The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference has recently come to an end after deliberations spread over two weeks. Most of the countries apparently maintain that the conference ended without reacting any conclusion. True, that no major success could be achieved at the prolonged conference, but it would not be entirely true that nothing was achieved. It was not the first attempt of its kind to control international environment problems or global warming. Yet, it was the first endeavor of its kind and its outcome it cannot be denied.
Controlling Emission of Greenhouse Gases
It is necessary to examine the achievement of the conference before proceeding any further. We Indians have reasons to take deep interest in the conference's outcome. First, India was an important country that participated in the conference from the very beginning to the last and second, India is also not safe from the impact of deadly changes in the world environment.
The Copenhagen Conference was termed a session on the lines of the Kyoto meeting, because under the Kyoto Protocol, the responsibility of controlling emission of greenhouse gases was put on developed nations. Developing and poor countries, however, felt that the responsibility of reduction of greenhouse gases was being laid on them. Several countries are of the view that the entire show was arranged by the United States, which emerged victorious in the end. US President Barak Obama suddenly appeared on the scene and because of his intervention, the conference was saved from being a failure. Developing nations feel that the agreement reached at Copenhagen is a significant progress toward controlling global warming, but it is not sufficient.
Conciliatory Process
Developing nations maintain that the United Nations should take further action in the light of the new agreement. They reiterated their desire to achieve clean generation power like that in the United States, which would have dual benefit. Yet, experts on environment and less developed countries have criticized some sections of the agreement and have grudgingly supported it. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has also said that a lot is yet to be done, but he commended the efforts made by the United States and other countries. It is clear that India also took part in the conciliatory process. That is why the prime minister participated in the last session himself.
In addition to India, other countries like China, Brazil, and South Africa also played an important part in conducting the Copenhagen session. The Copenhagen conference can be termed a success because at the conference held on 11 December 1997 at Kyoto in Japan, only 37 industrialized countries had participated, and 184 participants had promised to implement the agreement within a fixed timeframe. Yet, it was actually implemented on 16 February 2005. Also, deliberations at Kyoto were not as extensive as at Copenhagen. Brazil, India, South Africa, and China were endeavoring ever since to control emission of harmful gases. India went to the extent of setting up a separate Environment Ministry, and the prime minister also appointed a separate ambassador for it. At Copenhagen, 193 countries participated in the deliberations. Most participants were from poor and developing nations. These countries had some objections to certain provisions of the agreement. Yet, when the United States promised to extend financial assistance to developing nations, they fell in line.
Need to Control Emission
In fact, huge expectations were put on the Copenhagen summit, even before it actually commenced. Since those expectations could not be fulfilled, they feel that nothing was gained or achieved. The least of Copenhagen's achievement is that major and industrialized powers have, at least, admitted that there was dire need to control emission of deadly gases to save the world from climate disaster. The strength of 193 countries is more powerful than of mere 37. Also, at Kyoto, only European and developing regions had participated. As against it, at Copenhagen, Europe, the United States, Africa, and Asia all participated. At Kyoto, it was resolved that member countries would cut their emission of greenhouse gases up to five percent, as compared to the 1990 level. The target was to be completed between 2008 and 2012, but it did not happen.
The Kyoto Protocol had maintained that basically, the responsibility of the deadly climate change and global warming lies on developed nations because their industries are emitting greenhouse gases for the last 150 years. They were held responsible to cut their emission of greenhouse gases. Now, the responsibility has shifted to developing and poor nations. Under the circumstances, it becomes an even greater responsibility of developed countries that they should bring down emission of greenhouse gases in their countries, at least to the level that was promised under the Kyoto Protocol.
Extraordinary US Interest
There is one apprehension. In the subcontinent, particularly in India, a larger chunk of population is dependent on mills and factories that have tall chimneys. Similar system prevails in less developed and poor countries. Some circles are of the view that on the pretext of controlling greenhouse gases, industrialized nations want that these factories in poor countries should be shut down. After that, their own industrial products would have larger markets.
The apprehension is not out of place or unjustified. According to a survey, more than 1,000 US companies have monopolized the world. These companies interfere in the drafting of annual budgets of these countries, and have a larger say in it. The extraordinary interest shown by US President Barak Obama and his endeavors further strengthen the apprehension. It is, perhaps, owing to this that our government has categorically asserted that the India's interests would not be compromised, and the international community would have to take equal responsibility in controlling climate change.
Quranic Teachings
It would be apt to mention that the holy Quranic teachings are very clear on controlling deadly change in climate. We believe that no other religion but Islam draws attention to it. Allah has repeatedly warned against going beyond the limits in every issue, and has directed the powerful to treat the weak amicably and well. Islam even directs to keep a moderate voice even while praying. Yet, the world today has taken to the path where the strong threaten the weak, and attempt to usurp their rights.
The strong feel no shame while doing so. According to a survey, a mere seven percent of individuals have gained control over 67 percent resources of the world, implying that the rest 93 percent of population shares the remaining 33 percent of resources. In this scenario, any attempt to further press the large chunk of populace, that already suffers injustice, would amount to inviting a major disaster.
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