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| “The difference between 1.5 and 2 degrees is a death sentence for us.” If all the pledges are fulfilled, the world is heading to 2.4ºC. (source) |
One doesn’t need to be environmentally conscious or a proud Commie worker – like yours truly – to empathise with the Maldivian Environment Minister Aminath Shauna.
As COP26 was drawing to a close early this Sunday morning (AEDT), Shauna said:
“We put our homes on the line, while those who have other options decide how quickly they want to act to save those who don’t.
“What is balanced and pragmatic to other parties will not help the Maldives adapt in time,” she said.
“It will be too late for the Maldives.”Hearing her, no common person could have missed – or avoid being moved – by the quiet bitterness and the dignity in her voice.
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Much the same could be said about the interventions of the representatives of countries as different as Mexico, the Marshall Islands, Fiji, at one hand, and Liechtenstein, Switzerland or the European Union, at the other hand. The impotent anger and exhaustion in their words are unmistakable.
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Earlier in the morning, as Aussies were asleep, countries like Mexico and a number of small island states were rebuffed for attempting to amend the already watered down third draft resolution (they were petitioning for financial compensation for damages and losses).
The draft required unanimous approval from the parties, they were reminded. Last minute amendments could jeopardise the efforts to approve said draft.
Although unhappy with the unaltered third draft, those representatives chose the greater good.
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A few hours later, India’s Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav demanded the draft to be further watered down. An additional last minute amendment was required: Instead of “phasing out” coal, the resolution should read “phasing down”. China and South Africa – like India, major importers of coal – quickly supported the Indian motion. If they had been warned against last-minute amendments, they didn’t seem to take notice. The greater good did not concern them as much.
In their case, their last minute amendment was accepted, without even the formality of being presented in a printed form.
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Readers may have noticed that Cold War 2 ideological friends of Australia (Narendra Modi’s India is a Quad member) and arch-foes (Xi Jinping’s China) shall keep buying Aussie coal, until the world is well and truly baked. A true clash of ideologies: on one side, liberal democracies; on the other, an authoritarian regime. Good versus evil.
Reality shows that ideology is not as all-powerful as Western intellectuals claim.
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One should imagine the Australian negotiator, James Isbister, who has flown under the radar during the whole process, feels relieved. Australia is one of the world’s major producers and exporters of coal and gas.
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The point of this story? Appeals to compassion or even basic human decency have a good chance with common people.
Perhaps in a socialist world, if common people have real power, compassion and decency may be decisive criteria. I won’t really promise that, to be honest, but it seems within the realm of the possible.
What I can say with absolute certainty, based on a lifetime of experience, is that in a capitalist world such appeals – addressed to our “leaders” – are doomed to fail. In a capitalist world, compassion or decency are irrelevant. Might is right.
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Do those people have blood on their hands? I’ll let history be the judge of that.
Updated. 14/11/2021 19:30 AEDT.
Some 21 hours ago, Bevan Shields, Europe correspondent who covered the Rome G20 Summit and COP26 for The Sydney Morning Herald (the bloke who actually asked Macron “do you think Scott Morrison lied to you?”) reported that multiple delegations believed that Australia was behind the push to further weaken the draft resolution.
He himself, however, doubted that was the case. Lacking further information or evidence, his position seems warranted, although one would have thought a little probing would have been indicated: the suspicion is understandable.
Ben Lewis, SBS’s Chief International Correspondent, agreed with Shields: “Australia can let other big emitters (Saudi, China, Russia) take the lead on watering down coal/fossil fuel language. They all face less domestic fallout for doing so.”
Lewis actually approached Isbister and asked whether he had anything to do with that. Isbister neither denied nor admitted it, mumbling instead “it’s not my job to speak” or something to the effect.
Sadly, the ABC’s coverage of the last week of COP26 has been lacklustre.
2nd Update. 15/11/2021 18:13
Ben Lewis further elaborated:
- “Cannot understand why Australia’s representative at the pointy end #COP26 @AusAmbEnviro wouldn’t (or wasn’t allowed, as I suspect) to speak to the media. Almost every other country had a climate envoy who frequently briefed the press to explain what was happening in talks.” (here)
- “We learnt almost everything about the Australian approach to the negotiations from other national delegations and civil society groups.” (here)
- “Should add, we requested interviews- or even off-camera briefings with @AusAmbEnviro on multiple occasions over the two weeks of COP.” (here)
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