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Photo: kosmosjournal.org

This week, we, the people of the world, will witness a key test of whether we will betray our children, grandchildren and future generations through a lack of ambition and will. This week at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York on Thursday we can  listen to more than 120 world political leaders outlining how they intend to tackle the growing risks from environmental degradation and climate change.

The summit has been called by the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, to try to build high-level support for efforts to reach an international agreement to avoid dangerous levels of global warming, which is due to be signed in Paris in December 2015.

The ambition is that countries will outline how they intend to stop and reverse, within the next 10 years, the growth in annual emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and put us on a path towards zero emissions by the second half of this century.

Without a treaty, it will be hard for the world to avoid the potentially catastrophic impacts of the global average temperature rising by more than 2C degrees above its pre-industrial level.

The consequences of creating a climate not seen on Earth for millions of years will not be suffered primarily by us but by those who will be here next century. By then, if the climate has warmed by three degrees or more, the Earth is likely to have passed a number of tipping points, such as irreversible melting of the Greenland ice sheet, leading to gradually accelerating and potentially irreversible disruption of lives and livelihoods.

A pertinent question surely must be: What is to be done to avoid this coming catastrophe?                                                                           

In 2012 at the 10th Anniversary Session of the World Public Forum, Dialogue of Civilisation, Rhodes Forum (3-8 October 2012), I was honoured to Chair and Moderate a Plenary Panel on Ecology with the theme of “Visions of a New Earth: Responding to the Ecological Challenge”:

‘The panel was composed of a broad array of academics, researchers, representatives and former representatives of NGO’s, social entrepreneurs, business people, and politicians, amongst others. These diverse perspectives focused on the common theme of the environment, how it is being ravaged and what can be done to alter course. All agreed that the environment is indeed drastically endangered by a host of human activities which emanate from the global economic system.

The speakers commonly cited the need for a change in perspective on the part of individuals and the need for a greater commitment to protect the earth. Several speakers cited the example of the spiritual wisdom found in the spiritual traditions of indigenous and aboriginal peoples, that such wisdom is truly necessary to safeguard the earth on which we all depend for life. Other speakers mentioned the role that could potentially be played by religions and faith communities as well as arts and aesthetics in fostering greater respect for the environment and the construction of an environmental ethic based upon stewardship. Whether the source was religious, spiritual or secular the need for a change in consciousness and personal engagement was recognized by all speakers.

Most of the speakers on the panel agreed with the sentiment that individuals can not accomplish the needed environmental change alone, that common actions need to be taken, and that usually such actions require changes in laws, regulations, institutions, and structures. It was acknowledge that powerful interests such as corporate profit interests, who make great income off of ravaging the environment, are quite willing to pay the price to serve as obstacles to environmental progress in order to protect their profits. There exists therefore the need to translate ideas into concrete actions to affect change, in order to organize and become a countervailing power.

Another common theme among many speakers was the need for a greater sharing of the world’s resources. The bulk of the people on earth are in desperate need of greater economic security today. Economic Security is increasingly undermined by governments across the globe, almost regardless of party affiliation, in the name of austerity the social contract is in tatters. The trend of increasing inequality both harms the environment and makes solutions to the environmental crisis more difficult. Inequality will be lessened through a greater sharing of the world’s resources, as well as a more extensive restructuring of the global economic and social system. Austerity works in the opposite direction.

In addition to enhanced regulation and changes in law at both the national and global level, several speakers cited the need for greater social responsibility on the part of corporations. The example of the auto industry was used by one speaker. Global Media and Mass Communications were mentioned by several other speakers as being representative of technologies which can be harnessed in environmentally conscious ways for the better of people, the planet, and other species. Conceptions of land and land ownership were cited by some which in turn could be used or not to better protect the environment. Finally the mayor of the capital city of Estonia offered the example of free wireless internet and free public transport for city residents as a splendid example of how governments at the local level could take bold action to safeguard the environment and to become more effectively green.’…

I very much believe that the words and sentiments, the vision and recommendations we made on that day at the 2012 Rhodes Forum stands the test of time and can be a path for the common good to build a better, greener world, and to save Mother Earth from harm and destruction.

Read the full report:

Visions of a New Earth: Responding to the Ecological Challenge

Read more:

A Report: World Public Forum “Dialogue of Civilisation”

Altai Forum 2014: A Better Path to a Better World