CANCUN – AFTERTHOUGHTS

Something is better than nothing. Isn’t that so? The results that Cancun produced, though not coming upto the expectations are certainly better than CopenHagen results, which was a total failure. Cancun too looked like ending in a total disaster like Copenhagen, in the end it did produce some positive hopeful results. The only reason worth pointing out was an earnest desire to find out solution to the perennial problems nagging each country particularly the developed as well as developing nations which account for the list of largest emitters of greenhouse gas emissions. And these emissions slowly, gradually pose a threat to the existence of all including least-developed nations. Hence in the Cancun Summit the unanimous decision to create green fund to extend help to those financially under-developed nations contribute in large measure to alleviate the climate related consequences affecting them. Similarly carbon-capturing technologies being discovered, developed and used widely would help reducing the increasing global warming and volatile climate cycles.
One of the most hopeful signs is the growing awareness of climate change and global warming on a gigantic scale and the need for containing the greenhouse gas emissions for the bright future of each country. And as a renowned environment expert Oleg Deripaska pointed out adopting large-scale renewable energy, more dependence on hydro-electric power in place of fossil fuels which contribute to large-scale greenhouse gas emissions thus affecting the nations disastrously.
His article titled ‘Reasons for optimism on a climate change agreement’ and I quote a few lines penned by him “National governments the world over are re-examining their sources of energy and generation capacity. Renewable energy is also attracting government support. The United States is spending $66 billion to develop and harness alternative fuel sources. The EU wants to generate 20 percent of its power renewably by 2020. China has passed a $47 billion green energy bill and is using subsidies and other financial tools to boost investment in wind and solar power”.
He touches upon the great need of, or the trend of neighbouring nations with enormous potential to co-operate on producing mass-scale renewable and hydro-electric co-operation to the mutual benefit of both, for example Sino-Indian co-operation, Sino-Russian co-operation. Similarly among other nations which would help in a large measure in reducing carbon emissions.
In such an eventuality the global warming could be restricted, leading to the protection of bio-diversity and its upkeep by afforestation thus minimizing the massive depletion of ozone layer, reducing the global warming leading to the containment of the melting glaciers which contribute to the rising of sea-levels threatening the existence of a few island nations which are situated below the sea-levels. Not only across India but the world over chemical factories lined up along the river banks pump effluents into the rivers thus polluting the rivers and destroying the rarest of rare species, lakhs of which have already gone extinct. At least to rescue the remaining species on a war-footing each nation has to plunge into concerted action, otherwise massive droughts and widespread floods converting the land uncultivable and a country like India where 70 percent of the population are engaged in agriculture who provide us with food three times daily. Remedial measures are long overdue and it is really heartening that growing awareness is being dawned upon our rulers if not all, a section of them.
Each developed and developing nation is bound to earmark a substantial sum exclusively for protecting our beautiful earth from the disastrous consequences of climate fluctuations and global warming from the grip of total extinction. As long as a strong-will exists among the nations including the business community, they are better advised to keep the long term results in mind than the short-term gains.
I am compelled to dwell upon the attitude of a section of business community who even at a critical juncture campaign and argue against the established facts with regard to the climate swings and global warming by pin-pointing absurd justifications for going on chalking out a different path conveniently forgetting or caring not the aftermaths with their eyes always centered on amassing as much wealth as possible. Their corporate social responsibility is given a go-by and by appointing their lobbyists to campaign against the global climate summits by opening blogs and enter into a verbal warfare with the environmental experts. These lobbyists are well-paid by their masters and wonder why these so-called business community instead of feeding their appointees earmark the sums to the welfare of those undergoing harrowing times due to the climate fluctuations and related unfortunate consequences. Whether these money-mongers, these greedy lot pause for a moment and think about their kith and kin - the genX, their bright tomorrow, their welfare. Money power alone will not be sufficient for them and their kith and kin to continue happily in this world, peace and tranquility equally important.
Unlike Oleg Deripaska establishes with only casual references of business community engaging in reduction of global warming and climate changes this essayist is of the opinion that while a small community of businessmen show sincerity and work towards good and positive results a big chunk of them still hesitates to contribute their mite towards reducing global warming and fluctuating climate cycles.