Daddy:”I know that WE are slowly but steadily destroying this planet by the use of oil, gas and coal but I am going to try and do the utmost that our family can to not do so any more. I am going to need your understanding as and when I explain to you why we must do without some things, maybe many things and I will always be open to listening to what you might have to say, your questions, your doubts.”

Daughter:”I understand and I feel happy that you are my father.”

Sure, each and everyone of us must get cracking, as you say, but when it comes to the good ideal of “thinking globally, and acting locally” it is not easily done by each one of us, as individuals, bacause national politicians do not facilitate our societies for it. So long as national policy makers do not lift a finger to facilitate for green living, it is very difficult for everyone to live green; if you can catch my drift?

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Ashit: “CAUSE and EFFECT!! Can there be anything more ‘rational’ and ‘scientific’ than cause-and-effect? Can it be reversed?”

Cause and effect, that’s right. It’s like me, when I’m being childishly naïve but cruelly accurate at the same time, and stating the obvious: the greenhouse effect, which leads to global warming and climate change, is the by-product of human polluting activities; especially the consumption of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal). It really is as simple as that. And, at the same time, as embarrassing as that; because the civilization of our times is certainly dependent of fossil fuels; which are — incidentally — the same substances which are causing greenhouse effect, global warming, and climate change.

Now. — Now that we have come to understand that the climate systems of the world is slowly but steadily being disrupted because of human consumption of fossil fuels, please tell me how and why we can allow ourselves to continue to make use of those fossil substances.

Or rather: try to tell this story to members of the coming generation of children. How on Earth are we going to explain this to children?

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Daddy: “We know that we are slowly but steadily destroying this planet by use of oil, gas and coal, but we just keep on doing it, all the same.”

Daughter: “Why is that?”

Daddy: “Hm.”

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I suppose you’re right! Absolutely so! — In actual fact, I believe the brutally honest outcome of the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali is going to haunt humanity for quite a while. For years, even decades. — Unless, of course, we should all come to our senses, collectively, spontaneously and simultaneously, by means of magic (*) or a major reality check. I feel way too baffled to even think of something intelligent to say.

What happened in Bali was that the worldwide community of big spenders and money-makers removed their gloves and made it perfectly clear to the rest of the world — crystal clear, and under no uncertain terms — that economic interests are of much higher importance than ecological needs and deeds.

To me, this is totally unbelieveable. In my view, this is insane.

Just crazy. –

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“The truth shall set you free,” at least that’s what they say. — And “freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose,” Kris Kristoffersen famously said.

I wish I knew how to tell the truth about my own life, as it has been played out over the last three, four, seven and several years. I’d love to find the power — or indeed courage — to be truthful to the core.

I wonder: what on Earth should I — honest, little me — have to gain from being truthful about the kind of behaviour they always greet me with?

And I wonder: what do I have to lose?

While I weigh one sentence against the other, I hesitate.

I know exactly what you mean, and I agree. I’m very often feeling confused here, and not quite able to differentiate between personal knowledge and episodes of wishful thinking.

“The courage to do nothing” — well, I think that’s exactly the kind of spirit most Norwegians would love to hear more of, cherish, enjoy, and follow fervently. — That kind of courage would be very convenient, indeed.

And I think this is the case in most countries, not only here. Even though this country is a bit more oil rich than most. –

No one knows what to say, I suppose. At least to me, the important thing is to keep talking, loudly and clearly and often, and keep going.

Just as a side note, here in the USA there is considerable attention being paid here to the Christmas shopping season. There are indicators that bottom-line sales and grotesque consumption will be down. If that were to occur, that one change would be a good thing.

Perhaps the idea of reducing conspicuous over-consumption is beginning to become a part of the American consciousness. Then again, everything I have just said about the prospect for such change in Americans’ spending habits may be nothing more than wishful thinking.

Always,

Steve

PS: I am a person who passionately hates waiting games. “The ‘courage’ to do nothing” is anathema to me.

I really don’t know what to say. There’s a dismal divide between all the worrysome information the climate/environment science is presenting to the world, and — on the other hand — that which the political authorities of this planet are willing to do about it. Political authorities from 180 countries have just decided to allow this whole climate change negotiations business to become a waiting game.

Anyway, I just love your reporting.

“Researchers in the Amazon, attending the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Bali, say a vicious cycle of climate change and deforestation could destroy the world’s largest tropical rain forest more quickly than expected. Trish Anderton explains, in a background report.

Researcher Dan Nepstad calls it a “perfect storm” of deforestation: as fire and ranching destroy the Amazon forest in Brazil, the remaining trees release less moisture, producing a dryer climate that kills more trees. It adds up to a vicious cycle of destruction.

A World Bank-funded study released early this year predicted the Amazon could become a grassy savannah by the end of the century.”

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2005/aug/11/science.climatechange1

“A vast expanse of western Sibera is undergoing an unprecedented thaw that could dramatically increase the rate of global warming, climate scientists warn today.

Researchers who have recently returned from the region found that an area of permafrost spanning a million square kilometres – the size of France and Germany combined – has started to melt for the first time since it formed 11,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age.

The area, which covers the entire sub-Arctic region of western Siberia, is the world’s largest frozen peat bog and scientists fear that as it thaws, it will release billions of tonnes of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere.

It is a scenario climate scientists have feared since first identifying “tipping points” – delicate thresholds where a slight rise in the Earth’s temperature can cause a dramatic change in the environment that itself triggers a far greater increase in global temperatures.”

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6247802.stm

“Tens of millions of people could be driven from their homes by encroaching deserts, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia, a report says.

The study by the United Nations University suggests climate change is making desertification “the greatest environmental challenge of our times”.

If action is not taken, the report warns that some 50 million people could be displaced within the next 10 years.”

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http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=512&ArticleID=5599&l=en

“An estimated 40 per cent of the world’s population could be affected by loss of snow and glaciers on the mountains of Asia says the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in the Global Outlook for Ice and Snow.

Similar challenges are facing countries, communities, farmers and power generators in the Alps to the Andes and the Pyrenees, says the report.

Melting ice and snow are also likely to increase hazards including avalanches and floods from the build up of potentially unstable glacial lakes. These can burst their ice and soil dams sending walls of water down valleys at speeds close to that of a modern anti-tank missile.”

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Which Climate Deal?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/dec/16/bali.climatechange

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7145608.stm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/15/AR2007121500320.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/15/bali.agreement/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

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Bali Climate Deal.

Last night, in a speech to the Bali climate change conference in Bali [Al Gore] stuck the knife in further than ever before, making it plain that America, and Bush’s administration, have become the biggest obstacles to cutting the deal on greenhouse gas reductions that might save the world from runaway global warming.

“I am going to speak an inconvenient truth: my own country, the United States, is principally responsible for obstructing progress here in Bali,” he said, prompting cheering from the thousands of delegates and environmentalists attending.

Gore had crystallized the anger and frustration that is spreading through the Bali meeting over what is seen to be American intransigence over cutting emissions.

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Al Gore. — I’m starting to like this man better and better. He sounds angry now. Free of diplomatic niceties. –

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