| COP 20 Moving Beyond Climate Talks | 12 December 14 |
With the Harper government obviously, and perhaps quite deliberately, falling far behind on its commitment to cut emissions and combat climate change, we should not be surprised by the scepticism of other nations at Canada’s presence at COP 20. Canada openly committed to $300 million in support of developing countries working to cut emissions – with no clear mandate at home. At one time this sort of practice would have been called ‘simony’ – back in the day when you could pay the Catholic Church of Rome a certain amount of money to have your sins forgiven. Now it is just called politics. The rhetoric from Canada’s Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is always about how Canada is very interested in forging alliances with it’s fellow compatriots in this battle against climate change. The Harper government is demonstrating hot not to act, and how not to talk and how not to engage in the practice of leadership when it comes to climate change. The current government of Canada is not a representation of the feelings of the peoples of Canada when it comes to climate change. The climate talks currently going on in Lima, Peru have within them great seeds of potential for global action to finally begin to happen. While a binding agreement will not be the final result of the COP 20, the road to Paris 2015 can be paved with the actions of those engaged and committed as leaders to acting on climate change for future generations. The global awareness of climate change has reached a tipping point. Acting, with or without a global agreement is required. Waiting is not an option any more.
View December 12, 2014 Peru this Week, Living in Peru article |
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