To Air is Human, to Pollute Divine

For the United States, compliance with increasing stringent global pollution standards appears almost impossible. We have so many cars, so many coal-fired power plants (and we are the Saudi Arabia of coal) and burn fossil fuel at such a rate that we are truly very far from meeting the notion of any significant reduction in greenhouses gasses. Even our homes tend to be larger, our car engines bigger, than global averages. The actual impact of true greenhouse containment would have a profoundly negative impact on our economy, it seems. We have lots of excuses. China also claims that it should not be limited because they are growing now and that the proposed emissions were based on a fairly old and moribund economic growth rate. With more cars coming on line than any other country on earth, with China’s building virtually one new coal-fired power plant a week, it seems pretty clear that severe climate change is actually accelerating, notwithstanding lots of talk to the contrary.

The Obama administration has backed a loose commitment to 17% emissions reduction by 2020, it is interesting to see how the United States has actually undermined the real effort at containing greenhouse gasses. First, when the Kyoto Protocol expired, it was replaced by the rather toothless Copenhagen Accord reached in 2009. The United Nations Climate Change Conference, held earlier this month in Cancun, Mexico, didn’t exactly change that direction either: “The United Nations climate change conference began with modest aims and ended early [December 11^th] with modest achievements. But while the measures adopted here may have scant near-term impact on the warming of the planet, the international process for dealing with the issue got a significant vote of confidence… The agreement fell well short of the broad changes scientists say are needed to avoid dangerous climate change in coming decades.” New York Times, December 11^th.

But what is particularly fascinating is how the U.S. maneuvers under the table to undo pollution emissions while espousing greater environmental controls publicly. The recent spate of WikiLeaks revealed some of these machinations as well, and the December 10 FastCompany.com summarized some of these reports of our sabotaging efforts.

First, it seems that the United States and China secretly colluded to make sure the 2009 Copenhagen Accord didn’t impose fixed standards and absolutely numbered goals on either nation. Second, it appears that the American commitment to a 17% reduction was based on 2005 emissions levels (which were pretty high), while Europe’s standards are based on a vastly lower level of pollution that existing in 1990. Apples and oranges.

Third, the U.S. routinely bribes smaller nations (with foreign aid) to vote along lines dictated by the U.S. while reducing or denying aid to countries (like Ecuador) that don’t. “Small island states like the Maldives have the most to lose from climate change (it's why they make poster children for the cause). They also tend to be rather poor. The [leaked diplomatic] cables reveal that the U.S. made an offer the Maldives couldn't refuse: millions of dollars of aid, apparently in exchange for compliance with the U.S.'s wishes at Copenhagen. U.S. climate negotiator Jonathan Pershing told the Maldives' ambassador to name a number.” FastCompany.com. Fourth, the U.S. engages in public relations blitzes, which look like we’re doing our best, while undermining those efforts in practice. Hypocrites, yes, but our children and grandchildren will pay the ultimate price with the quality of life and their health. When does this all become too little and irreversibly too late? Last year?

I’m Peter Dekom, and I also noticed that slight reduction in U.S. life expectancy numbers reported earlier this month.