
[Granma, Cuba]
Le Quotidien d’Oran, Algeria
Fiasco!: West
Bets Climate Change Will Hurt Poor the Most
"The
strategists of the multinationals consider that the bulk of future disasters
will be concentrated in the developing world and that a few states would
benefit from some level of global warming."
By K. Selim
Translated By Sandrine Ageorges
December 18, 2009
Algeria - Le Quotidien d’Oran - Original Article (French)
Without a
last-minute miracle, the conference on global warming in Copenhagen will end in
failure. The huge Western media machine, looking for a scapegoat, is trying
without much conviction to designate the People's Republic of China as the
country primarily responsible for this terrible result.
Given the
nature of the commitments of wealthy nations most responsible for the accumulation
of greenhouse gasses, China is effectively refusing to make any concessions
without something serious in return. But there isn't a shadow of a doubt - and the
gesticulations about “Africa” by such and such European head of state will
change nothing - that those responsible for the Danish fiasco [the Copenhagen
climate summit] are the Occidentals, with the United States leading the way.
The historic polluters refuse to address the level of destruction they've inflicted
and the challenges of climate change.
The deadlock
was apparent from the opening of the conference about two weeks ago. Between a
complete submission to the United States that was deplored by many Europeans
and blatant diplomatic incompetence, the Danish presidency largely contributed
to the deteriorating atmosphere of a meeting that once held out great promise.
The Western strategy was to reduce the level of its own commitments and to
write up a political statement of withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol.
Under pressure
from the multinationals, for whom the West's men of power are merely authorized
representatives, the terms of commitment meant to limit average global
temperature rises to two degrees were greatly reduced and the potential for a
legally binding agreement largely abandoned. This absurd and dangerous position
is above all the responsibility of the United States. In line with the methods
of his immediate predecessor, the Shakespearian character that leads American foreign
policy announced without further explanation his country’s participation in a
climate fund to help developing countries. The statement provoked a wave of rapturous
praise from groupies, European heads of state and "big" media,
undoubtedly to pave the way for President Obama’s statement at the plenary
session.
Posted by
WORLDMEETS.US
SEE ALSO ON THIS:
El Watan, Algeria:
The 'Madness'
of Copenhagen
Liberation, France:
Global Cooperation -
Gone Like a 'Mirage'
Le Monde, France:
Copenhagen Climate Talks - 'Failure and Disappointment'
Le Figaro, France:
The Climate and the Challenge of Governing a Planet
Der Spiegel, Germany:
Gunning Full Throttle
Into the Greenhouse
Estadao, Brazil:
The Rich Show Their Hand at Copenhagen
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Russia:
Gorbachev Presses World Leaders to Deliver on Climate
Kurier, Austria :
Potentially Negligent
Mass Murder: Climate
Change Must Be Faced
Guardian Unlimited:
Climate Summit in 'Disarray'
After Leak of 'Danish Text'
Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany:
'Grotesque Behavior' of Climate Powers
Financial Times Deutschland, Germany:
Beijing Instead of Copenhagen
Hurriyet, Turkey:
History's Judgment of
Our Generation Depends
on Climate Summit
Rossijskaya Gazeta, Russia:
Gorbachev: Dialogue Only Way to Resolve Korea Crisis
Alas, the
president delivered a speech without much substance, with analysts explaining
that under the circumstances, he couldn't go any further without the approval
of his Congress. If one must hope that the Congress of that country picks up the
climate challenge, we may as well prepare for the worst … But the lesson is
elsewhere: the king has been stripped of his clothes much more quickly than
expected. Here we have brand new Nobel Peace Price winner, who, within a few
days, brought his country's war efforts to a new high and contributed to a
scuttling of a critical conference on the climate.
In
this Danish affair, Westerners are playing a very risky game. The strategists
of the multinationals consider that the bulk of future disasters will be
concentrated in the developing world and that a few states would benefit from some
level of global warming - which could considerably facilitate the exploitation
of mineral resources at the poles [the Arctic and Antarctic]. By this
yardstick, solidarity is an entirely secondary consideration. Cynicism and
selfishness are the norm in international relations. But despite this, as this
is a question of a common future, the sordid realism at work in Copenhagen is
the mark of a terrifying irresponsibility.
CLICK HERE FOR FRENCH VERSION
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US, Dec. 21, 7:05pm