schools of this world are worshipped as the oracles of a better future, the chances of saving the planet remain ...
We know which word will fill in the blank.
The author is a senior editor with China Daily.
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