One small step at a time
A non-binding agreement is better than no agreement at all, and is easier to adopt by leaders of 21 politically diverse countries at different stages of economic development. The Sydney Declaration of Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development was signed last week in the Australian city by leaders of the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Together, APEC member countries consume 60 percent of the world’s energy resources and account for roughly the same percentage of greenhouse gas emissions.Among other things, the Sydney Declaration promises to increase forest cover in the Pacific Rim by at least 20 million hectares by 2020. By 2030, APEC leaders also hope to cut by one-fourth the amount of energy needed per unit of economic growth – called energy intensity.
Rock stars and the movie industry are promoting public awareness of climate change, and the problem has become an election issue in certain countries. Freakish, destructive weather is forcing people around the world to confront the consequences of climate change. There is greater pressure on governments to deal with global warming. But the task is complicated by many factors that are not to the liking of environmental advocates.
Developing countries such as China, for example, cannot easily wean themselves away from dirty forms of fuel such as coal that abound locally and greatly reduce the cost of energy needed for industrial growth. In tropical regions, governments are realizing that saving rainforests becomes easier through sustainable agroforestry, where communities dependent on forest products become stakeholders, rather than through a total ban on logging that many developing countries find impossible to enforce. Rich countries themselves cannot easily kick their gas-guzzling habits; the United States is one of the world’s largest consumers of fossil fuels.
Yet every country must do its part, even if it’s just one small step at a time. Rising ocean temperatures are endangering the world’s marine resources. Melting polar ice caps are raising sea levels, which are threatening coastal areas. Weather patterns are changing, bringing devastating droughts, floods and hurricanes even off-season. Though the APEC declaration is non-binding, the forum members will increasingly find that they have no choice but to comply with their commitments.
