During the Copenhagen Conference last December, Mohamed Axam Maumoon, a 15-year-old climate ambassador from the threatened island nation of the Maldives addressed this question to those of us in the industrialized world who have brought the world to this crisis point:
“On the basis that you know what you are doing is wrong and you can see that the victim is begging for mercy…..would you commit murder?“
Maumoon continued:
“… it’s like this in the scenario that we are in, because our country, the Maldives—not only Maldives, but other countries such as Bangladesh, Kenya and Zambia—all those countries are suffering to the point that we can’t see the end of it, because the mistakes other countries are making, for the mistakes that you are—that many people don’t try to redeem themselves from. And it’s as good as killing us off. So I ask you again, would you commit murder, even while we are begging for mercy and begging for you to stop what you’re doing, change your ways, and let our children see the future that we want to build for them?” (Click here for more)
The Global Humanitarian Forum estimates that climate-change disasters kill around 300,000 people a year and cause about $125 billion in economic losses, mainly from agriculture. They also estimate that 325 million people are seriously affected by climate change already, and this number will double by 2030, as more people are hit by natural disasters or suffer environmental degradation caused by climate change.
Right now, in the Gulf of Mexico, in the middle of a rich fishing area, there are reports that scientists are finding enormous oil plumes in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, including one as large as 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick in spots. The discovery is fresh evidence that the leak from the broken undersea well could be substantially worse than estimates that the government and BP have given.
Isn’t it time we collectively said “no” to our way of life? Our consumerism is consuming the world, one child, one coral reef, one oil slick at a time. Let’s join together, as millions are already doing, and find a better answer to the question of what it means to be human on this planet in the 21st century. We are more than shoppers, more than drivers of gas-guzzling vehicles, more than our ever-increasing girth. We can do this!
To join this “people powered movement”, go to my “action not apathy” page or check out these resources:
Lumumba Di-Aping from Sudan, for speaking what is (to my mind) the clearest view of the so-called Copenhagen Accord, L9, was condemned by most other diplomats at the Copenhagen Conference for what he said, you can watch his speech on the last day of the conference http://webcast.cop15.dk/kongresse/cop15/templ/play.php?id_kongresssession=2761&theme=cop15
the interface is not great but you can use the slider to get to around 32 minutes into the video, where you will hear this from Lumumba:
“Mister Prime Minister, the document, L9, of the 18th of December, and I am speaking here on behalf of Sudan, is one of the most disturbing development in the history of the UNF triple C, this document threatens the lives and the livlihoods of millions of people in developing countries, and the existence of the African continent and her people
you have relentlessly and single mindedly decided to advance through this document, with the circle of commitment and those who have agreed, the heads of states, the heads of government behind this document, to accept a solution that is based on a 2 degrees Celcius, which will result in gross violation of the right to existence of the African and the African ccontinent
L9 is murderous, it condemns and tunnels Africa into a furnace because 2 degrees Celcius results into 3.5 degrees according to IPCC AR4 Regional Report, Working Group number 2,
L9 ask Africa to sign a suicide pact, an incineration pact, in order to maintain the economic dominance of few countries, L9 is devoid of any sense of responsibility morality, and it is a solution based on values, the same very values in our opinion, that tunneled 6 million people in Europe into furnaces,
Mister Prime Minister, no one, no Obama, or yourself, can force Africa to destroy herself, its future generation and its current generations Mister Prime Minister, the 2 degrees is certain death and that is self-evidenced by the IPCC report
and I want to say this on record, there is nobody, no African President or Prime Minister has been mandated or given a mandate to destroy or aid and abet in destroying Africa, 2 degrees Celcius is certain death, and as such we do believe that, it’s immoral to even think that this product, this document was issued by a UN or a UN related body
the promise of 100 billion US dollars Mister Prime Minister will not bribe us to destroy a continent
as such, Mister Prime Minister, we do, ask you to withdraw L9, destroy it delete it from the UNFCC system, completely”
you can also see Canada’s response at 48 minutes in, and Grenada’s at 1:11 delivered by Dessima Williams
murder, genocide, bribery
Not much to add to that indictment – thanks for sharing the link, David.