Friday, November 27, 2009

Hopenhagen

The people of the world are awaiting the World's Leaders meeting for the UN Climate Change Conference December 07 - 18 at Copenhagen. Great expectations are pinned on this conference but most think it will not amount to much.

Hopenhagen "When People Lead, Leaders Follow is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning." It is a movement of people across the world telling our leaders that we demand change. Change that will provide a better future for the planet and its inhabitants. It is a demand for a greener economy. It is a change powered by us, the people.

Scientists and Politicians are still debating whether climate change is caused by mother nature or is induced by human activity. At least, we all agree that there is a climate change. A climate change that may threaten the way of life we are used to. Even if this climate change is a natural thing, is it that wrong to help ma nature to reduce it.

Charity starts at home. We all can contribute to the well being of the planet from energy saver light bulbs, car pools or even walking, to recycling and using recyclable material. This is not sufficient, what we need is a green revolution, government intervention to stimulate a move towards a greener economy. This intervention should be in the form of incentives to stimulate innovation in greener technology, tax credits for individuals that install solar power panels or insulate and reduce the carbon foot print of their homes and in the form of taxes on services that involve carbon emissions to ensure that alternative energy forms are given the chance to reach competitive and sustainable levels.

Oh, I can hear the loud screams of conservatives against taxes and government intervention that will affect our lives in the immediate future. We need to look at the long term at the sustainability of the standards of living we enjoy and would aspire to continue enjoying.

Change was never easy and people will resist change even when they know it is good for them. But change we must if we want our children and grand children to have a clean environment and a habitable planet.

4 comments:

  1. Dear Oussama:
    Nice article…again. It is always beautiful to read your opinions and points of view, appreciating your international vision.

    I have recently participated in a one day conference in Amman sponsored by the great efforts of the Swedish Embassy here in coordination with the Jordan-Europe Business association. Discussions took place at the Columbia University Middle East Research Center CUMERC.

    Malena Karlsson from GlashusEtt Hammarby Sjostad –I may be able to write it down but not say it- informed us about the different environment solutions in that area. Villages and towns are being built now a day with the vision you had in your article and the good news is that it is working.

    Hammarby Sjostad is a suburb of Stockholm. It has practically eliminated garbage, by taking recycling to extremes. But it happens with no extra trouble for residents -- the waste-to-energy systems are all built-in.

    If you wish you may go to the below links:

    MPR news Q:

    http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/07/07/sustainable_sweden/?refid=0

    http://www.stockholm.se/Fristaende-webbplatser/Fackforvaltningssajter/Exploateringskontoret/Ovriga-byggprojekt-i-innerstaden/Hammarby-Sjostad/In-english/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Ziad

    I read the piece on Hammarby Sjostad ( http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/07/07/sustainable_sweden/?refid=0 ). Truly amazing, to read about solutions that work.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's the thought of my children and grandchildren struggling with the things we take for granted today that motivates me.

    If we could all do one thing, just one thing, it would be to promote awareness about what has been done and has worked.

    I'll be sure to pass on the story of Hammarby Sjostad.

    ReplyDelete
  4. You are so right Naima, it is the thought that we are giving our children and grand children an environment which is much worse than what we enjoyed that saddens me and motivates me at the same time. The clean air, clean water and bio diversity are things that not only them but also us can no longer take for granted. It is definitely the time to take action.

    ReplyDelete

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