18 December 2011
editorial
As widely expected, the latest global climate change meeting which ended in Durban, South Africa, early this month made insignificant progress in healing a wounded and bleeding planet.
It was most disappointing for delegations from Africa who had hoped strong narrations of their plight under warming climate would attract sympathy from rich and emerging world powerhouses such as China and India.
As it turned out, negotiators from the major industrial countries stuck to protecting their domestic interest which, without exception, meant they were opposed to any proposals that could lead to a slowdown in economic activities.
Within this poisoned environment, a deal was reached that allowed for more talks which could very well extend into the next decade.
Meanwhile, Europe and the US will plan to manufacture more at lower costs while China, India, Brazil and South Africa will strive to catch up, caring little for the environment.
Kenya and other poor countries could choose to remain spectators, wait for global handouts, or do something about their own polluted environments.
The latter would be the best option, but those who would do the job will be at the mercy of professional climate change activists whose bill is picked up by the same industrial outfits they are supposed to censure.
It is not difficult to start healing our own environment because we have the policies in place, regulatory authorities, adequate research data and, most importantly, invaluable advice from the late environmentalist, Prof Wangari Maathai.
What we require now is strong political leadership on the environment, swift, severe and uncompromising punishment for all polluters.
AllAfrica – All the Time