In 1997, when the whole world birthed the Kyoto
treaty, it was like we were certainly reaching a monumental turning point in
the history of humanity when we can all work unanimously towards curbing the
unhealthy increase in global green house gas concentration.
The commitment period was seen as a
reasonable timeframe to get the goal of the protocol achieved and set a motion
for a new world order in the regards of zero emission future. Alas, 2012
arrived and it was like we were still at the basis of preparation, canvassing
for a total ratification and then it became so reasonable to conclude on the
note that humanity would be held largely responsible for the catastrophic
changes enabled by our inaction towards making a concrete agreement that would
ensure a safe future.
For over fifteen years of the Kyoto commitment we
have been able to achieve little less than expected while most of the promises
have set records of being all paper-based propaganda. Year after year, we assemble for conference of parties
holding various high level deliberations that have not yielded a tangible
result.
The commitments of the developed countries have being on declining
sequence overtime while promised contributions towards building frontiers of
adaptation and mitigation in the developing world have largely remained what
the are, promises.
While then, there exist quite a number of innovative
alternatives that have been coined out to facilitate the drive towards a
climate change stress-free future; the transiting path has been less ambitious
on the part of the stakeholders. The green climate fund is yet to be overly
financed while taxation policies placed on carbon generation has received a lot
of setback in the instance of the Australian government.
The drive towards a low zero carbon based economy
takes into cognizance the phasing out of fossil fuel with a lot investment on
renewable energy , a focus for 2050, But then , the IPCC reports has set the
whole world on its toes to getting a feasible climate deal else we set off
doomsday. As the whole world sets
sail for the climate deal in 2015, what are our expectations and our hope?
The
2013 edition of the conference of parties was a total lockup as the global
south sought for damages and while the annex 1 states wouldn’t yield to such
demands. In the brief of the timeframe from then, the green house gases
concentration has escalated as never seen before and the accompanied
catastrophes with the global south being worst hit.
Ban Ki Moon’s organized climate summit holding in
New York this September holds a lot of promise as it would be bringing together
world powers and leaders to making headway in preparation for the new climate
deal in Paris come 2015. The whole world looks towards achieving the following:
·
Build up towards an
ambitious contribution
·
Progress towards
transiting to 100% renewable energy
·
Phase out of Fossil
fuel
·
High level commitment
for a climate agreement in Paris
·
Empowering the green
climate fund
Also, by 2015, the new developmental agenda will see
the light of day and the need to set a nexus between the goals and climate
change will be a dire need to achieve a total development especially in the
wise of addressing poverty in the realms of the possible influence on climate
change.
A point of reflection here is, are we ready to take
on the challenge of making it work this time around? In the view of being
serious and committed to ensuring we take humanity to the next phase of
development. In my view, we just can’t afford the luxury of waiting again to
dance around at the same point we have been for over the last 15 years, we need
to make a clear headway to lead into the future. Each country will have to stand now and make a tangible commitment.
Bamidele F Oni, Executive Director of Green
Impact International, writes from Abeokuta
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