Chancellor Angela Merkel: Why do climate summits giver her
heartburn?
Climate Summit
and Merkel's 'Cerebral Circuitry Overload' (Die Tageszeitung, Germany)
The lament over
Merkel's absence ignores the fact that the chancellor's absenteeism is an
expression of chronic climate policy fatigue. This is reflected, for example,
by the shrug of the shoulder with which we (don't) acknowledge that the
so-called pivot-line of the West Antarctic ice sheet has passed a historic
tipping point and that the melting of this incredibly huge mass of ice has
become an unstoppable, self-perpetuating phenomenon. But there is another
reason for Merkel's disregard. Climate policy has determined that the 2015 U.N.
Climate Summit in Paris will be the decisive meeting, so New York is only a
prelude.
Angela Merkel didn't
travel to New York. Her absence is an expression of chronic fatigue with
climate policy.
Former climate chancellor Angela Merkel isn't flying to the
climate summit in New York. Her political instinct tells her that this for-show-only
event won't amount to anything. However, because Merkel and other government
leaders aren't flying to New York, the climate summit will in fact be downgraded
to one of appearances only - out of which nothing new is likely to emerge. In
other words, Merkel should actually go.
The lament over Merkel's absence ignores the fact that the
chancellor's absenteeism is an expression of chronic climate policy fatigue. This
is reflected, for example, by the shrug of the shoulder with which we (don't)
acknowledge that the so-called pivot-line of the West Antarctic ice
sheet has passed a historic tipping point and that the melting of this
incredibly huge mass of ice has become an unstoppable, self-perpetuating phenomenon.
Such events, which according to Antarctic expert Anders Levermann
are ushering in a "new era for our planet," barely make it into news
summaries. Their complexity seems to overwhelm our cerebral circuitry. After
all, it would at least be easier to grasp that atmospheric CO2 rose more
sharply from 2012 to 2013 than at any time in the last 30 years - or that the
acidification of the oceans has reached its highest level in 300 million years.
But horror figures no longer impress, nor do they provide impetus for climate
policy.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
In that respect, Obama's climate offensive or the new
sensibility of China's leadership are at least encouraging. Or the global
construction figures for renewable energy, or the demonstration of 400,000
people in New York. While Germany - formerly at the vanguard of climate change
- lies limp and in a coma, the Americans are suddenly waking up. But there is
another reason for Merkel's disregard.
Climate policy has determined that the 2015 U.N. Climate Summit
in Paris will be the decisive meeting, so New York is only a prelude. In
addition, there is still the "real" U.N. summit in Lima this year. That
is another reason expectations for New York have melted
away. On the other hand, lower expectations prevented any premature mention of
failure.In this way, renewed feelings
of powerlessness are avoided. Climate policy is also deeply psychological.
