Climate change is a question of worldwide importance, priority and risk for the future of mankind. The most popular leaders in all mind fields, from politics to religion, all opinion leaders all over the world are beginning to talk about the impacts of climate change. This is set to make us aware that consequences of global warming cannot be ignored anymore and we must act and react in all progressive ways to keep what we have left.
Two weeks of UN climate talks ended this Thursday, with a team of negotiators discussing over a draft global climate pact but without reaching an agreement yet.
Negotiators were expected to sign a pact that involves 190 countries, on matters that should be globally taken against the effects of climate change.
The terms and details of this pact will be agreed upon and revealed before a December summit in Paris, where it will hopefully be adopted.
The slow pace causes bursts of reactions from observers and negotiators.
On the other hand, this lag in decision making represents a good opportunity to attract public declarations from popular world leaders that play with the meaning of climate change and its measure of importance.
“Pope Francis is personally committed to this issue like no other pope before him”, an official reported in a news conference that took place this week.
The UN climate change talks echoed in Vatican. The church will add a moral dimension to the climate change issue, as believers could view it as a way to protect creation. Pope Francis does not hesitate to publicly share his views on this much nuanced theme.
Just a few days ago, president Barrack Obama endorsed a long term goal of decarbonizing the global economy, shifting from the problem of dependence on fossil fuels.
A European Union Delegate simply declared “we must go faster”. It’s the very measures on climate change that must remain under the spotlights here, not public declarations from leaders of the world. Before measures taken, comments become futile.
The question of time and patience was also highlighted by Ahmed Djoghlaf, an official co-chair who declared that “no one can craft a universal agreement with more than 190 countries overnight”
He added “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. Climate change is a question of time and patience, as the official states.
Everything is a question of time and patience, but there is also a time when imperative measures must be taken. The space between the stages of decision allows for interpretations and reactions that are irrelevant to the matter.
The climate change deal that is supposed to take effect in 2020 will be the first document where both rich and poor countries pledge to limit emissions of greenhouse gases that are raising global temperatures, resulting in disastrous effects.
Image Source: epa.gov
