The recent (nomadically arranged Climate event called Review Mechanism – Conference of the Parties to the UN FCCC, or shortly) COP – this time the 29th, hosted by Azerbaijan – showed once again how the natural process of climate change is being misused as an instrument of political and techno-economic dominance and deeper psychologisation of developed countries over developing world.
Nature does not change. Change, as a cosmic constant, is a nature itself. Still, even Heraclitus understood, that this force is never eruptive or destructive (explosive, combusting and polarising), but eternally gradual and constructive; holistic, inclusive and implosive. Look up the evening skies and this backbone of night above us: That will be the exact way how entire clockwork of universe functions.
Hence, Climate change is an intrinsic, cyclical process that takes place over millions of years. Our planet went through significant climatic variations long before the emergence of modern civilization – from ice ages to warm periods. All credible scientific data shows that the Earth’s temperature has changed dramatically throughout its geological history, even without any human influence.
Although Homo Sapiens undoubtedly has its impact on the troposphere, it is fundamental to understand that human activities are still sequesterable part of the Earth’s eco-system. Nature has exceptional self-regulatory mechanisms that maintain equilibrium despite various changes and periodic disruptions. For example, varying CO2 levels throughout the geomorphologic history of planet, and its relation to the growth size properties and quantities of Earth’s biota, etc.
Despite these well-established facts, the developed countries, which have built their wealth and posture on carbonics over the past 200 years, are now trying to impose expensive and often untested ‘green technologies’ all over the world, using the climate change as an excuse. Ultimately, these ‘novel technologies’ would require a new financial and technology-transfer exposure and dependency for the poor of South vis-à-vis North.
De-psychologisation of issues, de-monopolisation of technologies
Thus, the promised 300 billion dollars a year for the developing (and LDC – the Least Developed) world – as ‘won’ in Baku – is not a solution, but yet a new form of economic dependence. (Although the group of Vulnerable-77 – including Small Island Nations – vocally demanded 500 billion per annum.) A new market of beforehand patented technologies under the control of handful multinational corporations is being created, while ignoring the fact that nature itself is the best at regulating climate processes.
Nature conservation – to say understanding the intrinsic self-regulatory designs, is a key. But, this calls for the multilateral and all-stake-holders approach founded on real scientific facts, not on politically motivated or profit-driven myopic agendas. Global South have a right to economic progress (so-called Right to Development, and Right to Link Trade to Development as fundamental achievement of the UN through UNCTAD final acts decades ago). The imposition of expensive technological solutions and limiting access to cheaper energy sources and solutions directly hampers developing world.
It is particularly worrying that the natural processes of climate change are being used as an excuse to create new financial, technological, even psycho-social control mechanisms.
Sustainable environmental protection necessities reasonable management of natural resources and respect for fundamental laws of nature (intrinsic processes), not expensive, psychologised and monopolised technological intervention that disrupts the self-regulatory mechanisms of nature.
/The very same, simple efficient accessible and affordable, principle should be applied to our medicine: Real health protection assumes reasonable consumption of organic food and respect for natural intra-body processes, and not expensive and harmful chemical (or similar artificial) interventions that can disrupt the intrinsic self-regulatory mechanisms of our body./
It is time to rethink the current approach to climate change (alarmism for exclusivity and monopolisation purpose), and architect a model that will truly serve nature conservation, not the interests of large corporations and (few related circles of influence, concentrated within the several) developed countries. We need a system that will respect intrinsic and indigenous designs, and enable sustainable development for everyone, without creating new forms of politico-economic subordination.
After all, holistic and all-inclusive is a mechanism that nature itself uses when creates, preserves and enhances. Eruption, polarisation, exclusion collisions are rare occurrences when our nature is about to destruct and eliminate.
Consequently, instead of fighting natural climate cycles, we should rather focus on protecting our environment from provoked encouraged and extended armed conflicts, from unjust distributions of eruptive asymmetries, from over-exploitation and over-production and to it related pollutions of all sorts velocities and spectres, while respecting the right of all peoples and generations to learn, develop and prosper.
The 3M principle, as easily quantifiable SD matrix is beautiful in its simplicity: maximum good, for maximum spices (not to forget: continents, nations generations and classes too) over maxium period of time.
The new Bandung of 1955 is needed today. This spirit that engaged South for the first time in history, and soon after gave a birth to the NAM (Non-Aliened Movement) could be the right answer at the right time. (Neither of the present formats fits: G-7, G-20, BRICS.) Strong and powerful block of Climate ‘alarmists’ must be faced with the New Bandung, NAM, or to say Climate ‘realists’, block of a raising yet not coherent South.
Climate Change and sustainability are planetary issues that require our universal response. Instable and unjust international order, as such, is more of a problem generator than of a solution provider. Our developed world can hold its might – but Global South has its Right.
About the author:
Prof. Anis H Bajrektarevic is chairperson and professor in international law and global political studies, Vienna, Austria. He is the first European university professor to introduce Sustainable Development as the obligatory subject at the tertiary level institution in the EU (almost 25 years ago). Professor’s main research interests are focused around geopolitics, energy and technology. His 10th book ‘JHA Diplomacy’ is scheduled for release later this year in New York.
